The Complete Home Inspection: What's Actually Covered in Lincoln, NE

A home can "pass inspection" and still cost its new owner $40,000 in surprises. That's because a passed inspection usually means one thing: nobody found anything that would stop the sale. It doesn't mean the home was checked for the issues that actually drain bank accounts after closing — radon gas building up in the basement, termites working through the sill plate, a sewer line one root intrusion away from backing up into the yard, or a wall that looks fine but is quietly losing heat (and money) through a gap in the insulation.

That's the gap Murray's Complete Home Inspection is built to close. It combines a full InterNACHI-standard inspection with four specialty services most companies treat as pricey add-ons: radon testing, termite inspection, sewer scope, and thermal imaging. Here's exactly what's covered, what it isn't, and why "complete" is doing real work in that name.

Key Takeaways

• A standard inspection is visual and non-invasive — it won't catch radon, termites, sewer line damage, or hidden insulation gaps on its own

• Murray's Complete Home Inspection bundles all four specialty services with the standard inspection, so nothing gets left for a buyer to discover later

• Every inspection follows InterNACHI's Standards of Practice and is performed by a Certified Professional Inspector (CPI)

• Reports are delivered through Spectora with photos, so issues are documented, not just described

• Nebraska sits almost entirely inside the EPA's highest radon-risk zone, which is one reason "standard" inspections in Lincoln shouldn't skip it

A Standard Inspection Still Covers More Than People Expect

Before getting to the specialty services, it's worth being clear about what's already included — because "standard" at Murray still means hours on-site, not a walkthrough with a clipboard. Every InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector on our team follows the same Standards of Practice on every job, residential or commercial.

Structure and Exterior

Foundation, grading and drainage, roof covering and flashing, siding, windows, doors, decks, and the attached garage. A cracked foundation and a settling one look similar in a photo; a trained eye is what tells a buyer which one they're actually dealing with.

Major Systems

Electrical panels and visible wiring, plumbing supply and drain lines, water heater, and the HVAC system — including whether it's sized correctly for the home, not just whether it turns on.

Interior and Safety

Attic and insulation, basement or crawlspace, visible mold or moisture staining, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and every major appliance that conveys with the sale.

All of it gets documented — not summarized. That distinction matters more than it sounds like it should, because a report that says "roof: fair condition" tells a buyer nothing they can act on. A report with a photo of the specific shingle and a note on expected remaining life does.

The Four Checks That Make It "Complete"

These are the services most inspection companies sell separately, if they offer them at all. Murray bundles all four into the Complete Home Inspection because each one catches a specific risk that a visual, non-invasive inspection physically cannot.

Radon Testing

Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that seeps up from the soil, and Nebraska sits almost entirely inside the EPA's Zone 1 — its highest radon-potential rating. You cannot see, smell, or feel it. You can only measure it.

Termite Inspection

Termite damage isn't covered by most homeowners insurance policies, which makes it one of the few home defects a buyer is financially on their own for if it's missed before closing.

Sewer Scope

A camera run through the sewer lateral — the pipe connecting the house to the city main — shows root intrusion, bellies, offset joints, and corrosion that no amount of looking at a yard can reveal. This matters most on homes over 20 years old or anywhere near mature trees.

Thermal Imaging

An infrared camera reads surface temperature differences invisible to the naked eye, flagging missing insulation, moisture intrusion behind walls, and overheating electrical connections — all without opening a single wall.

Each of these gets its own full breakdown — what the equipment actually finds, what it costs you if it's skipped, and how to read the results — in our specialty services deep dive.

What Actually Happens, From Booking to Report

Scheduling is handled online through Spectora, so a time on the calendar doesn't require a phone tag marathon. Most Complete Home Inspections take longer on-site than a standard inspection alone, simply because there's more ground to cover — the radon monitor needs to sit undisturbed for a minimum testing period, and the sewer scope and thermal imaging both take dedicated time to do right.

The report arrives digitally, organized by system, with photos attached to every finding instead of a generic checklist. That's the difference between a report a buyer skims once and one they actually use to negotiate, plan repairs, or simply sleep better at night.

For a home buyer, that means walking into closing with no blind spots. For a seller, it means knowing exactly what a buyer's inspector is going to find before they find it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's included in Murray's Complete Home Inspection?

A full InterNACHI-standard home inspection covering structure, exterior, roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, interior, attic, and basement or crawlspace — plus four specialty services bundled in: radon testing, termite inspection, sewer scope, and thermal imaging.

Do I still need radon testing if the home already passed a standard inspection?

Yes. A standard home inspection is visual and non-invasive, so it cannot detect radon gas. Testing requires a dedicated monitor placed in the lowest livable level of the home, which is why it's handled as its own service rather than a line item on a general checklist.

How long does a Complete Home Inspection take?

Plan for several hours on-site, longer than a standard-only inspection, since the radon monitor needs undisturbed placement time and the sewer scope and thermal imaging each require dedicated attention. The digital report typically follows within 24 hours.

Know Before You Buy — Or Sell

Detailed Inspections for Informed Decisions isn't a slogan Murray picked because it sounded good. It's the actual standard every InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector on the team works to, on every single job.

Schedule your Complete Home Inspection online at murrayinspectionservices.com or call (402) 802-7021.