A general home inspection looks at the systems that make a house function and stay standing: the roof and attic, the foundation and structural framing, electrical panels and visible wiring, plumbing supply and drainage, HVAC equipment, and the condition of interior and exterior surfaces. The inspector walks the property, tests what can safely be tested (outlets, faucets, the furnace or AC cycling on), and documents anything that's damaged, deteriorating, improperly installed, or a safety concern.
It's important to be clear about what a home inspection is not. It's a visual, non-invasive review — an inspector doesn't cut into walls, move furniture, or dismantle equipment, and won't certify that a property meets current building code (that's a separate, code-specific review some municipalities require for permitted work). It's also not a substitute for specialist testing: if the report flags suspected mold, staining consistent with a past leak, or the home falls into a pre-1978 lead-paint risk window, that's a referral to a mold inspector, an asbestos investigator, or a lead-paint specialist — not something a general inspection confirms on its own.
The output is a written report, usually with photos, that ranks findings by severity so a buyer or owner can prioritise — distinguishing a cracked outlet cover from a sagging roof structure. For a real-estate transaction, that report is what most buyers use to renegotiate price, request repairs, or occasionally walk away during the inspection contingency period.
Signs you have a home inspection problem
- You're under contract to buy a home and have a limited inspection contingency window
- You're selling and want a pre-listing inspection to catch issues before a buyer's inspector does
- You own the home and haven't had a full systems check in several years
- You noticed a specific issue (a stain, a slope in the floor, an older roof) and want a professional read on severity
- You need a written, photo-documented report to support a repair negotiation or insurance conversation
Why Manhattan sees this
NYC and the surrounding metro have a mix of pre-war multi-family buildings, post-war co-ops, and newer condo construction, each with different common issues — pre-war buildings more often show plaster and original-wiring concerns, while newer construction issues tend to be installation quality rather than age. We scope the inspection to the building type in front of us rather than a one-size approach.
Co-op and condo purchases often layer board requirements and building-wide systems (that the individual inspection doesn't cover) on top of the unit inspection — we're upfront that a unit inspection reviews the unit itself, not shared building systems like the boiler plant or roof of a building you don't own outright.
Where a property's age or condition suggests a specialist referral is warranted (a pre-1978 building for lead paint, a pre-1980s building being renovated for asbestos, or visible moisture for mold), we say so plainly in the report rather than either alarming you unnecessarily or staying silent on a real risk.