See a Real Home Inspection Report Before You Book

This is a real inspection file from a real Greater Philadelphia-area property. Out of respect for the client's privacy, we've removed the owner's name, the property address, the real estate agent's name, and any photo showing the exterior or front of the home. Every finding and photo of a specific condition below is unedited.

See The Full Report

Read the actual redacted report, page by page

Not a mockup. This is the real 21-page report Bob wrote, with the client's name, address, and exterior photo redacted. Scroll through it below, or download it.

Sample Home Inspection

What a real home inspection report documents

This is a pre-World War II, two-story detached home in Willow Grove, Upper Moreland Township, Montgomery County, about 80 years old. It showed well from the street. A close, hands-on inspection found six separate issues a generic checklist would have missed.

Read the full case study: What a Home Inspection Found in a Pre-War Willow Grove Home

Electrical: knob-and-tube wiring, open junction boxes

Sections of original knob-and-tube wiring still in service in the basement, along with unsecured branch wiring and open junction boxes with exposed splices. No ground conductor, brittle cloth-and-rubber insulation. Flagged for a licensed electrician to evaluate.

Hazardous materials: asbestos-type duct wrap

Sections of the basement heating ducts had wrap consistent with asbestos-type insulation. Not sampled or tested (that requires a certified lab), but documented and flagged for evaluation by a licensed abatement professional before any duct work.

Pest: termite shelter tubes

Termite shelter tubes on the basement ceiling joists and a window lintel. Flagged for a licensed pest control company plus a closer look at how far the framing damage runs.

Roof system: corroded, uncapped chimney venting

Missing weather cap on the chimney liner, corroded chimney seams, corroded debris in the cleanout, damaged chimney base, and masonry debris in the attic: a related chain of findings pointing to a venting system that's been taking water for years.

Health & safety: rodent activity inside the electrical panel

Mice droppings in the basement and, more concerning, inside the electrical panel: a health hazard for anyone servicing it, and a fire risk since rodents chew wiring insulation. Flagged for professional exclusion and an electrician's inspection of the panel wiring.

Outbuilding: deteriorated detached garage

The detached masonry garage had rot and deterioration in the walls and a cracked, settled floor: documented as a structural and budgeting item for the buyer, separate from an unsecured electrical service entrance cable flagged for a licensed electrician.

Also curious about mold or air quality testing? See a sample mold & air quality report →

From the Field

More Real Home Inspections

Real jobs from Bob's own reports: what he found, what the lab said, and what he advised. Client names and street addresses are never published.

• Willow Grove, Montgomery County

  A pre-WWII Willow Grove two-story turned up knob-and-tube wiring, asbestos duct wrap, active termites, mice in the panel, and a corroded chimney.

• Phoenixville, Chester County

  A 60-year-old Phoenixville home on well water and oil heat turned up a corroded oil tank, three plumbing leaks, and basement mold discoloration.

• Northern Liberties, Philadelphia

  A 100-year-old mixed-use rowhouse in Northern Liberties turned up a 60-amp service, a shared gas flue, shifting stucco, and possible mold.

• Germantown, Philadelphia

  An 80-year-old Germantown Philadelphia inspection revealed 7 major hazards - termite damage, an open gas pipe, a sewage leak, and asbestos.

• Northeast Philadelphia

  A 75-year-old Northeast Philadelphia row home in good condition still turned up a gas odor, slate roof issues, asbestos floor tiles, and frayed wiring.

• Fishtown, Philadelphia

  A century-old Fishtown mixed-use rowhome inspection found leaning basement posts on crumbling brick pockets, shifted masonry, and no water main.

• Port Richmond, Philadelphia

  A Port Richmond three-story brick rowhome inspection found a worn pilot-house deck, flat-roof ponding, open electrical, and a dead AC with gas shut off.

• Logan, Philadelphia

  A 1945 Logan / Fern Rock brick rowhome inspection found knob-and-tube wiring, a cracked stone foundation, a corroded chimney, and an aging boiler.

• Fern Rock, Philadelphia

  A Fern Rock (19141) converted rowhome inspection found a missing electric meter, unsafe wiring, missing detectors, corroded water heaters, and a leaking roof.

• Lawncrest, Philadelphia

  A 100-year-old Lawncrest (19111) row home inspection found a worn flat roof with standing water, a wet basement wall, and a corroded water heater.

• Roxborough, Philadelphia

  A 1946 stucco-and-stone Roxborough (19128) home near the Wissahickon turned up a cracked cast-iron waste drain and dining room floor settlement.

• Warminster, Bucks County

  An early-1960s Warminster Colonial turned up an obsolete Wadsworth panel, an AC and water heater at end of life, and possible basement mold.

• Yardley, Bucks County

  A mid-century Yardley PA Cape Cod near the Delaware River turned up damp basement walls with possible mold, a dirt-floor crawl space, and asbestos floor tiles.

• Schwenksville, Montgomery County

  A 1996 Schwenksville contemporary with a pool and spa turned up pool life-safety defects, cracked surfaces, a dead gas heater, and wood-siding rot.

Want to see what you actually get? Read a full redacted sample home inspection report or sample mold and air quality report, page by page, with the PDF to download.

Common Questions

Sample report: what homeowners ask Bob