, Published 24 Oct 2018
What is a Home Inspection Checklist?
A home inspection checklist is a tool used by home inspectors to assess the physical condition of a property. It identifies any existing or potential structural issues and damages. Performing home inspections help property owners and home buyers identify areas that need urgent repairs.
General Inspection Checklist
You can use this home inspection template when doing a visual check of the entire property. Complete the inspection with your comments and other observations about the property and affix your digital signature. You can generate SafetyCulture (iAuditor) reports in different file formats depending on your need. This checklist includes checking the following areas:
- Grounds
- Structure
- Exterior
- Roof
- Windows
- Doors
- Interior
- Rooms
- Crawl space
- Heating/cooling system
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- Other sections of the home.
Feel free to download as PDF or print this home inspection checklist and the other home inspection templates below.
In this article
- What Should be Checked and Included in a Home Inspection?
- Main Sections of The Checklist
- Self Home Inspection Checklist
- FAQs About Home Inspection
- SafetyCulture Digital Checklists
- Featured Home Inspection Checklists
What Should be Checked and Included in a Home Inspection?
According to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), home inspection reporting should be based upon the international standards of practice for performing general inspections. Typically, a home inspection includes checking the following:
- roof
- exterior
- basement
- foundation
- crawlspace and structure
- heating
- cooling
- plumbing
- electrical
- fireplace
- attic
- insulation and ventilation
- doors and windows
- interior
- optional systems and components
Main Sections of The Checklist
A home inspection checklist commonly involves a visual examination of the previously mentioned parts of the home particularly the following four key sections of a property:
- Structural: ceilings, roof, walls, windows, door frames, foundation, etc – where plumbing systems are inspected for defects and other assessments like mold testing are conducted
- Rooms: bathrooms, kitchen, interior rooms, etc.
- Grounds: yard, driveways, landscaping, drainage, common areas, etc – where termites, septic tanks, potential leakages are inspected
- Utilities: heating, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, etc.
Self Home Inspection Checklist
Prior to home inspections performed by professional inspectors, homeowners can also conduct a review of their own property. A home/facility self-inspection checklist allows homeowners to check specific home areas such as walkways, sidewalks, and parking areas, among others. This enables them to quickly identify spaces where immediate improvements are required.
FAQs About Home Inspection
Some of the biggest red flags to observe during home inspections are warning signs like major damages to foundations, outdated electrical wiring, and significant water leaks that may indicate serious problems. Not only are these issues costly to repair but can also pose a risk to the property and its occupants.
The duration of a home inspection usually lasts over two hours for an average-sized house while smaller properties, such as condos, take an hour or more to complete. Home inspections, however, are still heavily dependent on the actual size of the property, as well as the number of rooms or areas to be inspected.
Generally, the buyer pays for the home inspection because it is performed on their behalf to proactively identify any potential issues with the property. There are times, however, when the seller may choose to pay for the inspection as a way to exhibit transparency to the buyer. Therefore, it is important to clarify who will pay for the inspection during the negotiation phase.
SafetyCulture Digital Checklists
Property inspectors often rely on paper home inspection forms and tedious data re-entry and photo uploads to generate their final reports. Using digital home inspection checklists can help home inspectors complete their inspections on their mobile devices and generate home inspection reports instantly.
SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor) is an award-winning operations management platform that can be used to conduct property inspections on a mobile device on-site. Take unlimited photos of the property, capture hazards and risks, take annotations and notes, and instantly send reports to clients.
We have created digital home inspection checklists you can download for free and get started with using SafetyCulture. All checklists are fully customizable and can be used on mobile devices.
Featured Home Inspection Checklists
Basic Inspection Checklist
A basic home inspection checklist is used at a pre-settlement inspection before the client accepts full ownership of the property. It helps ensure the structure including grounds, roof, attic, exterior, and interior of the house are in good condition. This checklist was converted by Jarrod Boyd using SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor).
Home Inspection Checklist
This home inspection checklist is used to assess the exterior and interior of the house. It helps inspect the obvious problems that need immediate actions prior to turnover of house ownership.
Home Inspection Form
Use this home inspection form to inspect for home landscaping, driveway, exterior, sewage system, structure and basement, heating and cooling systems, water system, electrical system, individual rooms, and garage. Document a comprehensive home inspection report using this form template and by adding photos and detailed notes.
Property Inspection Checklist
A property inspection list is a tool that serves as a guide for landlords to inspect the places or things they need to check. Property inspections are often done either before, during, or after tenancy to ensure that properties are maintained in tip top condition. Failure to perform regular property inspections can likely cause accidents, costly repairs for property damages and getting sued by tenants.
House Inspection Checklist
This house inspection checklist is used by property owners in conducting walkthrough inspection of the property. This checklist includes checking of exteriors, roof, interior, fireplace, garage and yard. It also assesses whether house features are good, average or in need of repair.
SafetyCulture Content Specialist
Jona Tarlengco
