The Pre-Purchase Home Inspection Checklist
Before you sign, look down. A home's value rests on what holds it up — and that is the easiest thing to overlook.
A standard home inspection is broad but shallow. When the structure itself is in question, a focused engineering review answers the one thing a buyer most needs to know: is this home structurally sound?
Start at the Foundation
Walk the perimeter. Look for stair-step cracks, separation at brick joints, and any sign the slab has moved. Inside, check whether floors feel level and whether doors close cleanly.
Read the Walls and Ceilings
Cracks above doorways and windows, and long horizontal lines on interior walls, can point to structural stress rather than cosmetic settling.
Don't Ignore the Site
How water drains around the property tells you how the foundation will be treated for years to come. Poor grading today is movement tomorrow.
Get It in Writing
A documented assessment gives you negotiating power and a clear record. Our sample reports show exactly what that documentation looks like.
Buying a home is the largest purchase most people make. An engineering review is a small cost against that — and it is the one that protects all the others.
Talk to our engineers about your property.
Request an Inspection