What Does a Standard Home Inspection Actually Cover?

"Full home inspection" gets used loosely across the industry, and it's worth knowing exactly what's covered before you're standing in a driveway afterward wondering why the pool or the detached shed wasn't checked. Here's the standard scope for a full inspection in the Indianapolis market, system by system.

Knowing the scope in advance also helps you decide which add-ons are worth requesting for your specific property — a home with a crawl space and an older sewer line has very different priorities than a slab-on-grade home built in the last decade.

Structure and exterior

Foundation walls and visible footings, framing where accessible, siding and trim, windows and doors, roof covering and flashing, gutters and downspouts, grading and drainage around the home's entire perimeter, and any attached decks, porches, or patios. Detached structures like a shed or secondary garage are typically covered only if requested and confirmed in advance, so mention them when you book.

Roof and attic

Shingle or roofing material condition, flashing at penetrations and valleys, chimney condition, and — from inside the attic — insulation levels, ventilation, visible framing, and any signs of past or active roof leaks staining the sheathing. Most inspectors walk the roof directly when it's safe to do so given pitch and weather, and otherwise inspect thoroughly from the ground and via ladder at the eaves.

Electrical

Main panel condition and capacity, breaker labeling accuracy, visible wiring type and condition, a representative sample of outlets and switches tested for function throughout the home, GFCI/AFCI protection where currently required, and smoke/CO detector presence and placement. This is also where wiring-era issues like aluminum branch wiring or knob-and-tube remnants get flagged specifically in older Marion County homes built before certain code updates.

Plumbing

Visible supply and drain piping material and condition, water heater age and condition, water pressure throughout the home, fixture function in every kitchen and bathroom, and visible signs of past or active leaks around fixtures, under sinks, and near the water heater. Sewer scope, well, and septic evaluation are separate add-on services and are not part of the base inspection scope by default.

HVAC, interior, and what's typically excluded

Furnace and air conditioning function testing (within normal seasonal operating conditions and temperature ranges), ductwork condition where visible, thermostat operation, and a full interior walkthrough of every room checking floors, walls, ceilings, doors, and windows for function and any visible damage. Basements and crawl spaces are inspected for structural condition and moisture signs as part of this same walkthrough.

Radon, mold lab testing, sewer scope, well/septic, pools and spas, and detached outbuildings are usually priced as add-ons rather than included by default — ask specifically if you want any of them bundled into your visit. Cosmetic issues like paint, minor flooring wear, or carpet condition are generally noted in passing but not treated as inspection "findings" the way a structural or safety issue would be. For a full pricing breakdown including all these common add-ons, see our Indianapolis inspection cost guide.

Key takeaways

• A standard inspection covers structure, roof, attic, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and every interior room.
• Radon, mold lab testing, sewer scope, well/septic, and detached outbuildings are usually priced as add-ons.
• Cosmetic issues like paint and carpet wear are typically noted but not treated as formal findings.
• Ask specifically which items are bundled versus billed separately before your inspector arrives on site.