Home Inspection & Negotiating Repairs
Think of it like taking a used car to a mechanic before you buy it. The inspection is your chance to understand what you're getting — and to negotiate accordingly.
What to Expect & How to Approach It
The home inspection is one of the most important steps in the buying process, but it doesn't have to be one of the most stressful. You're buying a very expensive asset — it's smart due diligence to have a professional evaluate it before you're locked in. Here's how I walk buyers through the inspection and the repair negotiation that follows.
Why You Need an Inspection
When you toured this home, you probably spent 20–30 minutes inside. The inspector will spend 3–4 hours. They're trained to evaluate every system in the house — things you wouldn't catch on a showing and things the seller may not even know about. Skipping the inspection to save a few hundred dollars is one of the most expensive mistakes a buyer can make.
I never recommend skipping or cheapening the inspection. This is one place where spending a little more for a thorough, experienced inspector pays for itself many times over.
What Gets Inspected
The inspection covers everything involved with the main structure: foundation, roof covering and structure, exterior cladding (brick, stone, fiber cement), all outlets, switches, and fixtures, plumbing, water heater, HVAC, electrical panel, insulation, and all built-in appliances. Optional add-ons can include pool and spa equipment, sprinkler systems, and structural testing like hydrostatic plumbing tests.
The inspection does not cover driveways, fences, or outdoor lighting — it's focused on the home itself. If the property has a pool or sprinkler system, I'll recommend adding those as separate inspections.
Attending the Out-Brief
You don't need to be there for the full 3–4 hour inspection, but I strongly encourage attending the last 30–45 minutes. This is when the inspector walks you through their findings in person — what's significant, what's cosmetic, and what's just normal wear on an older home. Think of it as a new homeowner orientation. The inspector can show you where the main water shut-off is, how to maintain the HVAC system, and a dozen other things it would take you months to figure out on your own.
Being there in person is valuable because the inspector can read your reaction. If you're getting stressed about something that isn't actually a big deal, they can explain it in context and save you a lot of unnecessary worry.
Reading the Inspection Report
After the inspection, you'll receive a detailed written report documenting everything the inspector found — deficiencies, code issues, safety concerns, and maintenance recommendations. These reports can run 40–60 pages. It's easy to read them and panic. The inspector is required to note everything, including minor code changes from when the house was built. A 20-year-old home will have a longer list than a 2-year-old home. That's expected.
I'll review the report with you and help separate the signal from the noise. We'll focus on what actually matters — not every item on the list requires action.
Negotiating Repairs
Once we have the report, we decide what to do. We can accept the house as-is and move forward, request that the seller address specific items, or — if the report reveals something serious — exercise our right to terminate during the option period. Most of the time, we'll negotiate. I think about repairs in two categories: items that are critical to the operation of the house (HVAC, water heater, roof leaks, electrical safety) and quality of life items (a dishwasher that doesn't work, a garage door opener on its last leg). The seller isn't going to make a used house new, but most reasonable sellers will address legitimate concerns.
Sometimes asking for a credit instead of repairs is the smarter move. You get the money at closing and can hire your own contractor to do the work to your standard, on your timeline.
Keeping Perspective
The inspection is the point in the transaction where buyers are most likely to get anxious. You're reading a long document full of deficiencies about a home you've committed to buying — it's natural to feel unsettled. But remember: no house is perfect, and the inspection report is designed to document everything, not to tell you the house is a bad purchase. Keep the findings in context with the whole picture — the home, the neighborhood, the price, and how much you want to be there.
I've seen buyers lose great homes by getting too aggressive on minor repairs. And I've seen buyers overlook real problems because they were emotionally attached. The goal is to be clear-eyed about what matters and let the rest go.
All inspection fees are paid directly by the buyer at the time of inspection. The option period length and option fee are negotiated in your offer — see Episode 5: Making an Offer for details on how that works.
Brian Murphy and his team are thorough, communicative, and genuinely good at walking buyers through their findings in plain language. I've worked with a lot of inspectors — these are the ones I recommend to my own clients.
Key Terms
- Home Inspection
- A visual evaluation of a home's major systems and structural components performed by a licensed inspector. The inspection covers the foundation, roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, appliances, and more — providing the buyer with a detailed understanding of the property's condition.
- Option Period
- The negotiated window during which the inspection and repair negotiations take place. If the inspection reveals something you're not comfortable with, you can terminate during this period for any reason. See Episode 5 for how the option period length and fee are set in your offer.
- Option Fee
- The fee you paid the seller for the right to terminate during the option period. If you walk away, the seller keeps it. If you close, it's credited toward the purchase price. The amount was negotiated in your offer — see Episode 5.
- Amendment
- A written change to the executed contract, used to modify terms both parties have already agreed to. Repair requests are submitted on TREC's Amendment to Contract form and require signatures from both buyer and seller to take effect.
- Seller Credit (Repair Credit)
- Money given to the buyer from the seller through escrow at closing, typically in lieu of completing physical repairs. Allows the buyer to handle repairs on their own terms and timeline after taking possession.
- Structural Deficiency
- A significant issue affecting the home's structural integrity — foundation movement, roof structure damage, load-bearing wall problems, or major framing issues. These are high-priority findings that typically require professional evaluation and repair.
- Code Deficiency
- A condition that doesn't meet current building code standards. Many code deficiencies are the result of code changes after the home was built and may not pose an immediate safety risk. Inspectors are required to report them regardless.
- Hydrostatic Test
- A plumbing test that pressurizes the drainage system to check for leaks beneath the foundation slab. Particularly relevant for homes on slab foundations in North Texas, where soil movement can stress underground plumbing over time.
Related Contract & Inspection Forms
The inspection itself is documented on a standardized form from the Texas Real Estate Commission. And when we negotiate repairs, that request is made through a formal amendment to the contract. Below are the key forms involved at this stage of the transaction.
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Property Inspection Report (TREC)
The standardized form used by licensed Texas home inspectors. Covers structural systems, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, appliances, and optional systems like pools and sprinklers.
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Amendment to Contract
Used to formally request repairs or credits from the seller. Both parties must sign for the amendment to take effect. TREC Form 39-10.
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Addendum for Authorizing Hydrostatic Testing
Required if you want to perform a hydrostatic plumbing test, which checks for leaks beneath the foundation. Must be included as part of the original offer or added by amendment. TREC Form 48-1.
Related Reading
An extended conversation with the lead inspector at A-Action covering what buyers should know, common findings in North Texas homes, and how to use the inspection to your advantage.
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