A home inspection is not a pass or fail exercise and it is not an appraisal. It is a visual, non-invasive examination of what is accessible on the day, producing a report that lists what the inspector observed. Understanding what that actually means changes how you prepare and how you read the result.
This article covers what an inspector examines and in roughly what order, what they cannot see, which findings actually stop a sale, and how to prepare a house so the report reflects it fairly.
We buy houses without commissioning an inspection, so read the last section knowing that. We are not licensed inspectors and this is a general description rather than a standard. Inspection scope, licensing and standards of practice vary, and your inspector's own contract sets out what they will and will not do.
What an inspection is and is not
It is a visual examination of readily accessible systems and components, carried out on one day, producing a written report with observations and photographs.
It is not a warranty, a guarantee that nothing will fail, a code compliance inspection, an appraisal, or an exhaustive investigation. An inspector does not open walls, move heavy furniture, dismantle equipment or dig.
That last point matters enormously and it is where most seller frustration comes from. A report that says a component "could not be evaluated" is not the inspector being lazy. It means access was blocked.
What they examine, roughly in order
The exterior and the site
Grading and drainage, whether ground falls away from the house. Guttering and downpipes and where they discharge. Cladding, brickwork and mortar. Windows and doors. Decks, porches, steps and railings. Driveways and walkways. Retaining walls. Vegetation touching the structure.
Drainage is where an experienced inspector starts, because water is the cause of a disproportionate share of everything else, including the foundation movement covered in our article on why Tulsa houses move.
The roof
Covering condition and remaining life, flashing, penetrations, valleys, chimneys and vents. Whether the inspector walks the roof depends on pitch, condition, height and their own policy. Where they do not, they inspect from the ground, a ladder at the eaves, or with binoculars, and the report will say which.
In Oklahoma this section carries more weight than almost anywhere, because hail damage is common and a compromised roof stops a financed purchase outright.
Structure and foundation
Visible foundation walls, slab, crawl space where accessible, framing where visible, and indicators of movement: cracks, out of level floors, doors and windows out of square, separated brickwork.
An inspector reports observations. Where indicators suggest structural concern, the standard recommendation is evaluation by a structural engineer, which is a different discipline.
Attic, insulation and ventilation
Insulation type and approximate depth, ventilation adequacy, evidence of leaks in the sheathing, exhaust fans terminating in the attic rather than outside, and any visible pest activity.
Plumbing
Visible supply and drain piping and materials, functional flow and drainage at fixtures, water heater condition, age, venting and safety devices, and visible leaks.
What a standard inspection does not do is put a camera down the drains. On mid-century slab houses that is exactly where the expensive problem lives, covered in our article on cast iron drain lines. A camera survey is a separate, additional service and on a house of that era it is worth the money.
Electrical
Service entry and capacity, the panel, breakers, visible wiring type, a sample of outlets and switches, ground fault and arc fault protection, and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
Certain panel brands and wiring types attract specific comment and can affect insurability as well as saleability. Aluminium branch wiring and surviving knob and tube are the two that come up most in older Oklahoma housing.
Heating and cooling
Operating the system in the modes conditions allow, approximate age, filter condition, ductwork where visible, flue and venting, and combustion safety indicators. An inspector generally will not run air conditioning below a certain outside temperature, because doing so can damage the compressor. On a winter inspection that section may be limited.
Interior
Floors, walls and ceilings, doors and windows, stairs and railings, garage including the door operation and auto-reverse, and permanently installed appliances if included in the scope.
What they cannot see, and what that means for you
An inspector reports on what was accessible. The common limitations:
- Anything behind a wall or under a floor
- Drains beyond the visible fixtures, without a camera survey
- Crawl spaces or attics with blocked or unsafe access
- Areas obstructed by stored belongings, which on a full house can be most of it, covered in our page on selling a cluttered house
- Systems that could not be operated because utilities were off
- Septic systems and wells, which are separate specialist inspections
- Mold, asbestos, lead and radon, which are specialist tests
Every one of those appears in a report as a limitation, and a buyer reading a report full of limitations frequently assumes the worst about what was not seen.
Preparing your house so the report is fair
This is the practical part and it costs almost nothing.
- Make sure all utilities are on. Water, gas and electricity. A system that could not be tested becomes a question mark in the buyer's mind
- Clear access to everything. The attic hatch, the crawl space, the panel, the water heater, the furnace, the shut-offs. Moving boxes for an afternoon prevents a paragraph of limitations
- Replace the HVAC filter and any dead light bulbs. Both read as neglect and both take ten minutes
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and replace batteries
- Unlock everything, including gates, sheds, the garage and any locked interior doors
- Deal with obvious small items: dripping taps, loose railings, missing outlet covers, a running toilet. Individually trivial, collectively they make a report look long
- Leave documentation out: invoices for the roof, HVAC, plumbing and electrical work, permits, and any warranty
- Secure pets and leave. Sellers who follow the inspector around make everybody uncomfortable and it does not help
Which findings actually stop a sale
Most items on a report are minor and get negotiated or ignored. A specific set does something different: it causes the buyer's lender to require repairs before funding, or to decline.
The findings that remove financed buyers
- Structural movement requiring engineer evaluation
- A roof at or past the end of its life, or with active leaks
- Active water intrusion anywhere
- Mold
- Major systems not functioning: no heat, no hot water, failed electrical service
- Failed septic system or unsafe well water
- Anything flagged as a health or safety hazard
Everything else is a negotiation. These are a different category, because the buyer cannot fund repairs on a house they do not own and the seller frequently cannot either. That pattern is covered on our page about selling a house that needs repairs.
Should you get your own inspection first?
There is a genuine tension here and it is worth stating both sides.
For: you find out what is coming while you still have options. You can fix things at your own pace and at your own price rather than under deadline. You avoid the renegotiation that happens when a buyer discovers something. And on an older house, you find out whether you are in the financed market at all before you spend three months discovering it.
Against: what you learn, you generally have to disclose, covered in our article on Oklahoma seller disclosure. You cannot unknow it.
On a house built before roughly 1990, or one where you suspect something, we think knowing early wins. On a well maintained newer house it is usually unnecessary.
What we do instead
Our interest, plainly. We do not commission a home inspection and we do not make an offer subject to one.
We walk the property once, assess condition ourselves, and put a number in writing with the repair estimate we used attached, so you can check it against your own quotes. There is no second inspection that reopens the negotiation, which is the mechanism most sellers are reasonably worried about.
What that does not mean is that we ignore condition. It means we price it once, at the start, rather than agreeing a number and revisiting it. And where you already have an inspection report or an engineer's letter, send it. It is more accurate than our own estimate and it speeds everything up.
The short version
Six things worth knowing
- It is a visual, non-invasive examination of what was accessible on the day
- "Could not be evaluated" means access was blocked, and buyers assume the worst
- Clearing access and turning utilities on costs nothing and shortens the report
- Drains are not camera surveyed as standard. On a mid-century slab house, pay for one
- A specific set of findings removes financed buyers rather than reducing the price
- A pre-listing inspection tells you early, and what you learn you generally must disclose
Frequently asked questions
What does a home inspector actually check?
Broadly the exterior and site drainage, roof, structure and foundation, attic and insulation, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, and the interior including the garage. It is a visual examination of readily accessible components on one day.
Is an inspection a pass or fail?
No. It produces a report of observations rather than a verdict. There is no pass mark. What matters is which observations are significant enough to affect financing or to justify renegotiation.
Is it the same as an appraisal?
No. An appraisal is an opinion of value produced for the lender. An inspection is an examination of condition produced for the buyer. They are different professionals doing different jobs, and both can affect a sale for different reasons.
What can an inspector not see?
Anything behind a wall or under a floor, drains beyond visible fixtures without a camera, blocked crawl spaces and attics, areas obstructed by belongings, systems that could not be operated because utilities were off, and specialist items like septic, mold, asbestos and radon.
Why does the report say 'could not be evaluated'?
Because access was blocked or the system could not be operated. It is not the inspector being lazy, and buyers reading a report full of limitations frequently assume the worst about what was not seen. That is why clearing access matters.
Do inspectors walk on the roof?
It depends on pitch, condition, height and their own policy. Where they do not, they inspect from the ground, a ladder at the eaves or with binoculars, and the report states which method was used.
Will they run the air conditioning in winter?
Generally not below a certain outside temperature, because operating a compressor in cold conditions can damage it. On a winter inspection that section is frequently limited, which is worth knowing before you assume the system is fine.
Is a drain camera survey included?
No, it is a separate additional service. On a mid-century slab house it is worth the money, because cast iron drain failure is invisible from the fixtures and is one of the most expensive things a house of that era hides.
How should I prepare my house?
Turn on all utilities, clear access to the attic hatch, crawl space, panel, water heater and furnace, replace the HVAC filter and dead bulbs, test alarms, unlock everything, deal with obvious small items, leave documentation out, and secure pets and leave.
Why does clearing access matter so much?
Because a system that could not be inspected becomes a question mark, and buyers price question marks pessimistically. Moving boxes for an afternoon frequently prevents a paragraph of limitations in the report.
Should I be there during the inspection?
Generally not. Sellers who follow the inspector around make everybody uncomfortable and it does not help. Leave the documentation out, secure pets, and go somewhere else.
Which findings actually stop a sale?
Structural movement requiring engineer evaluation, a roof at end of life or leaking, active water intrusion, mold, major systems not functioning, failed septic or unsafe well water, and anything flagged as a health or safety hazard.
Why do those specific findings matter more?
Because they cause the buyer's lender to require repairs before funding or to decline. The buyer cannot fund repairs on a house they do not own and the seller frequently cannot either, so the deal dies rather than being renegotiated.
What happens after the inspection?
The buyer typically has a period to review and respond, which depending on the contract means requesting repairs or credits, proceeding, or withdrawing. On an as-is contract the remedy is generally to proceed or walk rather than to demand repairs.
Should I fix everything on the report?
No. Most items are minor and get negotiated or ignored. Focus on anything in the category that removes financed buyers, and treat the rest as a negotiation rather than a list of obligations.
Should I get a pre-listing inspection?
On a house built before roughly 1990, or where you suspect something, knowing early usually wins. There is a genuine tension, because what you learn you generally have to disclose. On a well maintained newer house it is usually unnecessary.
Does an inspection cover code compliance?
Generally no. It is a condition inspection rather than a code inspection, and a house can be entirely sound while not meeting current code, which is normal in older housing.
Does it cover the septic or well?
No, those are separate specialist inspections and on rural Oklahoma property they end more sales than the house inspection does. Budget for them separately if the property is outside city services.
What about mold, radon and asbestos?
All specialist tests outside a standard inspection. An inspector may note visible suspected mold and recommend testing, which is different from testing it themselves.
Can the buyer's inspector be wrong?
Reports contain judgements and occasionally errors. Where you disagree with something significant, a second opinion from the relevant specialist is the answer rather than arguing with the report.
Do you inspect houses before buying them?
We walk the property once and assess condition ourselves, then put a number in writing with the repair estimate attached. We do not commission a second inspection that reopens the negotiation, which is the mechanism sellers are reasonably worried about.
I already have an inspection report. Is it useful to you?
Very. Send it, along with any engineer's letter. It is more accurate than our own estimate from a walkthrough and it speeds everything up. Having a report does not count against you with us the way it does in a financed sale.
We buy houses without commissioning an inspection, so read the last section knowing that. We are not licensed inspectors and this is a general description rather than a standard. Inspection scope, licensing and standards of practice vary, and your inspector's contract sets out what they will and will not do.