Free home inspection checklist
Use this property inspection checklist to walk a house room by room and system by system. Mark each item, list the defects with a priority and an estimated cost, and download the result as a PDF.
How to fill out this home inspection checklist
- Enter the address, date, who is inspecting and basic facts about the property.
- Work through the exterior, roof, structure, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, interior and safety sections. Mark each item OK, Monitor, Defect or N/A.
- Add anything found to the defects table with a priority and the action you recommend.
- Summarize the condition and download the PDF. Share it with the buyer, owner or contractor who will do the repairs.
What does a home inspection cover?
A typical inspection looks at the visible and accessible parts of the exterior and grounds, roof, attic, foundation and crawl space, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, interior and built-in appliances. Hidden or inaccessible components are normally outside the scope, which is why the Standards of Practice that inspectors follow spell out what is and is not inspected.
Using the checklist as a buyer or owner
The checklist helps you notice problems and ask better questions on a showing or before you sell. It does not replace a professional inspection, and some states license home inspectors and set what a licensed report must contain.
Radon and safety items
The safety section prompts you to check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, an escape route from bedrooms and a radon test. EPA recommends testing every home for radon because the only way to know the level is to test.
What this template does not do
- This checklist is a visual walkthrough aid. It does not replace a licensed home inspector, and it does not test for mold, asbestos, lead, pests or radon.
- A licensed inspector's report may have to follow your state's standards. Check your state's rules before using this as a paid report.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I use this as my home inspection report?
It works as a personal or informal checklist and as a repair list for contractors. If you charge for inspections, check whether your state requires a license and a specific report format.
What should I look at first in a home inspection?
Start with items that are costly or unsafe: the roof, foundation and water entry, electrical panel, heating and cooling, plumbing leaks and the water heater, and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
What do OK, Monitor and Defect mean?
OK means working as intended. Monitor means it is worn or marginal and should be watched. Defect means it is broken, unsafe or not working and needs repair. N/A is for items that do not exist at the property.
Does a home inspection include radon?
Not automatically. Radon testing is usually a separate test. EPA recommends testing all homes, so the checklist has a line to record it.
Is the checklist free, and is anything uploaded?
It is free with no account. The form and PDF run in your browser; nothing you type is sent to us.
Sources
- ASHI Standards of Practice — American Society of Home Inspectors. The Standards of Practice describe the systems and components a home inspector is expected to inspect and what falls outside an inspection. Your state may add its own licensing rules.
- Radon — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA recommends testing every home for radon; the only way to know the level is to test.