General Home Inspection
A general home inspection in Oregon covers ten systems named in rule, is visual by definition, and excludes items most buyers assume it covers.
An Oregon general home inspection reports on ten system categories, from structure at OAR 812-008-0205 to built-in kitchen appliances at 0214. It is visual and not technically exhaustive by rule. Underground items, environmental hazards and code compliance sit outside it.
What the ten categories mean in practice
The standards of practice run from OAR 812-008-0205 to 812-008-0214, one rule per system. Each rule names what the inspector must observe and what the report must state.
Nothing in those ten rules sets a duration. Two to three hours is an industry figure, not a legal one, and coverage of the ten categories is the real test.
What it excludes by rule
OAR 812-008-0204 lists what a certified inspector is not required to report on. The list includes code compliance, cosmetic items, underground items, items not permanently installed and detached structures.
Four of the most expensive Oregon problems live in those exclusions. Sewer laterals, heating oil tanks, radon and concealed structure each need a separate engagement, and each has its own page here.
Who may sell you one
Oregon licenses the inspector and the business separately, both at the Construction Contractors Board. ORS 701.445 makes certification a precondition for offering the work at all.
The two-or-more rule matters. A specialist who reports on a single system, such as a roof-only inspector, may fall outside the certification requirement. That is why single-system reports vary so much.
Asked and answered
Oregon sets no minimum duration. The rule sets coverage instead: a written report addressing all ten system categories in OAR chapter 812 division 8. Two to three hours is the common industry figure for an average single family home. Judge a short inspection by whether the report reaches every category, not by the clock.
No Oregon agency publishes a price for a general home inspection. The Construction Contractors Board regulates who may inspect and to what standard, and it does not regulate fees. Prices are set by the market. Obtain quotes from certified inspectors and check each one against the CCB registry before hiring.
Ten categories, each with its own rule. Structural components, exterior and site, roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating, central air conditioning, interiors, insulation and ventilation, and built-in kitchen appliances. The inspection is visual, so concealed, underground and environmental items are excluded by OAR 812-008-0204 and need separate specialists.
Questions are taken verbatim from live Google People Also Ask results for this inspection type. Answers rest on Oregon rule text and the records cited above.