Inspection Selection Checklist
Which inspections to order on this particular property.
An inspection is not a test the house passes or fails. It is information you buy so you can judge the property, plan for what it will cost you, and decide which contractual options to use. Not every inspection applies to every house — we choose them together based on what the property actually is.
Nearly always
- General home inspection
- Termite and wood-destroying insect
- Radon — common enough in this region to be worth testing routinely
If the home is on well and septic
- Well water quality — bacteria, nitrates and lead at minimum
- Well yield or flow test, which is separate from water quality
- Septic inspection, including tank condition and drainfield
- Pump-out at inspection so the tank can actually be seen
- County perc records and the location of the approved reserve area
If the home is on the water
- Pier, dock and boat lift condition
- Bulkhead, revetment or shoreline structure condition
- Permits behind every shoreline structure — unpermitted work becomes yours
- Elevation certificate for flood insurance
- Critical Area status and what it restricts
Depending on the house
- Chimney and flue — essential with any wood, pellet or oil appliance
- Roof, by a roofer, when the general inspection raises a question
- HVAC deep evaluation on older or unserviced systems
- Sewer lateral camera scope where the home is on public sewer
- Pool, spa and equipment
- Mould or indoor air quality
- Structural engineer for foundation or framing concerns
- Buried oil tank scan on older properties
- Lead-based paint on anything built before 1978
- Survey or location drawing for boundaries, encroachments and easements
- Solar panels — lease or loan terms, and whether they must be assumed
Track these dates
- Inspection deadline under the contract: ____________
- Date every inspection is scheduled: ____________
- Date reports are due back to you: ____________
- Deadline to respond to the seller: ____________
Contract deadlines in Maryland have real consequences. Missing one can cost you rights you were paying for.
Dawn Riley — Associate Broker, Realtor, Master Certified Negotiator
The Riley Team at Deep Roots Real Estate · 2425 Solomons Island Rd, Huntingtown, MD 20639
Call or text 410-414-2438 · dawn@dawnriley.net · dawnriley.net
The Riley Team at Deep Roots Real Estate · 2425 Solomons Island Rd, Huntingtown, MD 20639
Call or text 410-414-2438 · dawn@dawnriley.net · dawnriley.net
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