If you would like to do the home inspection yourself, that's fine. But remember, you must be able to open the electric service panel and determine whether there are any wiring violations. You must be able to walk the roof surfaces to determine the condition of the roofing material, flashing and drains, while noting defective conditions and any faulty methods of installation. You must evaluate the plumbing fixtures, supply lines, waste lines and gas piping to determine their operational condition and their compliance with accepted building standards. You must inspect the heating system to determine its functional condition and identify any of a long list of potential safety problems. You must also crawl under the building and through the attic, searching for and recognizing a vast number of potential construction defects. And hopefully you can locate the Asbestos and other hazardous materials within the home. A complete list of likely problems could easily fill a book.

A home inspection is the process of investigative discovery. It involves a serious observation with a trained eye, recognition and conclusive evaluation of countless related and seemingly unrelated conditions. It requires numerous judgments and decisions as to degrees of severity, proposed means of correction, advisements for further evaluation when necessary, warnings of inherent risks to life and property and the likelihood of future problems.