What Fixes Are Mandatory After A Home Inspection

You have found your dream home.

Entered into a contract of purchasing it.

Now, what’s next?

You have the opportunity to get a home inspection at a cost, but not if you waive this right during the offer. So, make sure not to do that.

Once the inspection is completed, you will receive the inspection report. Considering what’s reported in it, you may request repairs from the seller. This might also lead to another round of negotiations between you and them.

Before getting to this point, it is important for you and the seller to have reasonable expectations about the common fixes.

Homebuyers are often told, “It can’t hurt to ask, ” but do you know its flip side? If you ask for too much then the seller might get pissed off and you won’t even get a single repair done. This is why it’s important to be reasonable, and expect them to accommodate what’s really needed.

If you’re wondering, “What’s reasonable to ask?” Don’t worry—we will guide you through that and make sure you understand your home inspection.

In this blog, we will precisely discuss after home inspection what happens, the repairs that are usually expected to be made, and a lot more.

So, without further ado, let’s start.

What Fixes Are Mandatory After A Home Inspection?

A home inspector is there to conduct a non-invasive visual inspection of your (to-be) house and its major systems. So, the primary factor they will be looking for is the “material defects” that might hinder your daily activities within your house. For this, inspectors examine different areas of your home, including:

• Structural components
• Exterior
• Roof
• Plumbing system
• Electrical system
• HVAC system
• Major interior components

When you get the inspection reports, you can request common repairs from your seller, including anything from fixing foundation issues, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roof damage to cosmetic issues found inside the house.

As a non-invasive, visual examination of the house and its systems, an inspector’s primary purpose is to look for “material defects” that would prevent the home from being used as intended. Inspections cover the structural, exterior, roof, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and major interior components of a home.

After getting the inspection report, common repairs that buyers may request include anything from addressing foundation problems, roof damage, HVAC, plumbing or electrical systems to cosmetic interior fixes.

It’s recommended that you focus on requesting fixes for major issues that the home inspection reveals. It will be much better if you just prioritize getting repairs done for items that are:

• Safety issues (such as electrical)
• Health issues (such as mold)
• Major expenses (such as windows or roof repairs)

Also, make sure that the repairs are done by a professional licensed contractor.

Who Pays for the Repairs After a Home Inspection?

A direct answer for this question is, no one has to pay for the repairs post-inspection. Once you receive the inspection report, you may show the list of requested repairs to the seller. Although some of the fixes are a must, but often the sellers agree to all, or at least, most of the repairs to keep the sale on track.

However, if your seller refuses to pay for the repairs after a home inspection, it’ll be your choice whether you want to continue with the purchase or back off from the contract.

If the seller disagrees with paying for the repair, and you choose to continue with the purchase, then make sure to address the repairs before closing the deal, especially if you’re taking a loan. There are different types of loans that need repairs before closing the deal. This is especially common with VHA or FHA loans, but you should also expect it with conventional loans.

Since lenders are also making a financial investment, they’re usually concerned with major material defects, such as building code violations, structural hazards, pest infestations, mold or water damage, etc.

What Can You Ask for After a Home Inspection?

You can ask for anything to be fixed once the home inspection is completed. Whether it’s a malfunctioning appliance or a significant structural issue – you can ask it all. But, one major risk of requesting too many minor repairs is that it might distract the seller from what actually needs to be addressed, the important material defects.

This is why, it’ll be better if you prioritize the repairs as per the seriousness of the issues and how major or minor they are.

What Happens When a Home Inspection Uncovers?

If a home inspection reveals significant problems, then, as a buyer, you can ask to either get those issues fixed before closing or you can back off from the contract. Remember, this will be the final opportunity for you to walk away from the purchase without sacrificing your earnest money.

In another case, you and the seller can agree to terms of repairs following home inspections.

What Is a Defect in a Home Inspection?          

When your home inspector reports on the issues, you might hear them mentioning “defects.” These are anything that isn’t in its correct working order. For example, a light switch that isn’t turning the right on because it’s not properly wired.

On the other hand, a material defect is an issue that prevents the home from being used as it should be. It could also be an issue that poses an unreasonable risk to you or your family, such as a faulty electrical system is a major fire danger.

Your home inspector might highlight the defects in the inspection report, but primarily, they’re expected to look for material defects.

Conclusion

Understanding what happens after a home inspection is important for making informed decisions about buying a home.

Knowing what repairs are reasonable to request allows you to prioritize significant issues like safety, health, and major expenses and negotiate with your seller wisely. This can be a perfect way to protect your investment and ensure your home is safe and functional.

Remember, while the inspection report may uncover defects, how you approach the next steps makes a difference. Stay informed, be reasonable, and work with professionals to ensure the repairs are completed to your satisfaction before closing the deal.

Ensure your dream home is everything you’ve envisioned with a thorough inspection from The BrickKicker. Our certified home inspectors provide detailed assessments of every major system, giving you peace of mind before you close the deal. Don’t leave anything to chance—schedule your comprehensive residential inspection with The BrickKicker today and make confident decisions about your future home!