Sample Report
See a real report before you book
This is a report we actually issued, with the client's name, the address, the report number and the date removed. The findings, instrument readings and photos are unchanged.
What you're paying for is the report
The inspection takes a few hours. The report is what you keep — it's what you negotiate with, what you hand to contractors, and what you look back on a year after moving in. So before you choose an inspector, you should be able to read one.
This sample comes from a limited-scope inspection: the client asked us to concentrate on the foundation, the crawl space, the exterior walls and a few systems. A full home inspection report uses exactly the same format and covers every major system, from the roof to the foundation.
The full sample report
21 pages · 1.9 MB PDF · opens in your browser. Includes the findings, the recommended next steps and the photo record.
Download the sample report (PDF)Coverage at a glance
Every finding is rated by what it needs from you
A cracked outlet cover and soft wood at the foundation shouldn't read the same. Each finding carries one of these ratings, so you can see at a glance what to deal with first.
Address before occupancy or use.
1 in this report
Address promptly; deterioration is likely to continue.
3 in this report
A specialist must establish the facts before a repair decision.
5 in this report
Ordinary upkeep.
4 in this report
Inspected, nothing adverse found.
2 in this report
Our photos, from the property
Every finding points to numbered photos taken during the inspection. Here are six of the 55 from this report.
White mineral bloom on the foundation below the mudsill. At the same spot, a knife blade entered the mudsill with little resistance.
A downspout discharging at the wall base, with the soil below scoured into a trench.
The appliance drain pan, rusted across most of its base — water has stood in it repeatedly.
A crack down a porch beam carrying amber-brown staining along its full length.
17.0% with the meter's HIGH lamp lit, at a wall-to-ceiling junction.
Electrical panel with the cover removed: no scorching, corrosion or water staining.
Written in plain English
Our reports open with an overall assessment that connects the findings, so you're not left to work out from a list of 13 items what is actually going on. From this one:
“The findings in this report share a common thread: water is not being managed at the building perimeter, and conditions consistent with that appear at the foundation, in the sub-area and in the wood above.”
“One practical consequence follows regardless of cause: drainage should be corrected before soil is reinstated, stucco patched or wood replaced. Repairs made while roof water still discharges at the base can be expected to fail in the same places.”
It tells you what it couldn't determine
A visual inspection has limits. Rather than blur them, our reports end with a table of the questions it leaves open and who can answer each one. Three rows from this report:
| Not established | Who can establish it |
|---|---|
| Whether the mudsill damage is decay, insect attack, or both — and how far it extends | Registered structural pest control company; structural engineer where support is affected |
| Whether mold is present anywhere, and whether it affects air quality | Accredited laboratory — no samples were taken |
| Whether the rusted drain pan is still leaking, and whether it still works | Plumber or HVAC contractor, with the appliance running |
What our reports include
- The findings that matter most, summarised on the first pages
- Every finding rated Safety, Priority, Investigate or Maintenance
- Photographs numbered and referenced in the text, so each claim can be checked
- Instrument readings, with the instrument named
- Next steps in order, naming the specialist to call for each
- A plain list of what the inspection could not determine, and who can
- No guessed repair costs — those come from contractors' quotes
- Usually delivered the same day as the inspection
Want a report like this on your home?
Same-day appointments are often available, and the report arrives the same day as the inspection.