What Do Home Inspectors Look For? House of Horrors Tour
🏚️ What Is the House of Horrors?
The House of Horrors is an 800-square-foot training house built with more than 1,000 deliberate defects.
Blake told me it is the only facility like it in South Carolina and number three in the country.
Inspectors from across the Southeast will train here.
Why? Because the best inspectors never stop learning, and it is easy to get tunnel vision when you run two inspections a day.
Inside you will find old fuse boxes, multiple water heater types including a tankless unit, different HVAC systems, mismatched roofing, foundation problems, and a crawl space full of structural issues and fake termite tubes.
✅ What Home Inspectors Check in a Home Inspection
Blake gave me the short list of what an inspector walks through, whether the home is brand new or decades old:
- 🌧️ Exterior and grading. Does the yard slope toward the foundation? Do the gutters send water to the right place?
- 🏠 Roof and attic. Much of what an inspector sees on a roof shows up as staining in the attic.
- ⚡ Electrical. Panels, wiring, and older fuse boxes.
- ❄️ HVAC. Heating and cooling equipment and how it is running.
- 🧱 Structure. Foundation, framing, and signs of movement.
- 🕳️ Crawl space. If the home has one, moisture, structure, and pests.
- 🚿 Plumbing and appliances. Is hot water hot and cold water cold? Does the dishwasher run?
The big three for most buyers: roof, HVAC, and electrical. Problems in any of them can get expensive fast.
💧 Why Water Is the Biggest Enemy of a Home
Blake put it plainly: water is the root of most home problems.
That is why inspectors look at the grade of the yard, the runoff from gutters, and whether a hill is sending water toward the back of the foundation.
If you take one thing from this post, take this: standing water and moisture problems deserve attention.
🩺 Your Home Inspector Is Like Your Family Doctor
An inspection usually takes about three hours.
In that time the inspector is test driving the house and noting everything they can see.
They are generalists, not specialists.
Blake compared it to your family doctor. If your doctor suspects a heart problem, you do not get surgery in the exam room. You get referred to a cardiologist.
The same goes for a home. If the report shows HVAC concerns, the next step is an HVAC contractor who can look closer and give you a quote.
I like to call it an annual physical for the house. Even a clean report tells you how well the home has been cared for.
🧱 Is a Crack in the Foundation or Drywall a Structural Problem?
Not automatically.
This is one of the biggest misunderstandings I see. A buyer spots a crack and assumes the house is about to fall in.
In most cases, that is not what is happening.
A crack in brick or drywall may be cosmetic or minor. Others signal something bigger.
The key is knowing the difference, and that is exactly why inspectors train in places like the House of Horrors.
When a structural engineer gets involved, the price tag can climb quickly. Blake and I both see buyers walk away at about a 50/50 rate in those cases, often because the seller cannot afford the repair.
🏠 Roof Red Flags: Metal Roofs, Flashing, and DIY Repairs
The training house has a viewing deck over a roof built to show what goes wrong.
Here is what stood out:
- 🔧 Roof boots and flashing. One side of the roof is done wrong, the other side is done right, so inspectors can compare.
- 🪟 Ridge vents. Some roofs do not have them. Inspectors need to know why that matters.
- 🧱 Different materials. Architectural shingles, three-tab shingles, metal, terracotta, and slate.
- ⚠️ Layered roofs. Blake has seen metal roofs installed over as many as three layers of old shingles.
My take on metal roofs: installed professionally, I love them. Blake agrees, and he notes that over time the fasteners can back out as temperatures swing, and grommets can dry out and leak. That is an easy fix.
DIY installs are where problems get bigger than a simple roof replacement.
🐛 Crawl Space Problems and Termite Tubes
Under the training house is a crawl space with structural issues, including a hydraulic jack holding up a floor joist. You see that in real reports.
There are also fake termite tubes.
Blake explained that old tubes do not always mean active termites. An inspector needs to scratch a tube open and check, and look for signs of prior treatment.
Moisture and pests are connected. If an inspector can spot both, you have a much better chance of catching trouble early.
🏗️ Does a Brand New Home Need an Inspection?
Yes.
A major misconception is that new construction cannot have issues. Blake said that is not true, and I agree after years of working with buyers.
A new build can still have defects, so it still deserves a professional inspection.
✨ Why a Pretty House Can Still Hide Expensive Problems
You will hear it all the time: the prettier the house, the fewer the problems.
That is not always true.
Just last month I had buyers walk away from homes that looked flawless on the surface and turned out to have a ridiculous amount of issues.
A walkthrough of 15, 20, or 30 minutes is simply not enough. Your inspector spends hours in the home and does this for a living.
Blake put it this way: he would rather spend a couple hundred dollars for peace of mind than find a massive problem a month after closing.
💬 How Inspection Results Give You Leverage in Negotiations
An inspection report can be leverage, even if indirectly.
Some items need repair. Others are negotiable or a matter of preference.
If the issues stay, many buyers will not buy the house. That conversation with the seller starts with “fix these or we walk.”
No one wants to buy someone else’s problems.
And remember, the inspector is not trying to scare you. Blake said it directly: they do not care whether you buy that house. They want you to end up in the right home, with all the information.
📌 Key Takeaways
- 🔍 Focus on the big three: roof, HVAC, and electrical.
- 💧 Water is the biggest enemy of a home.
- 🩺 Your inspector is a generalist who refers you to specialists.
- 🧱 Not every crack is a structural failure.
- 🏗️ New construction still needs an inspection.
- ✨ A pretty house can still hide costly problems.
- 💬 Findings can become leverage in negotiations.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Home Inspections
What do home inspectors look for?
Inspectors check the exterior and drainage, roof and attic, electrical, HVAC, structure, crawl space, plumbing, and appliances. Most buyers pay the closest attention to the roof, HVAC, and electrical system because those repairs cost the most.
How long does a home inspection take?
According to Blake Davis of Pro Tech Inspections, an inspection typically takes about three hours as the inspector works through the home and makes note of what they find.
Does a new construction home need a home inspection?
Yes. Brand new homes can still have defects, and a professional inspection helps you catch them before closing.
Does a crack in the foundation mean the house is unsafe?
Not necessarily. Many cracks in brick or drywall are minor, but some indicate larger problems. An inspector can tell you when to bring in a structural contractor or engineer.
Can I use the inspection report to negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Repair requests based on the report are a common part of negotiation. Your buyer’s agent can help you decide which items to request and which to let go.
What happens if the inspector finds a major problem?
The inspector will usually recommend a specialist, such as an HVAC, roofing, or structural professional, to evaluate it and provide repair quotes so you can make an informed decision.
🎥 Watch the Full House of Horrors Tour
Watch Blake and me walk through the whole house on YouTube:
This is the first video in our inspection series. Next, we will cover chimney and fireplace inspections and pest control, plus more detailed home inspection topics.
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