Once you have narrowed down the home inspector you wish to use, book the appointment and have the inspection done, the next step is reading over the home inspection report. Home inspection reports can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. Not all home inspectors or home inspection reports are the same.
Some inspectors are much more detailed than others, and their inspection reports reflect that. Each State and each home inspector has different standards based on what areas of the home they are inspecting so some inspection reports may be a little different. A home inspection is a review of the property at the date and time of the inspection.
What is on a Home Inspection Report?
General information
This section typically includes a photo of exterior of the home, the address and sometimes even weather conditions during the inspection day. These details are for the date and time of the inspection.
All Areas of the Home
A home inspection report provides the client with a detailed assessment of specific areas of the home. The inspection report focusses on systems and components of the space. Most home inspection reports include the following on their home inspection:
Roof
Exterior
Specific Rooms (Master Bedroom, Den, Second Bedroom, etc.)
Fireplaces if applicable
Kitchen
Appliances
HVAC
Basement, crawlspace, foundation and structure
Electrical
Plumbing
Garage
Attic
Although many home inspection reports include the above, please note that some may include more or less based on the specific state requirements, the specific home and the home inspector.
Pictures
Almost all home inspection reports include photos concentrating on the different areas of the inspection. On our home inspection report with Ellingwood Pro, we even make it super user friendly to where you can blow up the images and view them larger. This is super beneficial to the client to better understand a specific problem visually.
Summary
There is typically a summary highlighting the defects and recommendations from the inspector. The critical issues are usually mentioned in the summary as well to ensure the client can see what may be wrong with the house at first glance.
Why So Much Information on the Report?
Typically, a home inspection will take around 2-4 hours to complete and then the home inspection has to write and complete their report. No wonder why home inspection reports are long, they are breaking down all the details of the home and review every little detail.
Ellingwood Pro Home Inspection Report
Some inspection reports can be a bit overwhelming but we here at Ellingwood Pro try to keep it as easy on the client as possible. Our inspection reports even have a table of contents listing each area of the home that was inspected. The nice thing about our report is that you can decide how you would like to view it. You can view it online and click on each area in the table of contents to view more detail. You can also click on recommendations to view just the recommendations from the inspector and you can even view it as a PDF version and print it out!
Inspectors dissect the home and document every little detail of the home. They evaluate and review everything they see in accordance with their standards of practice and then document it. You need to know how to read a home inspector report so you are able to determine small fixes versus major fixes. You can view your home inspection report completely online and then review the photos and other items in the report online as well. If you have a tablet, phone or a computer you have access to your home inspection report.
Have questions about our home inspections and services? Give us a call at 276-566-5669. You can schedule directly online or by giving us a call. Curious about the cost of our services? Check out our free estimate tool on our website or by clicking here. You can also view a sample report here!
