What to Expect From a Full Home Inspection

A full home inspection is a visual, non-invasive tour of a home you’re thinking of buying. Home buying is a process with many steps, and the inspection is part of it. While it’s not a legal obligation, and buyers are not required to have a professional inspection, it is strongly recommended.

Here’s everything you need to know about a full home inspection, as well as specific tips for both sellers and buyers.

What Happens During a Full Home Inspection

A home inspector is a trained and licensed professional responsible for evaluating the condition of a property before purchase. Tiger Home Inspectors are fully licensed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and strictly adhere to the Massachusetts Standards of Practice for Home Inspectors. Our inspections are conducted in accordance with state regulations to ensure the home you’re buying is structurally sound, safe, and compliant with current standards.

What Inspectors Evaluate

Inspection tours typically take around two to three hours. Your inspector will have hundreds of points to check as they walk through and around the property. Be sure your inspector has access to every point they’ll look at.

Here is what the inspector will look for throughout the house and the surrounding area. Note that this is not a complete list, but rather an outline to help you understand what to expect.

• Roof, attic, venting, & insulation: Roof damage, gutter damage, attic insulation and ventilation, and water penetration or leaks. 
• Basement: Windows, support columns, ventilation, crawlspaces, and foundational structures.
• HVAC systems: Thermostats, energy sources, emergency shut-off switches, fuel tanks, and boilers.
• Electrical systems: Electrical meters, circuit breakers, panels, switch plates, and outlet types.
• Exteriors: Siding, windows, doors, chimneys, yard drainage, walkways, driveways, porches, and retaining walls.
• Garages: Doors, sheetrock, and roof.
• Interiors: Fireplaces, doors, stairways, handrails, bathrooms, kitchens, skylights, ceilings, and floors.
• Plumbing systems: Water supply, waste systems, and washer/dryer connections.
• Radon: Basement, crawl space (if suitable for testing), any lowest level that could be regularly occupied

Some inspectors may provide additional services, such as mold or termite assessment. However, this is not considered standard and may incur additional fees if utilized.

Inspectors are there only to report on the condition of each of these points, not to diagnose or fix problems.

How Findings are Presented

Once they are done, your inspector will typically give you a general verbal report on their findings, followed by a more detailed written home inspection report. 

The written report commonly includes:

• The date of the inspection
• The start and end times of the inspection
• The name of the buyer
• The name of the inspector
• Names of individuals present at the inspection
• Weather conditions, including outside temperature and ground conditions
• Whether the property was vacant or still in use
• Inspection type and cost
• Other services provided, such as radon or mold testing

The written report will then include a detailed account of what the inspector found at each point, including photos, notes, and condition ratings. These are fully objective and not meant to deter you from completing the home-buying process. However, it’s important to read your report carefully so you can make an informed choice about how to proceed with any issues the inspector found.

What to Know as a Seller

More often than not, the buyer will hire and pay for the full home inspection. Here are some things you can do to make the process go as smoothly as possible:

• Make as many repairs as you can before the inspector arrives. This will help your property get better ratings.
• Clean up. A neat property is easier to inspect, making the process more efficient for everyone involved.
• Allow access. If you can’t be there to let the inspector in, make sure you get those keys and codes to them before they arrive. Keys and codes should be available for all spaces, including garages, sheds, and utility rooms.
• If needed, reconnect utilities. If you no longer live on the property and have had services cut off, we strongly recommend having them reconnected before the inspector arrives.

You may also consider a pre-listing inspection to give buyers confidence that they are making a good investment. However, be aware that your buyer may still have their own inspection done.

What to Know as a Buyer

With so many steps to keep track of when buying a home, at what point should you hire a home inspector? Most often, home inspections happen sometime after the purchase agreement between you and the seller has been signed, but before the property appraisal. 

Make sure you do your homework and hire a reputable, trustworthy inspector with local experience and knowledge of codes and regulations.

You don’t have to be present during the home inspection, but it may be helpful to tour your new home with a professional. This way, you can ask specific questions at the end of the tour. Just make sure you clear this with the inspector first so you’re not in the way.

Keep in mind that no matter what the inspector finds, the seller has no legal obligation to make repairs or changes. You can always ask the buyer to lower the price of the home or pay for professional repairs themselves. The seller, however, does not have to comply with your requests.

If the problems are too big and you lose confidence in the integrity of the property, and the seller won’t agree to price changes or fixes, you have the right to walk away from the deal.

FAQ: Full Home Inspections

Q: Who pays for a full home inspection?

A: The buyer typically pays for the full home inspection and any additional related services. In Massachusetts, the average cost for a standard home inspection is around $700, not including optional services such as radon testing, termite inspections, or other specialty evaluations.

In some cases, buyers may be able to negotiate the inspection cost with the seller. Other times, sellers may hire an inspector before they sell, so they know what to fix before putting the home on the market.

Q: Is a full home inspection legally required before I sell/buy a home?

A: No. However, they are strongly recommended to avoid costly repairs after the new owner moves in.

Hire the Eye of the Tiger for Your Home Inspection

Since 1990, Tiger Home Inspection has provided peace of mind for Massachusetts home buyers and sellers. We’re open seven days a week for your convenience. Contact us today to find out more about our trusted inspection services!