A home inspection is a common contingency used during the selling process. If you are selling your property, you could be wondering, “What fixes are mandatory after a home inspection?” While every property sale is different, it is most common to request repairs after a home inspection that includes both interior and exterior features of the property. However, some areas that are NOT included in a home inspection commonly include inside walls, pipes, and chimneys as well as the area behind electrical panels. In general, you can get a recommendation and an estimate on fixing the subpar items found during a home inspection from the inspector. Not only do home inspectors check for general issues, but they also look for specialized problems with the property.
What Happens After a Home Inspection?
Typically, a home inspection costs around $325.00 but it varies greatly depending on property size. After you have received the results of your home inspection you may decide to:
- Walk Away – In real estate, it is common for the results of a home inspection to be overwhelming. If you find the repairs are too expensive to fit into your budget, or that they are too significant to overlook, you may need to walk away from the sale. As long as you include an inspection contingency in the purchase contract, you will have the option to forget about the property, if the home repairs prove to be too much to take on as a homebuyer.
- Request Repairs – It is common for the homebuyer to ask the seller to take care of the problems with the house. You may ask, “Do I have to fix everything on a home inspection?” Large, and small issues can be resolved, or you may request that the seller drops the purchase price or provides credit at closing so you can make the repairs yourself.
- Get an Estimate – In some cases, it is not viable to fix the property. If the house is bank-owned, you may need to simply get an estimate of the cost to repair all of the items that failed the home inspection. Create a plan for repairs, from the lowest cost to the highest cost. If you have a home inspection estimate checklist, you may use it to perform the repairs, or give it to a handyman.
If the seller won’t make repairs after inspection results have been given to you, it may be worth talking to a real estate agent. They can act with your best interests in mind and get the repairs made. That way you will not be forced to give up your earnest money or back out of the sale and lose the property you had your heart set on.
Requesting repairs after the home inspection results are delivered is an easy thing to do, but you do not have to do it alone. Talk to your real estate agent on how to make a request for fixing the property and what to expect a seller to fix after a home inspection. It is also important to remember that a home inspection is not the sole factor for home buying. In fact, no home is ever completely free of all problems. Even a new home will have small issues and problems that need to be fixed. While a seller cannot repair everything for you, there is plenty of space for negotiation on many issues. All reasonable problems should be simple to address, and you can expect a resolution for all of the issues under a home inspection contingency. 
What Are The Most Common Repairs?
The most common repairs needed after a home inspection include:
- Exterior walls (cracks, damage, missing siding, pests)
- Foundation (cracks, damage, settling)
- Grading, slopes, and drainage
- Garage and carport
- Roof
- Plumbing (faucets, showers, leaks, water pressure)
- Electrical (wiring, outlets, safety hazards)
- Heating, Ventilation, and Air Condition (HVAC)
- Kitchen appliances (testing, repair, replacement)
- Laundry room (ventilation, dryer exhaust, safety hazards)
- Bathrooms (leaks, ventilation, toilets, mildew, wood warping)
- Fire alarms
The home inspector should also make notes about each problem as it relates to safety, major, and minor defects as well as which items need to be replaced, and which need to be repaired. Additionally, all items that are suitable should be closely monitored after the home buyer moves in.
The first step towards purchasing your dream home is a call to the offices of Jeff Barchi. You can speak directly to a qualified real estate agent in Fountain Hills about the property you have in mind, why you think it may need a home inspection, and how to get the repairs done after the results are delivered. Call today!
