A Texas home inspector reviews the whole house but is not required to operate breakers or verify that they work. An electrician's evaluation goes inside the panel and prices what it finds. Ours start at $150 with a written report.
A Texas home inspector reviews the whole house under the Texas Real Estate Commission's standards of practice. Those standards do not require the inspector to operate breakers, verify that they work, or remove covers the inspector judges hazardous. An electrician's evaluation starts where that leaves off: inside the panel, at the connections and on the circuits, with a price for what it finds. Clements Electric's home electrical inspections start at $150 and include a written report of hazards and code issues.
What does a TREC home inspector check on the electrical system?
Texas inspectors work to 22 TAC 535.229, the electrical section of TREC's standards of practice. Among the items it says they must report as deficient:
- A service drop, weatherhead or mast that is not securely fastened to the building
- A missing or deficient grounding electrode system, and deficiencies in bonding and grounding
- Missing or damaged dead fronts or cover plates
- Panels in places they do not belong, such as a clothes closet or bathroom, or without the required clearance
- Breakers that are not compatible with the wires they protect
- Missing GFCI protection in bathrooms, garages, outdoors, kitchen countertops, laundry areas and other listed locations, and missing AFCI protection in listed living areas
- Receptacles with no power, reversed polarity or no ground
- Aluminum branch-circuit wiring without appropriate connections, such as devices approved for copper and aluminum
What does a home inspector not check?
The same rule lists what the inspector is not required to do. On an older house, these are the gaps that matter:
- Operate breakers, or verify that they work
- Remove covers the inspector judges hazardous
- Remove the covers of junction, fixture, receptacle or switch boxes unless specifically required
- Test AFCI devices when the house is occupied or belongings could be damaged
- Inspect low-voltage wiring
TREC's general limitations also mean the inspector is not required to determine code compliance. That is not a criticism of inspectors. A general inspection covers every system in the house in a few hours, and this is its scope. It is why reports on older homes so often end with 'recommend evaluation by a licensed electrician.'
How is an electrician's evaluation different?
| What gets checked | Home inspector | Electrician |
|---|---|---|
| Visible panel condition, labeling and clearances | Yes | Yes |
| Panel brand, and whether it is a known problem | Often noted | Yes |
| Connections inside the panel for heat damage, looseness or corrosion | If safe to open | Yes |
| Service size compared with how the house is used | No | Yes |
| Aluminum branch-circuit connections at outlets and switches | Where visible | Yes |
| Grounding and bonding at the service | Yes | Yes |
| A priced repair scope | No | Yes |
The last row is the practical difference. A repair request that says 'evaluate panel' gives the seller nothing to price. A request with an electrician's written scope and price attached is something you can negotiate. Opening outlets and switches in a house you do not own yet needs the seller's permission, so we arrange that through your agent.
Which findings matter most on an older DFW house?
Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panels
The CPSC closed its 1983 investigation without a recall, saying its data did not establish a serious risk (CPSC news release, March 3, 1983). Independent testing by engineer Jesse Aronstein, published on InspectAPedia, reported failure rates of 14% for single-pole and 48% for two-pole breakers taken from home panels and tested against UL trip criteria. A home inspector is not required to operate breakers, so the report can name the panel but cannot test it. Replacement costs are in our Federal Pacific guide.
Zinsco and Sylvania-Zinsco panels
InterNACHI identifies these by a blue and silver Zinsco label inside the panel and an embossed Magnetrip label at the top of the panel face, and recommends evaluation by a qualified electrician. The concern is where the breakers connect to the bus, so the usual answer is a new panel.
Aluminum branch wiring
Aluminum branch wiring is common in houses wired roughly between 1965 and 1973, and we find it most in Grand Prairie, Arlington and Irving. The TREC standards require the inspector to report aluminum branch wiring without appropriate connections. A buyer then needs to know how many connections the house has and what your insurer's requirements are. Our aluminum wiring cost guide covers the repair methods and prices.
An undersized service and a full panel
A 100-amp service that was fine in 1975 may not be fine with central air, an electric dryer and an EV in the driveway. An electrician can run the load calculation during the inspection, so you know before closing whether the house needs a service upgrade.
When should a buyer book the electrician?
Book as soon as the general inspection report flags anything in the panel, and inside your option period if your contract has one. That way you have the written scope while you can still negotiate or walk away. Sellers can book the same inspection before listing and fix the items before a buyer's inspector finds them. We cover Grand Prairie, Arlington, Mansfield, Fort Worth and Dallas, and we can usually do the inspection the same day, 7 AM to 7 PM, Monday through Friday.
Whoever you hire, check the license. Texas electrical contractors are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and you can look them up on TDLR's license search (tdlr.texas.gov/verify.htm). Clements Electric is an assumed name of UTS ElectricPros, LLC, Texas Electrical Contractor License TECL #40628, with Master Electrician license #214180.
Buying or selling an older home?
Home electrical inspections start at $150 with a written report. Same-day visits, 7 AM to 7 PM weekdays. TECL #40628.
Home electrical inspection questions
Clements Electric's home electrical inspections start at $150 and include a written report of hazards and code issues. If the inspection finds work that needs doing, the repair gets its own written flat-rate quote.
For a newer house with no electrical findings, it often is. On an older house, or when the report flags the panel or the wiring, it is not. The TREC standards do not require the inspector to operate breakers, verify they work, or remove covers the inspector judges hazardous. An electrician's evaluation fills those gaps and puts a price on the repairs.
Not usually. Under 22 TAC 535.229, the TREC standards of practice, a home inspector is not required to operate breakers or verify that they work. The inspector reports visible deficiencies such as missing dead fronts, grounding problems and breakers that do not match their wires.
Get an electrician's evaluation and a written replacement quote while you can still negotiate. Clements Electric's published 2025 ranges for panel replacement start at $1,800–$2,800 for a same-amperage 100-amp panel and $2,500–$4,200 for a 100-amp to 200-amp upgrade.
Usually not. Aluminum branch wiring from roughly 1965 to 1973 is normally repaired at the connections with approved connectors, not by rewiring. What you need before closing is a count of the connections, a price for the repair, and your insurer's requirements.
