Skip to content

Choose an independent home inspector before booking checklist

A buyer checklist for confirming the inspection-contingency deadline and property scope, selecting an inspector accountable to the buyer, checking licensing or registration where applicable, experience, insurance, sample reports and exclusions, understanding roof, crawlspace, sewer, pool, environmental and other specialist limitations, comparing agreement terms and fees, and booking early enough to obtain follow-up inspections before the contractual decision deadline.

6 items to check

Inspection progress0 of 6
0%

Inspection, objection, specialist and response deadlines are extracted from the signed contract

Critical item

The buyer should know the exact contractual decision window before booking.

The inspector is selected and paid by the buyer under a direct agreement

Critical item

The inspector should be accountable to the buyer and free from payment contingent on closing.

Licensing, registration, insurance, experience and complaint history are checked where available

Critical item

Qualifications should match jurisdiction and property complexity.

The agreement clearly states systems, access limits, tools, report format and exclusions

Critical item

The buyer should know what the general inspection will and will not cover.

Potential specialist inspections are identified before the general inspection date

Critical item

Specialists may need separate scheduling within the contingency period.

A sample report demonstrates clear evidence, priorities, limitations and actionable recommendations

Critical item

The report should support decisions rather than provide a generic checklist.

Use immediately after an offer is accepted or whenever the contract allows inspection. CFPB recommends an independent inspector accountable to the buyer and enough time for additional inspections. Do not enter unsafe roofs, crawlspaces, attics, excavations or damaged structures; open energized equipment; operate unsafe combustion or pressurized systems; or treat a visual checklist as engineering, environmental clearance, appraisal, title review or legal advice. Contract deadlines and remedies require qualified local guidance.

Reference standards

  • The signed purchase contract and inspection contingency, applicable state and local real-estate and inspector rules, lender and insurer requirements, seller disclosures, permits and records, current CFPB and EPA consumer guidance, qualified specialist reports, property-specific conditions, and written agreements among buyer, seller, agents, attorneys, lenders and contractors
  • CFPB Schedule a Home Inspection guidance and applicable state inspector requirements

    • Tools

  • Purchase contract, disclosures, listing, inspection agreement, property records, permits, prior reports, repair receipts, warranties, insurance and utility information
  • Camera, flashlight, tape measure, notepad and owner-safe observation tools; specialist scopes, testing devices and laboratory services where appropriate
  • Independent home inspector plus qualified structural, roofing, HVAC, plumbing, sewer, electrical, pool, pest, environmental, septic and well professionals as the property requires

    • Related Checklists

    Home inspection preparation and attendance checklist

    A buyer inspection-day checklist for confirming access to utilities, panels, attic, crawlspace, roof and outbuildings, delivering disclosures and known concerns to the inspector, attending without obstructing the inspection, recording system locations and operating guidance, asking about significance and next steps rather than repair pricing alone, documenting inaccessible areas, identifying urgent safety or specialist follow-up and preserving enough contingency time for reports, estimates and written decisions.

    Review home inspection report and next actions checklist

    A post-inspection buyer checklist for checking report completeness against the agreement and property, separating immediate safety and major system or structural concerns from maintenance and cosmetic items, resolving contradictions and inaccessible areas, obtaining specialist opinions where the general inspector reached a limit, linking findings to probable scope and timing, checking permits and disclosures, organizing questions for local advisers and making written contingency decisions before the contract deadline.

    Home repair estimates after inspection checklist

    A buyer checklist for turning major inspection findings into comparable repair scopes and realistic ownership decisions, confirming whether diagnosis or design is needed before pricing, obtaining qualified independent estimates with access to the report and property, separating stabilization from permanent correction, including permits, demolition, concealed damage, restoration and testing, identifying uncertainty and allowances, checking timing and occupancy impacts and avoiding false precision before negotiating credits, repairs or purchase terms.

    Sewer scope before home purchase checklist

    A buyer sewer-camera checklist for confirming ownership and responsibility for the building sewer or lateral, selecting a qualified independent operator, obtaining cleanout access and appropriate preparation, recording a continuous video with distance and orientation, identifying material, joints, roots, offsets, bellies, breaks, infiltration and connection condition, distinguishing observed defects from unsupported conclusions, locating significant findings and obtaining repair or further-evaluation scope before the inspection deadline.

    All checklists in category «Home purchase inspections and closing»