The Ultimate Home Inspection Report

A home inspection is usually the final step before a home is sold. This is a careful examination of a property for sale, typically performed by a professional home inspector. Real estate agents and professional home inspectors can benefit from a customizable home inspection report checklist to help ensure all important areas are covered.

Device Magic makes creating custom checklists easy. Drag and drop to build your custom mobile forms, then edit in the field and easily export to a shareable format. Learn more.

What to Include in Your Home Inspection Checklist

Whether you’re a professional home inspector, real estate agent, prospective buyer or seller, here’s how to create a comprehensive home inspection report that checks all of the boxes:

Foundation

The best place to start your home inspection is at the foundation. If the foundation of the building is unsteady, it could lead to expensive and potentially dangerous complications in the long-term. Some of the things you should be looking for when it comes to the foundation of a property include:

• No evidence of cracks or defects in the foundation at the base of walls or ceiling
• Doors and windows are square and open/close easily
• Sides of the home are straight and level

Roof & Attic

The roof is one of the most essential structures of a building. Issues with the roof can be costly and dangerous, which is why you must check and double-check its structural integrity as part of a comprehensive roof inspection. Some of the things to be looking for when it comes to the roof of a building include:

• No signs of roof decay
• No signs of roof patching
• Chimney appears to be in good condition
• Gutters are correctly mounted and draining effectively
• Siding shows no sign of cracks, rot, or decay
• No evidence of open electrical splices in the attic

Exterior

Typically, one of the first things on a home inspection report is a careful examination of the exterior of a property. This includes the actual structure of the home, any external structures like sheds and fences, as well as landscaping. Some of the things you need to look for when inspecting the exterior of a property include:

• Paint looks fresh, not faded, and is not chipped or discolored
• Lawn, grass, bushes, and landscaping are in good condition
• Landscaping is free of any soggy areas
• No evidence of termite damage or rotting wood
• No cracking, curling, or loose siding
• Exterior structures like fences, decks, and detached garages are in good condition
• Driveways, sidewalks, patios, porches, and walkways are safe and in good condition
• Adequate drainage systems in place designed to carry water away from the house

Interior

The inspection of a home’s interior will take up most of the inspection report. This is because each room has to be checked thoroughly from top to bottom for any evidence of damage or concern. This means a careful analysis of the flooring, walls, electrical outlets, windows, doors, and plumbing systems. While this is usually an extensive part of the home inspection report, some of the most important aspects of a basic interior home inspection include:

• Insulation has been properly installed
• All appliances that are included in the purchase of the home are fully functioning
• Floors are free of stains and damage
• Each room has a standard number of working electrical outlets
• Doors and windows open correctly
• Adequate caulking around window frames and joints
• Home is free of any strange odors
• Paint is in good condition, and wood trim is installed correctly

Plumbing & Electrical

The inspection of the interior of a home continues with a careful analysis of all plumbing and electrical systems. This includes checking water pressure, ensuring that all toilets and sinks are operating correctly, and that the HVAC system is in good condition. More specific questions pertaining to the plumbing and electrical part of a home inspection include:

• No sign of leaky pipes
• Water pump is in working condition
• Adequate water pressure in bathrooms and kitchens
• Each room receives sufficient airflow
• All lights and ceiling fans are working
• All cables are secured and protected
• No evidence of fuses or breakers overheating
• No signs of rust around the water heater
• Positive well water test

HVAC Systems

The HVAC system in a home is responsible for the heating, ventilation, and cooling of the entire space. An inspection should carefully examine all aspects of the home’s HVAC system, including:

• No evidence of a gas odor
• All air filters are clean
• Ductwork is in working condition
• No signs of asbestos
• Flues slope up to chimney connection
• Adequate airflow throughout the home

Kitchen & Bathrooms

As you continue the interior inspection of the home, it is important to pay close attention to two of the most used rooms in the house: the kitchen and the bathrooms. While most of the plumbing and electrical components of the inspection report will cover the bathrooms and kitchen, there are some important things to look for specific to these areas. For example:

• All sinks, tubs, and showers drain properly
• The toilet is stable and does not rock
• The wall surface of the bath or shower is secure
• Metal sinks show no evidence of rust
• Kitchen cabinets are in good condition
• Kitchen appliances are working properly
• The floor of the cabinet under the sink is stable and shows no evidence of stain or decay

Create Custom Home Inspection Reports With Device Magic

Walking around a property with a clipboard, pen, and stacks of paper is an outdated and inefficient way to complete a thorough home inspection. Instead, use Device Magic’s custom form builder to create custom home inspection reports that can be completed from any mobile device.

Device Magic Mobile Forms allows you to easily create custom checklists for each home, add photos and annotations in the field, and quickly send reports to clients once complete. No internet at a specific property? No problem! Inspectors can utilize Device Magic even when offline. Start building your home inspection report and other mobile forms with a free trial of Device Magic today.