The home inspection is your one chance to learn what you are really buying before you are committed. For a few hundred dollars and an afternoon, a licensed inspector examines the structure and every major system and hands you a report that can save you tens of thousands — or tell you to walk. This guide explains how to choose an inspector, what they check, which specialty inspections to add, how to read the report without panicking, and how to negotiate repairs so the seller takes your request seriously.
Understand the inspection contingency
Your purchase contract includes an inspection period — typically 7 to 14 days from acceptance — during which you can inspect the home and, if you are not satisfied, request repairs or cancel and recover your earnest money. That right disappears when the period ends, whether or not you actually inspected.
The contingency is your leverage. Sellers negotiate repairs because the alternative is losing the sale and putting the home back on the market with a known issue. Once you release it, you are buying the house as-is.
Book the inspector the day your offer is accepted. Good inspectors are busy, and you want the report in hand with several days left to get contractor quotes and negotiate before the deadline.
Checklist
- Find the inspection period dates in your contract
- Book the inspector the same day your offer is accepted
- Leave at least 3–4 days between the report and the deadline
- Know your options: proceed, request repairs, or cancel
Choose the right inspector
Look for a licensed inspector (where your state licenses them) who is a member of a national association, carries errors-and-omissions insurance, and has several hundred inspections behind them. Ask for a sample report — it should be long, photo-heavy and clearly organized by system, with a summary of significant findings up front.
Ask how long they spend on a typical home of your size (two to four hours is right; 45 minutes is not) and whether they walk the roof, enter the attic and crawlspace and open the electrical panel. Inspectors who inspect from the ground with binoculars miss things.
Avoid inspectors recommended by anyone with a stake in the sale closing. On MLS9 you can book licensed inspectors directly; compare reviews, sample reports and prices.
Checklist
- Verify license, association membership and insurance
- Request a sample report
- Confirm they walk the roof and enter attic, crawlspace and panel
- Book independently; compare 2–3 options
Know what a standard inspection covers
Structure and exterior: foundation, framing visible from the attic and crawlspace, grading and drainage, siding, trim, windows, doors, decks, porches and walkways. Roof: covering, flashing, gutters, vents, chimneys and estimated remaining life. Attic: insulation, ventilation, signs of leaks or pests.
Systems: electrical (service size, panel condition, wiring type, GFCI and AFCI protection, visible defects), plumbing (supply and drain material, water heater age and condition, water pressure, leaks, fixtures), HVAC (age, operation, filter, ductwork, visible condition). Interior: walls, ceilings, floors, stairs, railings, doors and windows. Built-in appliances are operated.
It is visual and non-invasive. Inspectors do not open walls, move furniture, or guarantee anything hidden. They report on what they can see and test that day, and they are generalists — a roof "nearing end of life" means call a roofer for a quote.
Checklist
- Structure, roof, attic and exterior
- Electrical, plumbing and HVAC
- Interior and built-in appliances
- Understand it is visual and non-invasive
Add the specialty inspections your home needs
Sewer scope ($150–$300): a camera down the main drain line. Essential for any home older than about 30 years or with mature trees — a collapsed or root-filled line is a $10,000–$25,000 repair. Wood-destroying organism / termite ($75–$150): required by many lenders in the South and West and cheap insurance everywhere.
Radon ($150–$250): a 48-hour test; radon is a lung-cancer risk and mitigation costs $1,000–$2,500. Check your county's radon zone. Well water quality and septic inspection are mandatory when the home has them. Chimney level-2 inspection for wood-burning fireplaces. Pool and spa. Mold testing if the visual inspection finds moisture. Structural engineer if the inspector flags foundation concerns.
Order these at the same time as the general inspection so they fit inside your contingency period.
Checklist
- Sewer scope for homes over ~30 years or with big trees
- Termite / WDO
- Radon in moderate-to-high zones
- Well, septic, chimney, pool as applicable
Attend the inspection
Be there, at least for the last hour when the inspector walks you through the findings. You will learn where the main water shutoff, gas shutoff and electrical panel are, how the systems work and what the inspector is actually worried about versus what they are noting for completeness. That context is worth more than the report.
Bring a notepad and take your own photos. Ask questions: how old is this? How long will it last? What would it cost to fix? Is this common? Inspectors will often give you rough numbers in person that they will not put in writing.
Do not bring the seller. Inspectors and buyers speak more freely alone, and sellers hovering create friction. If the seller must be present, keep the conversation neutral and save your reactions for later.
Checklist
- Attend at least the final walk-through with the inspector
- Locate shutoffs and the panel
- Ask about age, life expectancy and cost for each concern
- Take your own photos and notes
Read the report without panicking
Reports run 40–80 pages and every house — including brand-new construction — has findings. Start with the summary. Then sort everything into three buckets. Safety: exposed wiring, missing GFCI protection, gas leaks, missing railings, mold, structural concerns. Major systems and structure: roof, foundation, electrical service, plumbing supply and drain, HVAC, water heater, windows, siding. Cosmetic and maintenance: sticking doors, caulking, dripping faucets, worn paint.
Focus your energy on the first two buckets. Get contractor quotes for anything that could cost more than $1,000 — roofers, HVAC techs and plumbers will often quote from the report photos. Real numbers make your negotiation credible.
Ask the inspector to clarify anything ambiguous. "Recommend further evaluation by a licensed electrician" means they saw something concerning; find out what before you decide whether to spend the money on the specialist.
Checklist
- Read the summary, then sort findings into safety, major and cosmetic
- Get quotes on anything over $1,000
- Clarify "recommend further evaluation" items with the inspector
- Decide what you can live with
Negotiate repairs or credits
Ask for what matters: safety items and major systems at or near end of life. Sellers respond to a focused, documented request — three or four significant items with contractor quotes attached — far better than a list of 40 nitpicks copied from the report. The latter signals a difficult buyer and often produces a flat "no."
Choose credits over repairs when you can. A closing-cost credit lets you hire your own contractor and control the quality; seller repairs done cheaply the week before closing are a common source of regret. Alternatively, a price reduction accomplishes the same thing but reduces your loan rather than your cash to close — a credit is usually more useful.
Deliver the request in writing through MLS9 before the inspection deadline, with the quotes and relevant report pages attached. The seller can accept, counter or refuse; you then decide to proceed, keep negotiating within the remaining time, or cancel.
Checklist
- Request 3–5 substantive items, not everything
- Attach contractor quotes and report pages
- Prefer credits over seller-performed repairs
- Deliver in writing before the deadline
Know when to walk away
Some findings change the deal: significant foundation movement, a failed septic system, widespread active knob-and-tube or aluminum branch wiring, major unpermitted structural work, extensive mold, a roof and HVAC both at end of life on a home priced as move-in ready. If the seller will not address them and the cost exceeds what you can absorb, cancel within the period and recover your deposit.
Walking away is not a failure; it is exactly what the contingency is for. The cost is your inspection fees and a few weeks. The cost of not walking can be a six-figure repair on a home you cannot resell.
If the issues are large but the seller is flexible, a price reduction that reflects real quotes plus a contingency reserve can still make a good purchase. Run the new numbers through the mortgage calculator before you agree.
Checklist
- Identify deal-breakers: structure, septic, wiring, permits, mold
- Compare repair quotes to what you can absorb
- Cancel in writing before the deadline if you walk
- Re-run the numbers if you renegotiate instead
Verify repairs and keep the report
If the seller agreed to repairs, the amendment should specify licensed contractors and receipts. Ask for the receipts and, for anything significant, a re-inspection — many inspectors do this for a small fee. Verify at the final walk-through the day before closing.
Keep the inspection report forever. It is your maintenance roadmap for the first few years: the water heater to replace by 2028, the roof to watch, the GFCI outlets to add. It also documents the home's condition at purchase, which matters if a hidden defect surfaces and you need to show what was and was not disclosed.
Budget the maintenance items you did not negotiate. The inspector's cosmetic list, done over the first year, prevents the small problems from becoming the big ones on your own future inspection report when you sell for 0% on MLS9.
Checklist
- Collect receipts for seller repairs; re-inspect major items
- Verify at the final walk-through
- Keep the report as your maintenance plan
- Budget year-one maintenance from the cosmetic list
Common questions
How much does a home inspection cost?
Typically $350–$600 for a standard inspection depending on size and region, plus $75–$300 for each specialty inspection (sewer scope, radon, termite).
Should I skip the inspection to make my offer stronger?
No. Waive the contingency only if you have already had a contractor through the home and can absorb whatever is found. Shortening the period to 7 days is a safer way to strengthen an offer.
Do new-construction homes need an inspection?
Yes. New homes routinely have missed flashing, unconnected ducts, improper grading and electrical errors. Inspect before drywall if you can, and again before closing.
What repairs can I ask the seller to make?
Anything, but sellers respond to safety items and major systems with quotes attached. Cosmetic requests rarely succeed and can sour the negotiation.
Is the inspector liable if they miss something?
Generally only up to the inspection fee, per most contracts. That is why attending, ordering specialty inspections and reading the report closely matters more than the inspector's guarantee.