What Happens After You Get Your Home Inspection Report
You just received your home inspection report. And honestly? It’s probably overwhelming. Pages of technical jargon, photos of things you don’t recognize, and a ticking clock on your inspection contingency period.
Here’s the thing — most buyers waste the first 2-3 days just trying to figure out what the report means. Then they panic when they realize they only have a few days left to make huge decisions about repair negotiations or walking away from the deal.
Whether you hired a Home Inspector Oromocto NB or someone elsewhere, you’re now in a critical window where every day counts. This guide breaks down exactly what to do each day from report delivery to your negotiation deadline.
Day 1: Read the Summary and Identify Deal-Breakers
Don’t try to read the entire report on Day 1. You’ll get lost in details about minor stuff that doesn’t matter.
Instead, flip straight to the summary section. Most inspectors put the serious issues at the front. Look for these red flags:
- Foundation cracks or settlement issues
- Roof replacement needed within 1-2 years
- Electrical panel problems or aluminum wiring
- HVAC system failures
- Water damage or active leaks
- Structural concerns
If you see any of these, that’s your Day 1 focus. Everything else can wait until tomorrow.
Call your real estate agent and ask one simple question: “Based on these major issues, do we negotiate repairs, ask for a price reduction, or walk away?” Your agent has seen tons of these situations and can give you perspective on what’s normal versus what’s a genuine problem.
The “Safety vs Cosmetic” Sort
Here’s a quick way to prioritize. Put a sticky note on items that are:
- Safety hazards (electrical, structural, fire risk)
- Going to cost over $5,000 to fix
- Related to water intrusion or moisture
Those are your negotiation items. The rest? Probably stuff you can handle after closing or ignore completely.
Day 2: Get Contractor Quotes for Major Items
Now you need actual numbers. Your inspection report might say “roof shows signs of aging” but that doesn’t tell you if you’re looking at $800 in repairs or $15,000 for replacement.
Call at least two contractors for each major issue. And be upfront — tell them you need a rough estimate quickly because you’re in your inspection period. Most contractors understand this timeline and can give you ballpark numbers over the phone or after a quick visit.
Focus your contractor calls on:
- Structural engineers (for foundation or framing issues)
- Roofers (if roof problems were noted)
- HVAC technicians (for heating/cooling concerns)
- Electricians (for panel or wiring issues)
- Plumbers (for sewer line or major plumbing defects)
Don’t bother getting quotes for stuff like “missing outlet covers” or “loose handrail.” Those are $20 fixes you can handle yourself.
The Quote Documentation System
Create a simple spreadsheet with three columns: Issue, Contractor Name, Estimated Cost. You’ll need this for Day 5 negotiations. Take photos of any written quotes contractors provide.
Day 3: Review Specialized Testing Results and Decide on Additional Inspections
Standard home inspections don’t cover everything. Depending on what your Home Inspector Oromocto NB found, you might need follow-up testing.
Common add-on inspections include:
- Radon testing (if not done initially)
- Mold assessment (if moisture issues were found)
- Sewer scope camera inspection
- Termite or pest inspection
- Chimney inspection
- Well water testing (rural properties)
But here’s what most people get wrong — they order every test out of fear. That’s unnecessary and expensive.
Only order additional inspections if your main report specifically noted concerns in those areas. For example, if the inspector saw moisture staining in the basement, a mold test makes sense. If everything looked dry? Skip it.
According to the standard home inspection process, specialized testing should be triggered by initial findings, not done automatically.
Day 4: Calculate Your Total Repair Costs and Decide Your Strategy
Add up all the contractor quotes from Day 2. Now you have a real number to work with.
If the total is under $3,000, you might just handle it yourself after closing. Most sellers won’t negotiate over small stuff, and you’ll waste your contingency period fighting over minor repairs.
If you’re looking at $5,000-$15,000 in repairs, you’ve got negotiation leverage. Decide which approach fits your situation:
- Ask seller to complete repairs before closing
- Request a price reduction to cover repair costs
- Ask for a closing cost credit
- Request a home warranty to cover certain systems
For assistance understanding how a Building Inspection Service Oromocto typically handles these common scenarios, Thorough Home Inspection Service offers guidance to help buyers interpret findings and develop negotiation strategies based on inspection results.
The “Big Three” Negotiation Items
Sellers are most likely to negotiate on three things:
- Safety hazards (they don’t want liability)
- Items that will kill their next deal if you walk (every buyer’s inspector will find the same problems)
- Systems that are completely failed (not just old)
Focus your negotiation energy there. Don’t nickel-and-dime over cosmetic stuff or things that are “near the end of their useful life” but still functioning.
Day 5: Submit Your Repair Request or Negotiation Proposal
Time to put everything in writing. Work with your agent to create a formal response to the inspection report.
Your request should include:
- Specific items you want addressed (reference report page numbers)
- Contractor quotes for major repairs
- Clear deadline for seller’s response
- Your preferred resolution (repair, credit, or price reduction)
Keep the tone professional. You’re not trying to punish the seller — you’re just addressing legitimate defects found by a qualified Building Inspection Service Oromocto professional.
And here’s something most buyers don’t know — you don’t have to ask for everything to be fixed. It’s totally fine to say “We’re concerned about these five major items. The other stuff in the report we’re comfortable handling ourselves.”
That approach actually works better than demanding the seller fix 47 different things.
Day 6: Review Seller’s Response and Counter if Needed
The seller will respond in one of four ways:
- Agree to everything (rare but awesome)
- Agree to some items, decline others (most common)
- Offer a credit instead of making repairs
- Decline to make any repairs (you walk or accept as-is)
If they counter with a partial solution, don’t automatically reject it. Run the numbers again. Maybe they’ll fix the roof and HVAC but won’t touch the cosmetic stuff. Is that acceptable?
You can counter back, but be strategic. Each round of negotiation uses up time in your contingency period. If you’re on Day 6 of a 7-day window, you might need to make a final decision rather than countering again.
When to Walk Away
Consider walking away if:
- Major structural issues that will cost $20,000+ to fix
- Problems that will make the home difficult to resell
- Seller refuses to address safety hazards
- Total repair costs exceed your savings buffer
But don’t walk over normal wear-and-tear items or things you can easily fix yourself for under $1,000.
Day 7: Finalize Agreement or Exercise Contingency
This is decision day. You need to either:
- Accept the seller’s final offer and move forward
- Agree to purchase as-is with no repairs
- Exercise your inspection contingency and cancel the contract
There’s no middle ground here. Your contingency period expires at the deadline in your contract (usually 5 PM or midnight on Day 7).
If you’re still waiting for the seller’s response and the deadline is approaching, you can request an extension. But the seller doesn’t have to agree. They might just let your contingency expire, which means you either move forward as-is or risk losing your deposit if you try to cancel.
For more helpful resources on navigating home buying decisions, visit additional information about property evaluation and contract negotiations.
What Happens After You Reach an Agreement
Once you and the seller agree on repairs or credits, get everything in writing as an amendment to your purchase contract. Don’t rely on verbal promises or text messages.
If the seller agreed to make repairs, you’ll typically get a re-inspection after the work is done (and before closing). This costs extra but confirms the repairs were actually completed properly.
If you accepted a credit or price reduction instead, that money gets applied at closing. Make sure your lender knows about any price changes, because it might affect your loan amount or down payment percentage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel the contract for any reason during the inspection period?
It depends on your contract language. Most inspection contingencies let you cancel for any inspection-related reason, but some require you to identify specific defects. Read your contingency clause carefully. If you cancel without valid grounds, you might lose your earnest money deposit.
What if the seller refuses to negotiate at all?
You have three options: buy the house as-is and handle repairs yourself, walk away using your inspection contingency, or try one final negotiation focusing only on the most serious safety or structural issues. In hot markets, sellers have more leverage to refuse negotiations. In slower markets, they’re usually more willing to work with you.
Should I ask for repairs or a price reduction?
Price reduction is usually better. Here’s why — when sellers make repairs, they typically hire the cheapest contractor and do the minimum work needed. When you get a price reduction, you control the repairs and can hire quality contractors. Plus, a lower purchase price means lower property taxes forever and a smaller mortgage.
How much should I expect to negotiate off the purchase price?
Typically 1-3% of the purchase price for homes with normal inspection findings. If you found major issues, you might negotiate 5-10% or more. On a $300,000 house, that means $3,000-$9,000 for typical problems, or $15,000-$30,000 for serious defects. But every situation is different based on market conditions and how badly each party wants to close the deal.
What happens if we can’t reach an agreement before the contingency expires?
If your contingency period ends without an agreement, you have to either move forward with the purchase as-is or cancel the contract and potentially lose your deposit. That’s why Days 5-7 are so critical. Don’t waste time in early days, because you need room for back-and-forth negotiations before your deadline hits.
