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 Louisville 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 entire perimeter, and any attached decks, porches, or patios. Detached structures like a shed, carriage house, or secondary garage are typically covered only if requested and confirmed in advance, so mention them when you book.

Roof and attic

Shingle, slate, or metal roofing 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 leaks staining the sheathing. Most inspectors walk the roof directly when it's safe given pitch and weather, and otherwise inspect thoroughly from the ground and via ladder at the eaves. Older Louisville homes with steep slate roofs are usually assessed from the ground and the attic.

Electrical

Main panel condition and capacity, breaker labeling accuracy, panel brand (Federal Pacific and other recalled or problem panels are flagged specifically), visible wiring type and condition, a representative sample of outlets and switches tested for function, GFCI/AFCI protection where currently required, and smoke and CO detector presence and placement. This is where wiring-era issues like aluminum branch wiring and knob-and-tube remnants get called out in older Jefferson County homes.

Plumbing

Visible supply and drain piping material and condition (galvanized, copper, PEX, polybutylene, cast iron), 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, not part of the base scope.

HVAC, interior, and what's typically excluded

Heating and cooling equipment age and operation (including boilers and radiators in older homes), ductwork where visible, thermostats, and a representative check of registers. Interior coverage includes walls, ceilings, floors, stairs and railings, and a sample of windows and doors. Typically excluded from a standard inspection: anything behind finished surfaces, low-voltage systems (security, intercom, irrigation), pools and spas unless added, cosmetic condition, code compliance beyond safety items, and pest identification beyond visible wood-destroying-organism evidence — a full termite/WDO report is a separate service.

Key takeaways

• A standard inspection covers structure, exterior, roof, attic, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and interior — visually and by operation.
• Radon, sewer scope, termite/WDO, mold testing, and well/septic are add-ons, not part of the base scope.
• Detached structures and pools are only included if requested and confirmed in advance.
• Anything behind finished surfaces, plus code compliance beyond safety items, is outside the standard scope.