How to Decipher a Home Inspection Report (With Examples)

For sellers, the home inspection can often feel like the ultimate judgment day for their property. Did you do everything you were supposed to over the years? Did major issues happen right under your nose?

As nerve-wracking as it might seem, understanding the home inspection report will help you to differentiate between small matters and larger issues that will cost you thousands of dollars in profit.

We asked the founder of one of the nation’s largest inspector associations, a certified professional home inspector, and a top-performing real estate agent what goes into a home inspection report for your house and what to make of it after the fact.

What is a home inspection report?

Before closing, most buyers will get a home inspection to make sure there are no issues with the property. While home inspectors follow the same general format to confirm every inch of the home is covered in the report, no two home inspection reports are the same.

“Home inspectors should not have a bunch of pre-printed material,” says Nick Gromicko, founder of InterNACHI, the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. “They should include photos of the home and the defects found.”

A typical home inspection takes two to four hours, depending on the size of the home. Then, it takes a few more hours to write up the exhaustive report. According to Bill Hirsch, a highly acclaimed certified home inspector and owner of Total Home Inspection in Fairfield County, Connecticut, the entire process takes at least one full day to complete.

“Most buyers will request 10-15 days to get an inspector out to the property. The inspection takes about a few hours and then 1-3 days to write the report up and get it to the buyer,” says Thomas Day, a top real estate agent in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Home inspections typically cost between $300 to $500, which includes the visual inspection and the written report. Typically, the cost of a home inspection comes out of the buyer’s pocket.

What is included in a home inspection report?

A home inspection report is no small task; a complete report can be anywhere from 15 pages for small homes to 70 pages for larger homes. Every page is chock-full of factors that can affect the outcome of your home sale.

Let’s break down the parts of a home inspection report and look at some examples.

 1. General information about the house and the inspection conditions

The first few pages of the report introduce the property address, information about the inspection according to the state’s standards of practice, home inspector information, and a comment key or definitions.

The home inspector will provide information to help the buyer (or seller if it’s a pre-inspection) understand what each different element of the report means. They’ll give a key of symbols or codes, which they’ll use throughout the report to identify the severity of each issue.

For example, most home inspection reports will include, but are not limited to, a variation of the following codes:

• I = Inspected. This item was inspected.
• NI = Not Inspected. This item was not inspected.
• NP = Not Present. This item was not accessible or locatable.
• S = Safety Concern. This item poses a safety concern and should be addressed immediately.
• R = General Repair. This item requires repair but is not causing immediate harm or damage.
• D = Defect. This item is non-functioning and requires repair or correction by a licensed tradesman.

The inspector will also include the weather conditions on the day of the inspection, who was present, and what areas were inaccessible.

2. A detailed assessment of systems and components

The bulk of the report covers every inch of the property, from the branches around the exterior to discoloration in the corner of a ceiling. This is where you’ll find the most detailed information about each issue, why it’s an issue, and the inspector’s recommended course of action.

“Anything and everything that has anything and everything to do with the house, we observe and evaluate and then report on,” says Hirsch.

“The roof, the HVAC system, the A/C system, electric and plumbing are the top things they’ll look at. In addition, termites and wood destroying organisms are things they’ll also look for,” says Day.

A home inspector isn’t a qualified, licensed expert in each home system; they can’t speak to the specific action required for each individual issue. However, they will point out which observations pose a safety concern, create more damage, or need basic repair.

3. Annotated pictures of reported problems

When an inspector spots an issue, they will take a photo to document it in the report. The buyer and their real estate agent will refer to the photos when they review the inspection report and prepare negotiations.

They’ll also use a thermal imaging radiometer to survey portions of the interior and exterior of the structure. This is used to indicate issues with moisture, electrical components, ventilation, or insulation.

If an issue needs to be repaired, the homeowner, buyer, or a hired professional can look at the photo and immediately identify it. Following any requested repairs, the photos serve as a reference to make sure the task was completed.

4. Summary and rating for each issue

In the last pages of the report, you’ll find a summary of the identified issues accompanied by a symbol or rating. It makes it easier to refer back to a reported issue without having to dig through dozens of pages.

The summary is important to refer to during negotiations. Safety concerns and defects give the buyer more negotiation leverage, whereas general repairs are a lower priority.