Repairs After a Home Inspection: What to Ask For and What to Expect

A home inspection almost always finds something — often dozens of items. The question is which ones matter, which ones are worth negotiating, and which ones should change your decision to buy entirely.

First-time buyers tend to make one of two mistakes: they negotiate every item on the report and irritate the seller into a standoff, or they say nothing and absorb costs they could have addressed before closing. This guide explains how to identify what is worth requesting, how to write a repair request, and what your options are when the problems are serious.

Why the Inspection Report Is Not a Repair List

A home inspector's job is to document the property's condition, not to tell you what to negotiate. Inspectors report everything they observe — items functioning normally but approaching end of life, cosmetic wear, and minor code deviations that exist in millions of homes.

A typical report for a 15-year-old house contains 40 to 80 items. Most are informational. The inspector is telling you what you own, not what is broken.

The items that matter for negotiation fall into a narrower category: safety hazards, active defects, and deferred maintenance that will cost you significant money soon after closing.

What to Ask the Seller to Fix

The general principle is to ask for repairs on issues that are material to the condition of the home as it was represented — not on normal wear and deferred cosmetic items.

Safety hazards. Anything that poses a direct risk to occupants should be at the top of your request. Missing GFCI protection in bathrooms and kitchens, exposed electrical wiring, a cracked heat exchanger in the furnace (which leaks combustion gases into the living space), or a non-functional smoke detector are safety items most sellers will address rather than risk a deal collapsing.

Structural issues. Foundation cracks that indicate active movement, roof structural damage, or evidence of load-bearing compromise are serious. Structural damage found during a home inspection is not a negotiating point — it is a decision point. You need a structural engineer's assessment, not just an inspector's report, before you know what you are dealing with. Foundation repairs range from a few thousand dollars for minor stabilization to well over $20,000 for major work. If the scope is significant, you may need to cancel the contract under the inspection contingency.

Active roof leaks and failing roof systems. A roof that is already leaking or that is at the end of its serviceable life is a major expense. Roof replacement typically runs $8,000 to $25,000 depending on size and materials. Requesting that the seller address this — either by repairing specific damaged areas, replacing the roof, or providing a credit toward replacement — is reasonable when the inspection documents active water intrusion or widespread shingle failure.

Mechanical system failures. An HVAC system that does not function, a water heater that is actively leaking, or plumbing that has a known defect (a pipe that drains inadequately or a sewage backup) are functional issues that affect your ability to use the home.

Recent water damage with undisclosed mold. If the inspection finds moisture damage that was not disclosed in the seller's disclosures, this is worth addressing directly. Mold remediation and addressing the water source can run from a few hundred dollars for a minor bathroom issue to several thousand for a basement or crawl space problem.

How to Write a Repair Request

Your request should be in writing, submitted through your real estate agent, and organized clearly by item. It should reference specific pages or sections of the inspection report. The clearer and more organized your request, the easier it is for the seller and their agent to evaluate it.

Keep the list focused. A repair request with five to eight significant items is more effective than one with thirty items, most of which are minor. A long list signals that you intend to extract maximum value from every possible angle, which puts sellers on the defensive.

State what you are asking for specifically. "Address the active roof leak at the rear dormer, as documented on page 12 of the inspection report" is better than "fix the roof." You are asking for a specific documented issue to be corrected.

Include a deadline for response. Your purchase contract will specify how many days the seller has to respond to a repair request — typically three to seven business days.

Your Options After Submitting the Request

The seller has several ways to respond. They may agree to make the repairs using a licensed contractor — in which case, re-inspect before closing. They may offer a credit at closing instead, which is often better for buyers since you control who does the work; negotiate the credit based on contractor estimates. They may counter with a partial agreement, which is the most common outcome. Or they may decline entirely, which gives you a decision: accept as-is, continue negotiating, or cancel under the inspection contingency.

When to Cancel the Contract

Most purchase contracts include an inspection contingency that allows you to withdraw from the transaction within a specific period if the inspection reveals unsatisfactory conditions. The contingency period is typically seven to fourteen days from the inspection date.

Canceling because of a long list of minor items is an overreaction that will cost you time and may cost you earnest money depending on how your contract is written. But canceling because of undisclosed structural damage, an active major roof failure, or a severe mold situation you cannot afford to remediate is a legitimate use of the contingency.

The question to ask yourself: if the seller fixes nothing and I buy this house at the agreed price, am I comfortable with that? If significant documented issues would remain unaddressed, you have grounds to renegotiate the price or exit the contract.

The 90-Day Warranty After Closing

Some sellers, particularly when selling through real estate agents, offer a 90-day home warranty as part of the transaction. Third-party home warranty companies also offer coverage from day one of ownership. These policies typically cover mechanical systems and appliances for failures that occur within the coverage period.

A 90-day warranty is not a substitute for a thorough inspection — it covers failures, not pre-existing conditions that were known at the time of closing. But it does provide a safety net for the first few months, when previously undiscovered problems sometimes surface.

If a defect that should have been disclosed appears after closing, you may have recourse under your state or province's disclosure laws regardless of any warranty. Keep copies of the seller's disclosure statement and the inspection report.

After Closing: Using the Report as a Maintenance Plan

Once you close, the inspection report becomes something useful: a prioritized list of maintenance items for your first year. The inspector has already told you which systems are aging and what will need attention soon. The items the seller did not repair are now your responsibility — but knowing they exist puts you ahead of buyers who discover problems only when something fails.

The Home Maintenance Guide is designed for this transition. It gives you a system for tracking what needs attention, when to address it, what it costs, and whether a repair is DIY or professional territory — so you start your first year with a plan rather than a guess.