Home Inspection Guide: What Really Matters
What Inspectors Actually Look For
Know the difference between a dealbreaker and a fixable issue.
Why Inspections Matter
A $300-$500 investment protecting a $400K+ purchase
It's the cheapest line item in the entire transaction and the only one that can save you five figures.
It finds what a showing can't
Two hours with a flashlight, a moisture meter and an attic hatch turns up things no amount of open-house walking will.
It gives you negotiating power
A documented finding with a repair estimate is leverage. A vague concern is not.
Timing: inspect before you make the offer when you can
In competitive situations a pre-offer inspection lets you write firm with confidence instead of guessing. When that isn't possible, we build in a proper condition.
Sorting the Findings
Almost everything in an inspection report falls into one of three buckets. Here’s how I read them.
Red flags — walk away or renegotiate hard
Foundation cracks — especially horizontal ones
Vertical hairline cracks are common as concrete cures. Horizontal cracks suggest lateral pressure on the wall and can mean structural repair in the tens of thousands.
Roof near the end of its life
Curling, missing or third-layer shingles. Budget $8,000-$15,000 for a replacement, and know that insurers may balk before it's done.
Electrical code violations
Knob-and-tube, unpermitted DIY panels, missing GFCI, aluminum branch wiring. This is a fire and insurability issue, not a cosmetic one.
Mold or active moisture
Where there's mold there's water, and the water is the real problem. Never accept a paint-over — find and fix the source first.
A failing HVAC system
A furnace past 20 years, a cracked heat exchanger, or an AC unit that won't hold charge. Replacement runs $6,000-$12,000 and often can't wait.
Moderate issues — negotiate the price
Water stains
Investigate the source before you panic. An old stain from a fixed roof leak is very different from one that's still damp.
Older plumbing
Galvanized supply lines or original cast iron drains might have years left, or might not. Factor a replacement figure into your offer.
A dated kitchen or bathroom
Fully functional, just not current. Price it as a renovation you'll do on your own timeline, and negotiate accordingly.
Old windows
They work, they're just inefficient. Real money to replace, but a scheduled expense rather than an emergency.
Not dealbreakers — don’t walk away
The age of the home
Old doesn't mean bad. A well-maintained 1940s home is frequently a better buy than a neglected 2005 build.
Cosmetic damage
Paint, patched drywall, tired landscaping. A weekend and a few hundred dollars, not a negotiation.
Dated decor
Wallpaper and light fixtures are the easiest things in the house to change — and they often soften the price.
Scratched original hardwood
Refinishing costs a fraction of replacement and usually reveals a floor you couldn't buy new today.
The Inspection Process
Schedule before making your offer
Where the situation allows it, I book the inspection ahead of the offer so you're negotiating with facts instead of conditions.
Attend the inspection
Be there for the last hour at minimum. Seeing the issue in person tells you far more than reading about it later.
Review the findings together
We go through the report line by line and sort it into what matters, what's negotiable, and what's noise.
Decide: accept, negotiate, or walk
Sometimes the right answer is a price adjustment. Sometimes it's a credit. Occasionally it's walking away — and I'll tell you when I think it is.
Common Inspection Surprises
Old wiring that still works
Knob-and-tube can be live and functioning. It's still an insurance conversation you need to have before closing.
Water stains that turn out cosmetic
Plenty of ceiling stains trace back to a bathroom overflow a decade ago. Verify with a moisture reading, then move on.
A roof older than the listing implied
"Recently done" can mean twelve years ago. The inspector will tell you what it actually looks like up there.
Outdated HVAC
Systems that run fine today can be at the end of their service life. Ask for the age, not just whether it turns on.
What to Ask Your Inspector
Bring these with you. The answers matter more than the report’s page count.
- “What's the biggest concern in this house?”
- “Can this be fixed, and roughly what will it cost?”
- “Is this a safety issue, or a maintenance issue?”
- “How long until this needs to be replaced?”
- “Is this normal for a house of this age?”
- “What would you want repaired before you moved in?”
Home Inspection Checklist (PDF)
A printable two-page checklist: what to look for during your walkthrough, the systems worth checking, questions to ask your inspector, and a colour-coded guide to which findings are red, yellow or green.
Download the checklistNeed help navigating an inspection?
Send me the report, or call before you book one. I’ll tell you straight which findings are worth walking away from and which ones are just a Saturday.