The Ultimate Kansas City Area Home Inspection Checklist – 2026
What’s Inside the Checklist
What You’ll Find Inside Our Kansas City Area Home Inspection Checklist
A focused, step-by-step guide to evaluating the most expensive systems in a home before you make an offer.
Foundation
WHERE to find the cracks and which one’s spell trouble. Plus, what it means when you see moisture.
Plumbing
HOW to find the leaks in the water lines and drain lines PLUS decipher the age of the water heater.
Roof
HOW to spot hail damage and other issues early so you can decide to negotiate or just walk away.
Electrical Service
HOW to find the electrical service size and use the home’s age to predict red flags that might make you pause.
HVAC System
HOW AND WHEN to test the furnace and A/C then use their age to estimate how much life they have left.
Included With Your Inspection
3 Free Bonuses That Don’t Suck
Practical guides designed to save you money, reduce surprises, and make home ownership a lot less painful.
Building Materials Lifespan – New for 2025
How long is it going to last?
From foundations to fiberglass doors and sealants to smoke detectors, this guide helps answer that question, so you’re not blindsided when something bites the dust. 300+ items. 20 pages.
$17.99 value
Cost Estimates Guide – New for 2025
What’s it gonna cost?
And when something finally reaches its (hopefully not so) bitter end, this guide gives you the ballpark cost, so the price quote doesn’t feel like a flying boot to the back of the face. 32 pages. 550+ items.
$19.99 value
Home Maintenance for Dummies – 2nd Edition
Of course, you’re no dummy
But home ownership and home repairs go together like babies and diapers. And since I like things simple, this book is perfect. No matter who you are, it’s worth its price in gold. 411 pages
$17 value
This is Alice
Why I Created the Kansas City Home Inspection Checklist
In 2007, a homebuyer had me inspect 5 different homes before finally buying the 5th.
It was painful to watch. She walked away from each one for a different reason, and I noticed a couple of things:
1. The deal-breaking defects were all in plain sight
2. They were all in the same 5 areas
Soon after, I created the first version of this Kansas City home inspection checklist.
13 pages • 5 major areas • 1 perfect home • A lifetime of memories
What If You Could…
Know the deal breakers and WHERE to find them
Save money on home inspection fees
Save time by skipping homes that don’t fit your needs
Avoid anxiety and stress DURING the home inspection
Avoid unpleasant news and disappointment AFTER the home inspection
Schedule the home inspection knowing what to expect when it’s over
Do this for EVERY home you tour in 30 minute or less
What’s Inside
Kansas City Home Inspection Checklist Table of Contents
A clear breakdown of the key systems and red flags covered in this checklist, so you know exactly what you’ll learn before you start.
Cracks and foundation movement
Cracks, moisture, and rust
Water lines, drains, water heater, and leakage
Shingles, flashing, rubber boots, and chimneys
Rafters, cedar shingles, and moisture
Smoke detectors, GFCI outlets, wiring, service size, and fuses
Rust, temperature, age, damage
Meet Steve
“With a boatload of money on the line, buying and selling a home can be a stressful event.
Especially when there’s not a lot of information about the home.
So, I hope you find this Kansas City home inspection checklist useful.
It’s the printed version of my major-items inspection (that sells for almost $400) and focuses solely on the critical areas that always matter most.
By the way, I’d love to hear your feedback. Email me at info@bulldoginspect.com.”
PS – You get $20 off any full home inspection package with your purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve answered the most common questions to help you feel informed and confident throughout the inspection process.
Pareto’s Principle. Aka the 80/20 rule, it predicts that 80% of the major problems will be in 20% of the home. That 20% is the 5 major areas of every home.
No matter how old or how big, they are always the same:
1. Foundation
2. Plumbing
3. Roof
4. Electrical
5. HVAC
Real Estate Investors. The major-items inspection was originally created for real estate investors who ONLY wanted to know if the home has costly, major issues but anyone can benefit from it.
No. It can also be applied to duplexes, but once you get into multi-family situations, we use a different approach to source certain issues.
Be sure all utilities are on, pilots are lit, and water is flowing through the faucets BEFORE you check the home. This includes:
1. Gas
2. Electricity
3. Water
Yes. I wrote a blog post called The Best DIY Home Inspection Checklist. That would be a good place to start.
No. It will help you find major defects in the bones so you don’t spend money inspecting homes you’ll never want to buy, but this Kansas City home inspection checklist doesn’t come close to the depth and breadth of coverage a professional home inspection provides.
If you can see the mold, fix the source of moisture and repair the damage. There are really only 3 valid situations where mold testing is necessary.
No. I use a seller’s disclosure to supplement my inspection, but it only gives you basic information along with any details the seller remembers. Many times, it’s incorrect, blank, or the person filling it out never lived there.
