The Home Inspection — What It Covers, What It Doesn't

The short version: An inspection tells you the condition of the house before you're locked in — but it's not a pass/fail test, and it doesn't cover everything you might assume it does.

What a standard inspection actually covers

A general home inspector walks the property checking major systems: the roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, structural elements, and visible signs of water damage or safety issues. You'll get a detailed report, often with photos, describing the condition of each and flagging anything concerning.

What it does NOT cover

A standard inspection is visual and non-invasive — inspectors don't cut into walls, dig up yards, or use specialized equipment. That means several things require their own separate specialist inspection, not included by default:

• Pest and termite inspection — often required by lenders for certain loan types, but not automatically part of a general inspection
• Radon testing — a real health consideration in many regions, entirely separate
• Sewer line inspection — a camera run through the sewer line, which a general inspector won't do, and can reveal expensive problems a visual check never would
• Mold testing — visible mold might get flagged, but a true mold assessment is its own specialty
• Pool, well, or septic inspection — if the property has any of these, they need dedicated inspectors of their own

Skipping these to save a few hundred dollars is exactly how people end up with a five-figure surprise a few months after moving in.

What actually happens with the results

An inspection isn't pass/fail — it's information. Depending on what turns up and your contract's contingencies, your real options are usually: ask the seller to make repairs before closing, negotiate a price reduction or credit to cover the cost yourself, or walk away entirely if the contingency allows it and the problems are serious enough. Use the inspection to make a well-informed decision on how to proceed with negotiations and the purchase of the house.

Worth remembering

An inspection protects you from unknown problems, not necessarily existing ones. If the report notes a 20-year-old roof that's still technically functional, that's not a defect — it's information you now get to factor into your decision and your budget, rather than being blindsided by it in year two.