After the Home Inspection Report Reveals Some Issues, What Can You Expect the Seller to Fix or Pay for?
Home inspectors are hired to perform a detailed walk-through of the home that you’re looking to buy, and give a comprehensive review of the following:
- General Physical Structure
- Plumbing And Electrical Systems
- Major Appliances
- Attics & Crawl Spaces
- Basements
Throughout this process, the inspector will be taking notes, pictures, and other information about the home to include in the inspection report.
If your home inspection report has come back with some major problems, you may be wondering what you can ask the seller to fix.
Here is a list of items we believe are appropriate to ask a seller to remedy prior to closing:
Major Defects That Affect the Structure of the Home
The overall structure of the home needs to be in purchasable condition to secure your loan. It needs to be up to code and be structurally sound. Your home inspector will let you know of any issues that can be categorized as “major defects”
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Building Code Violations
- Codes are usually set on a state by state basis and consist of regulations regarding the way the home was built, including materials that were used to build the home, plumbing systems, and electrical systems.
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Mechanical or Structural Defects
- Issues found in the foundation of the home or the underlying structure of the home are considered structural defects. Mechanical defects are problems related to broken components of the home.
Issues That Impact Your Health and Well-being
What do you do if the home inspector finds dangerous problems in the home? If the repairs are small, you might just fix them on your own. But for more serious issues that put your health at stake, it\’s appropriate to ask the seller to fix those issues.
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Safety Issues
- Safety issues include potentially hazardous findings that may impact the well-being of you and your family. This could include something that might seem as trivial as a loose hand-rail to more serious issues like poor wiring that could start a fire.
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Presence of Mold
- If the inspector notes a mold issue inside the home, you should definitely ask the seller to get a mold remediation company to do a more in-depth inspection of the situation and follow the recommended advice of the mold experts.
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High Level of Radon
- Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas, so a high level of radon detected in your home is seriously dangerous. If your inspector tells you that there is a high level of radon in the home, ask the seller to hire a radon mitigation company.
Expensive Repairs
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Mechanical Failure
- When something goes wrong with large components of your home, they can have expensive repairs. Warranties might cover some of these items, but ask your realtor about the specifics.
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Pest Issues
- If the home inspector finds a pest problem, get an estimate of the cost of the repairs. Small animals like birds and squirrels can do a lot of damage to a home. Find out how much it\’s going to cost to fix and present it to the seller.
If you\’re looking for a certified home inspection in the Seattle metro area, please don\’t hesitate to reach out to our team. You can also schedule an inspection online.