What Does a Home Inspection Include in Minnetonka?

A Minnetonka home inspection is a top-to-bottom visual evaluation of the home's structure and major systems, performed to the InterNACHI Standards of Practice and documented in a clear, photo-mapped report. It is not a pass/fail test and it is not an appraisal — it is an independent, plain-English account of the home's real condition so you can buy with your eyes open.

Because this is the west metro, our scope is calibrated to the homes that actually sell here: lake-adjacent walkouts, 1960s–80s split-levels in the Glen Lake belt, 1995–2008 synthetic-stucco builds, and multi-million-dollar shoreline estates. What we look hardest at changes with the home.

The structure and foundation

We evaluate the foundation — poured, block, or walkout — for cracking, movement, bowing, and water intrusion. On Minnetonka's clay soils and the high water tables near Lake Minnetonka and Minnehaha Creek, drainage and below-grade moisture are primary concerns, so we check grading, sump operation, and drain-tile performance, not just the visible walls.

We also read the structure for signs of a teardown rebuild versus a heavy remodel on an old foundation — a distinction that matters enormously on high-value lake listings.

The roof and attic

Cedar shake is common here and unsafe to walk, so we assess it from eaves level and, where appropriate, by drone — looking for splitting, curling, thinning, and end-of-life indicators. We inspect flashing at every roof-to-wall intersection, including the kickout flashings that are so often missing on EIFS and lap-siding homes.

In the attic we check insulation depth, air-sealing, and ventilation balance, and we look for the condensation and frost that drive ice dams on steep north-facing planes. Bath and kitchen fans venting into the attic instead of outside are a frequent and consequential finding.

Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems

We evaluate the electrical service, panel, grounding, and bonding. In older Minnetonka homes that means watching for Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels and 1965–76 aluminum branch wiring — both recognized safety concerns. We test a representative sample of outlets, switches, and GFCI protection.

On the plumbing side we identify supply and drain materials — including polybutylene in late-80s tract homes and galvanized or Orangeburg in older ones — and we sewer-scope the lateral, because the mature oak canopy here drives root intrusion into clay laterals. We check the water heater, furnace or boiler, and air conditioning for age, operation, and safety.

The envelope and the rest

We inspect siding, trim, windows, and doors, with particular attention to EIFS moisture probing on synthetic-stucco elevations. We evaluate decks and their ledger attachments, the garage, and the interior finishes, appliances, and safety devices.

What we do not do is certify shoreline structures — docks, boathouses, lifts, and armor stone fall outside a home inspection's scope. We will comment honestly on what we see, but we are clear about where our certification ends. That honesty is exactly what protects a buyer on a multi-million-dollar property.

What you receive

Within 24 hours you receive a photo-mapped digital report that reads like a narrative, not a checklist — prioritized, plain-English, and built to negotiate with. We walk the key findings with you on site before you leave, so nothing in the report is a surprise.

If you want to go deeper before your inspection, start with our defect library or the full home inspection page.

Keep reading

Learning center · Defect library · Full home inspection