By the Templateez Team · Licensed Attorney · June 2026

Home Inspection Intake Forms: What Every Inspector Needs to Capture Before the Walk-Through

A home inspector who pulls up to a property without knowing the year it was built, whether it has a crawl space or a slab, or that the listing agent expects a 4-point insurance inspection on top of the general is going to waste time on-site, miss scope items, and look unprepared in front of a buyer who is about to make the largest purchase of their life. The inspection itself is the product. The intake is what determines whether that product is delivered efficiently and completely.

Too many inspection companies collect a name, an address, and a date. That is scheduling, not intake. A real home inspection intake form captures everything the inspector needs to prepare the right equipment, allocate the right amount of time, quote ancillary services accurately, and walk onto the property knowing exactly what they are dealing with. Here is what that form should include.

Client and property information: the foundation of every inspection file

Home inspections sit at the intersection of multiple parties with different interests. The buyer, the buyer's agent, the listing agent, and sometimes the seller are all involved. Your intake form needs to capture the full picture, not just a phone number and a closing date.

Client details. Full name, phone number, email address, and mailing address. Note whether the client is the buyer, the seller, or a third party such as a relocation company. If the client is acting through an entity — an LLC purchasing an investment property, for instance — capture the company name as well. The report and the pre-inspection agreement are going to reference this party, so getting the name right at intake matters.

Real estate agents. Capture both the buyer's agent and the listing agent — name, brokerage, phone, and email for each. The buyer's agent is typically your point of contact for scheduling and access, but the listing agent controls the lockbox, the alarm code, and the showing instructions. You need both.

Property address and type. Full address including unit number if applicable. Property type drives inspection scope and time allocation: a single-family detached home, a multi-family duplex, a condominium, a townhouse, and a manufactured or mobile home all present different structural systems, different access challenges, and different Standards of Practice considerations. A condo inspection typically excludes the roof, exterior walls, and common-area systems because those are the HOA's responsibility. A manufactured home requires HUD-specific structural evaluation. Your form should present these as clear selections.

Year built. This is not a nice-to-have — it is one of the most critical fields on the form. The year built tells the inspector what era-specific hazards to look for before they set foot in the house. A 1972 home means aluminum wiring, potential asbestos, and lead paint. A 1985 home means polybutylene plumbing. A 2005 home means possible Chinese drywall. We will cover era-specific concerns in detail below, but the intake form is where this data enters the file.

Square footage, stories, and foundation. Capture both livable square footage and total square footage (including unfinished basement, garage, and attic). Number of stories determines ladder and roof-access requirements. Foundation type — slab-on-grade, crawl space, full basement, or pier-and-beam — dictates what structural and moisture evaluation the inspector will perform and what equipment they need to bring. A crawl space inspection requires a moisture meter, coveralls, knee pads, and a high-powered flashlight. A slab inspection does not.

Occupancy status and access. Is the property occupied, vacant, or furnished but unoccupied (staged)? Occupied homes present scheduling constraints — personal belongings limit access to certain areas, and the inspector must work around the homeowner's presence. Vacant properties may have utilities shut off, which means HVAC and plumbing systems cannot be fully tested.

Access details should include: lockbox code, key location, whether the inspector must meet the listing agent on-site, gate or community access codes, and alarm information including the disarm code and the monitoring company's phone number. A crew that triggers an alarm because the lockbox code was captured but the alarm code was not is a preventable operational failure.

Inspection date, time, and closing date. The closing date drives urgency. If closing is in five days and the buyer needs the report to negotiate repairs, the inspector needs to know that when scheduling, not when delivering the report. Capture the closing date at intake so your office can flag tight turnaround files and prioritize report delivery accordingly.

Inspection type: general, specialty, and insurance-required

Home inspection is not a single service. It is a family of related services, and the scope, pricing, equipment, and time allocation differ substantially among them. Your intake form should present clear categories:

• General pre-purchase home inspection — the standard buyer's inspection. This is the core service most inspection companies perform. Scope follows ASHI or InterNACHI Standards of Practice: structural, exterior, roofing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, insulation and ventilation, interior, fireplace, and garage.
• Pre-listing / seller's inspection — the seller hires the inspector before listing the property to identify issues proactively. The scope is identical to a pre-purchase inspection, but the client relationship and report use are different. The seller wants to fix problems before they become negotiation points.
• New construction inspections — these are phased. Foundation inspection before the slab is poured. Pre-drywall or framing inspection after the structure is up but before walls are closed. Final walk-through before the buyer closes. Each phase is a separate visit with a separate scope. Your intake should capture which phase the client is requesting and where the build currently stands.
• 11-month warranty inspection — performed before the builder's one-year warranty expires. The client is looking for defects they can submit to the builder for warranty repair before the clock runs out. This inspection is uniquely time-sensitive — if the warranty expires before the claim is submitted, the buyer loses coverage.
• 4-point inspection — required by insurance carriers in Florida and increasingly in other coastal and high-risk states. Covers four systems only: roof, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. The insurer wants to know the age and condition of each system to underwrite the policy. This is a targeted, faster inspection with a specific report format dictated by the carrier.
• Wind mitigation inspection — an insurance discount inspection common in hurricane zones. Documents the roof covering, roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall connections, secondary water resistance, and opening protection (shutters, impact glass). Homeowners in Florida, the Gulf Coast, and parts of the Carolinas can save hundreds or thousands annually on wind insurance premiums with a favorable wind mitigation report.
• WDO / termite inspection — wood-destroying organism inspection. Often required by lenders as a condition of financing. Covers termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, wood-boring beetles, and fungal wood decay. In many states this must be performed by a licensed pest control operator, not a general home inspector, which means your intake needs to clarify whether you perform this in-house or subcontract it.
• Radon testing — the EPA recommends testing every home below the third floor. Testing requires placing a continuous radon monitor for a minimum of 48 hours, which means a separate trip to deploy and retrieve the device. Your intake should note whether the client wants radon testing bundled with the general inspection.
• Mold inspection — visual assessment of visible mold growth plus air sampling if indicated. Often requested when the buyer or their agent notices musty odors, water stains, or visible growth during showings.
• Pool and spa inspection — covers the pool shell, equipment pad (pump, filter, heater, chlorinator), decking, fencing and safety barriers, and electrical bonding and grounding. Separate from the general home inspection and priced as an add-on. See our pool and spa intake guide for the full breakdown.
• Well and septic — well water flow rate testing, water quality sampling, and septic system evaluation (tank location, pumping history, drain field condition). These are separate from the general inspection and often required by lenders for rural properties.
• Commercial property condition assessment — substantially different from residential inspection in scope, standards (ASTM E2018), and reporting. If your company performs commercial work, capture it separately because the fee structure, time allocation, and deliverable are all different.

Systems to inspect: what the scope covers

The general home inspection scope follows Standards of Practice published by ASHI, InterNACHI, or your state licensing board. Your intake form should list the major systems so the client understands what they are paying for — and so the inspector can note any systems that are inaccessible or excluded:

• Structural — foundation walls, slabs, piers, beams, joists, rafters, load-bearing walls, and visible signs of settlement, cracking, or water intrusion.
• Exterior — siding material and condition, trim, windows, doors, grading and drainage around the foundation, walkways, driveways, and retaining walls.
• Roofing — covering material (asphalt shingle, tile, metal, flat/membrane), age, condition, remaining useful life estimate, flashing, gutters, downspouts, and any visible penetrations or damage. Roofing overlaps with what roofing contractors capture at intake — the difference is that the inspector is evaluating condition, not bidding a replacement.
• Plumbing — supply line material (copper, PEX, galvanized, polybutylene), drain line material (cast iron, PVC, ABS), water heater type and age, visible fixtures, water pressure test, and functional flow.
• Electrical — service panel manufacturer, amperage (100A, 150A, 200A), breaker type (circuit breakers vs. fuses), wiring type (copper, aluminum, knob-and-tube), GFCI protection in wet areas, AFCI protection in habitable rooms, and visible wiring conditions. Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels are specifically flagged as fire hazards by the inspection community and should be noted on the intake if known beforehand.
• HVAC — heating system type (forced air, boiler, heat pump, radiant), cooling system type (central air, mini-split, evaporative), age of each unit, filter condition, ductwork visible condition, and thermostat operation.
• Insulation and ventilation — attic insulation type and estimated R-value, vapor barriers, bathroom exhaust fan venting (to exterior, not into the attic), and attic ventilation (ridge vent, soffit vents, gable vents, powered ventilators).
• Interior — walls, ceilings, floors, stairs, railings, interior doors, windows, and built-in appliances if included in the inspection scope.
• Fireplace and chimney — fireplace type (wood-burning, gas, electric), damper operation, flue liner condition (visible), hearth clearance, and chimney exterior condition. A Level 2 chimney inspection (with camera) is beyond the general inspection scope and should be recommended as a separate service if issues are found.
• Garage — vehicle door operation, automatic opener safety reverse, fire separation between garage and living space (fire-rated drywall, self-closing door), and GFCI-protected outlets.

Era-specific concerns: what the year built tells you

Experienced inspectors know that the year a home was built is a roadmap to the hazards they are likely to find. Your intake form should capture the year built early, and your internal processes should flag era-specific issues for the inspector to prioritize:

• Pre-1978 — lead paint. Federal law (EPA RRP Rule) requires disclosure of known lead-based paint hazards in homes built before 1978. The inspector is not performing a lead test as part of the general inspection, but the intake should note the year-built trigger so the report includes appropriate language about the potential presence of lead paint and the client's right to independent testing.
• Pre-1980 — asbestos. Vermiculite attic insulation (especially Zonolite brand), pipe wrap, boiler insulation, floor tiles (9x9 vinyl-asbestos tiles), and popcorn ceiling texture may contain asbestos. The inspector does not test for asbestos during a general inspection, but identifying materials that are presumed to contain asbestos and recommending laboratory testing is standard practice.
• 1965-1973 — aluminum wiring. Single-strand aluminum branch circuit wiring was installed in approximately 1.5 million homes during this period. It is a documented fire risk due to oxidation and thermal expansion at connection points. Insurance companies in many states will not write a policy — or will charge a significant premium — on a home with unremediated aluminum wiring.
• 1978-1995 — polybutylene plumbing. Gray or blue flexible plastic supply lines used extensively during this period are prone to failure at fittings and joints. Class-action settlements in the 1990s led most insurers to require replacement. If the intake captures a year built in this range, the inspector should plan to identify supply line material definitively.
• Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels — manufactured through the 1980s. These panels have documented failure rates on breaker trip tests, creating fire risk. Both are flagged as significant safety concerns in the inspection community, and many insurance companies will not insure a home with either panel in place.
• 2001-2009 — Chinese drywall. Imported drywall used during the construction boom emits sulfur gases that corrode copper wiring, HVAC coils, and plumbing. The telltale sign is blackened copper and a persistent sulfur odor. Primarily affects homes in the Southeast built or renovated during this window.

Report delivery and liability terms

The inspection report is the deliverable. Your intake form should establish the terms around it so neither you nor the client is surprised after the inspection:

Standards of Practice. Note which standards govern the inspection — ASHI Standard of Practice, InterNACHI Standards of Practice, or your state's specific standard if the state has adopted one. This sets the baseline for what is and is not included in the scope. Clients who understand that a home inspection is a visual, non-invasive evaluation of readily accessible systems — not a code compliance audit or a guarantee that nothing is wrong — are clients who have realistic expectations.

Scope limitations. Your intake should clearly note what is NOT included in a general home inspection: concealed conditions behind walls, under floors, or above ceilings; code compliance evaluation; environmental testing (unless specifically ordered as an add-on); engineering analysis; and systems that are shut down, winterized, or otherwise not operational at the time of inspection. The real estate transaction context requires these limitations to match what the real estate intake process itself captures — both sides of the deal need aligned expectations about what the inspection covers.

Pre-inspection agreement. Most inspection companies require a signed pre-inspection agreement before the inspection begins. This agreement typically includes limitation of liability (usually capped at the inspection fee), scope of the inspection, arbitration or mediation clauses, and the client's acknowledgment that the inspection is not a warranty or guarantee. Capturing the client's agreement to these terms at intake — before the inspector arrives — eliminates the awkward scenario of presenting legal documents at the property while the buyer's agent is checking their watch.

E&O insurance. Errors and omissions insurance protects the inspector if they miss a defect that later causes damage. Your intake should disclose that you carry E&O coverage and note your policy limits. This is both a professional credibility signal and a practical necessity — in many states, E&O insurance is required for licensure.

Report delivery. State the expected timeline (same-day, 24 hours, 48 hours), the format (PDF with photos, web-based interactive report, paper), and the number of photos included. Clients and their agents increasingly expect same-day delivery with extensive photo documentation. If your standard is 24-hour turnaround, the intake is where you set that expectation, not in a follow-up email after the buyer's agent has already called twice.

Re-inspection. If the buyer negotiates repairs based on the inspection report, a re-inspection verifies that the work was completed. This is a separate, paid service. Your intake should note the re-inspection fee and what it covers so the client is not surprised when they call back three weeks later and learn it is an additional charge.

Pricing and ancillary services

Home inspection pricing is more complex than a single flat fee because the ancillary services — radon, mold, WDO, pool — each carry their own price and their own scope. Your intake form should present the pricing structure clearly:

• Base inspection fee — typically tiered by square footage. A 1,500-square-foot home and a 4,000-square-foot home require different amounts of time, and pricing should reflect that. Common tiers are under 2,000 sq ft, 2,000-3,000, 3,000-4,000, and over 4,000.
• Ancillary services — radon testing, mold inspection and air sampling, WDO/termite inspection, pool and spa inspection, well flow and water quality testing, septic evaluation, and sewer scope (camera inspection of the main sewer line). Each is a separate line item with its own price. Bundling discounts for multiple ancillary services are common and should be visible on the intake form.
• Travel fee — if the property is outside your standard service area, note the mileage threshold and the additional charge.
• Rush fee — for expedited report delivery. If the closing is in three days and the client needs the report by tomorrow morning, that accelerated timeline has a cost.
• Payment terms — payment due at the time of inspection is the industry standard. Note accepted methods (credit card, check, cash, Venmo/Zelle) and whether you invoice or collect on-site.

Building trust from the first interaction

A home inspector's reputation is built one report at a time, but the relationship starts before the inspection — it starts at intake. When a buyer or their agent receives an intake form that asks about the foundation type, the year built, the alarm code, and whether they want radon bundled with the general, they know they are working with someone who has inspected enough homes to ask the right questions. That thoroughness at the front end translates directly into confidence in the report at the back end.

If you are building documentation across a multi-trade operation, the Trade Services Bundle includes home inspection alongside 51 other service categories, each with trade-specific intake fields.