There are lots of ways to skin that cat. I don't generally pull the heads unless I have to. Pull the plugs and inspect them. If you have a stand, you can flip the engine upside down (after draining it). Pull the pan, check all the bores and bearings. Make sure it turns freely and check each bearing as it turns for play. Pull the timing cover and valve covers to check cams/cam bearings, chains, sprockets, tensioners, and guides. When you pull the oil filter, cut the housing open with a pair of snips (not a grinding wheel) and check the folds of the filter for metal particulate. If there is a lot, you need to figure out where it came from. If not, keep going. If you do actually choose to do cams, part of that inspection is mute anyway, as you will put new stuff in. If you have to get into the long block, you might as well do rings/bearings/gaskets for the entire engine. By the time you have the chains and cams off, you are almost there anyway. What kind of shape was the donor car in and how many miles?
