I dunno, maybe inspectors aren't always focusing on unfamiliar materials. When mine came through, he barely glanced at my bamboo flooring (which I thought he'd grill me about) but spent ages poking around the plumbing under the sink. Maybe it's less about familiarity and more about whatever they've recently had trouble with on other jobs? Seems like they might just be extra cautious about stuff that's caused headaches before...
Had a similar experience recently. Thought my inspector would dive right into the new flooring I installed (it was cork, figured he'd have questions), but nope—he barely gave it a nod. Instead, he spent almost half an hour poking around the electrical outlets in the kitchen. Turns out, he'd recently dealt with a renovation where faulty wiring caused some serious headaches. He mentioned inspectors often zero in on whatever's freshest in their memory from trouble at previous jobs.
Honestly, your kitchen being messy probably won't faze him much. Inspectors are usually looking past clutter anyway—they see through stuff like that pretty easily. I'd still clear up any obvious hazards or blockages around plumbing and wiring though, just to make it easier for them to do their thing. In my experience, they're practical folks who appreciate easy access more than spotless counters.
One time, I had a property inspection scheduled and completely forgot about the attic access being blocked by storage boxes. Inspector wasn't thrilled about climbing around my junk pile to reach the hatch, but once he got up there and saw everything was solid, he relaxed quite a bit. Lesson learned—make sure they can at least get to what they're checking without needing gymnastics.
Anyway, probably best not to stress too much about tidying every little thing; inspectors seem more concerned with functionality than aesthetics.
Had a similar thing happen when I had my kitchen inspected after installing reclaimed wood countertops. Thought he'd grill me about the sealant or sustainability factor, but he barely glanced at them. Instead, he spent ages checking the plumbing under the sink because he'd recently dealt with water damage nightmares. Inspectors definitely seem to focus on whatever gave them grief last time. I'd just clear paths around key areas and not sweat the clutter too much—functionality usually wins out over neatness.
Yeah, inspectors definitely have their pet peeves based on past headaches. Last time mine came through, I spent hours scrubbing the oven and counters spotless, but he barely noticed. Instead, he zeroed in on the vent hood because he'd recently dealt with a grease fire issue somewhere else. I'd say just clear enough clutter to let him easily access appliances and plumbing—no need to go full Marie Kondo. Functionality and safety usually trump aesthetics anyway...
I get what you're saying about focusing on functionality, but I wouldn't completely write off aesthetics or tidiness either. From experience, inspectors can sometimes subconsciously equate neatness with good maintenance habits, even if they're not intentionally judging your housekeeping skills.
For example, a while back I had an inspection where I figured I'd just clear a path to appliances and plumbing, like you suggested. Thought it was enough. But the inspector spent a good chunk of time questioning me about general upkeep and maintenance routines because the kitchen looked messy and disorganized. It wasn't anything major, just cluttered counters and dishes piled up... but it set a tone. He ended up scrutinizing every little thing more closely than usual.
Since then, my rule of thumb is to do a quick tidy-up—not Marie Kondo level, but enough to give the impression that the place is regularly cared for. Here's what usually works for me:
1. Clear off counters completely—stash small appliances, dishes, and random clutter temporarily elsewhere if you have to.
2. Wipe down visible surfaces quickly (no deep scrubbing needed, just enough to remove obvious grime).
3. Check under the sink and around plumbing connections; inspectors often peek there, so make sure it's dry and uncluttered.
4. Do a quick once-over of the stove and vent hood area—inspectors do love to check grease buildup, as you've noticed.
5. Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove crumbs or debris—it takes just a minute and makes a notable difference.
This takes maybe 20-30 minutes tops and gives inspectors confidence that the kitchen has been properly maintained overall. You don't need perfection, but a bit of extra effort can save you from unnecessary scrutiny later on.