Choose the inspector whose credentials check out where the house is, whose full sample report is specific and easy to act on, and who tells you plainly what they won’t inspect. A standard home inspection is a visual survey with real limits. The ASHI Standard of Practice doesn’t require an inspector to estimate repair costs, judge code compliance, or report on mold, radon or pests. So the right inspector is also the one who flags early which specialists you’ll need before your contingency deadline.

Screen before you book

  1. Verify licensing and insurance. Requirements vary by state, so check what applies where the home is. Ask for proof of current insurance. The FTC’s general advice for hiring home-service contractors is to consider only those who are licensed and insured.
  2. Read a full sample report, not a marketing excerpt. See the checklist below.
  3. Confirm the scope fits the house. Ask whether they enter attics and crawlspaces when it’s safe, how they inspect the roof, and whether detached garages, decks and outbuildings are included.
  4. Ask about timing. When will the report arrive, and does that leave room for follow-up inspections before the contingency expires?

What a standard inspection covers

Under the ASHI Standard of Practice, the inspector inspects these systems:

  • structure: foundation, framing, crawlspaces and attics;
  • exterior: wall coverings, doors, decks, eaves, drainage and walkways;
  • roofing, drainage, flashing, skylights and chimneys;
  • plumbing: supply, drains, water heating, fuel systems and sewage ejectors;
  • electrical: service, panels, conductors, overcurrent protection, receptacles, GFCIs and AFCIs;
  • heating and central air conditioning;
  • interiors, including installed standard appliances;
  • insulation and ventilation in unfinished spaces, exhaust systems and dryer vents;
  • fireplaces and fuel-burning stoves.

What it does not cover

The same standard says inspectors are not required to:

  • determine the remaining life of systems, or estimate the cost of corrections;
  • find concealed conditions or latent defects;
  • report on mold, pests, radon, or other environmental hazards;
  • check compliance with codes, regulations or ordinances;
  • enter areas that would be dangerous, dismantle components, or operate shut-down systems;
  • inspect underground storage tanks, detached structures or common areas.

That list is your shopping list for add-ons. If the house has drain trouble, a history of pests, a basement in a radon area, or a chimney you plan to use, ask whether the inspector offers that service separately or can refer you, and schedule it early.

Check the sample report

ASHI’s standard requires the report to name the systems and components that, in the inspector’s judgment, are not functioning properly, are significantly deficient, are unsafe, or are near the end of their service lives. It must recommend correction or monitoring, and state what wasn’t inspected and why. A useful sample report shows that clearly:

  • a summary that leads with safety, water and structural items;
  • photos tied to specific locations;
  • a specific recommendation for each finding, such as “have a licensed electrician evaluate,” not just “monitor”;
  • a clear list of areas not inspected and the reason.

A long report isn’t automatically better. Forty pages of photos with no priorities is harder to act on than a shorter report that ranks what matters.

Using the report once it arrives

Because inspectors don’t price repairs, get written quotes from the right trade for every safety, water, structural, electrical or roofing item before the contingency ends. Sort the findings into safety hazards, active water or structural concerns, items near end of life, and routine maintenance. Clusters in one system, such as several plumbing notes or stains near the same roof area, usually mean that system needs a specialist’s look, not a one-line fix. Keep the report and photos after closing. They become the baseline for your first-year maintenance list.

Red flags

  • No sample report, or only a one-page excerpt.
  • Vague answers about exclusions or inaccessible areas.
  • A promise before the inspection that the house is “fine.”
  • Skipping safe attic, roof or crawlspace access without saying why.
  • A report delivered after your deadline.

Sources

This is desk research from the ASHI Standard of Practice and FTC consumer guidance. State licensing rules and the inspector’s own agreement set the actual scope.