The buyer, seller, or both may pay for repairs after a home inspection. The report does not decide who gets the bill. That depends on the sale contract, any repair deal, and the loan’s terms. The seller may agree to fix an issue, offer a credit, or say no.
Start by finding out what the problem is and what work it needs. A stain in a photo and a confirmed leak are not the same fact. Good Life Inspections explains the home’s condition. Your agent or a real estate attorney can explain the contract and your options. This guide is general information, not advice about your sale.
The report, the estimate, and the repair agreement
These three documents have different jobs.
The report records what the inspector found within the agreed scope. A contractor’s estimate sets out planned work and its price. A signed repair agreement states what the buyer and seller have agreed to do.
For example, a report may call for “further evaluation.” That means the issue needs a closer look. It does not give you a final repair method or cost. Nor does it make the seller responsible for the work.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s inspection guidance explains that buyers and sellers may discuss repair costs, but sellers may decline a request. The contract matters.
“As-is” does not tell you the whole deal
“As-is” describes the condition in which a home is offered or sold. An inspection contingency is a clause in the contract. It sets rights tied to reviewing the home. The two terms address different things.
Do not use a listing’s “as-is” label to guess what is in the signed contract. Ask your agent to show you the terms for access, reports, repair requests, and cancellation.
A buyer can learn about the home’s condition and then decide whether to accept it. That differs from giving up an inspection clause before knowing what the report will say.
Our home inspection contingency guide covers review time and deadlines. A clause may give a buyer options; it does not promise that the seller will fix every item.
Asking for repairs after a home inspection
A clear request starts with a clear finding. Give your agent the report section, photos, and any further written findings. State what you want the seller to address.
Read the full report before building a list. It helps to sort the items into four groups:
- Issues that need a closer look before the scope is clear.
- Repairs with a known scope and a written estimate.
- Routine upkeep or cosmetic work.
- Areas or systems that could not be checked.
This is a way to organize the facts, not a rule about what you can request. A long report may list many small items. One large gap may need more thought than all of them together.
Before comparing bids, check that they price the same job. Does each include access, removal, new parts, and cleanup? Does it include permits where needed and work to close the area back up? A low bid may leave out work that another bid includes.
If a finding needs a closer look, our guide to types of home inspections explains which focused checks may help define the issue.
For confirmed dry rot, you can request a scope and estimate for dry rot repair from Good Life Construction, a separate Good Life Group company. Its repair work is separate from Good Life Inspection’s inspection. Share the WDO report so the repair discussion starts with the documented findings.
Four ways a repair discussion may end
The seller agrees to do the work. Make sure the written deal is clear. It should state the item, scope, who will do the work, when it must be done, and how it will be checked. Your agent can help put the terms into the right form.
The seller agrees to a credit. The buyer may plan work after taking ownership. Ask the lender and closing team whether the credit is allowed and how it will be shown. Do not assume a credit can be used in any way you choose.
The parties agree on a new price. A price change affects the sale. It does not book a contractor or mean the repair has been paid for.
The buyer accepts the home without a repair concession. If the sale goes ahead, the buyer needs a plan for work still needed. Think about its scope, timing, and effect on using the home.
The California Department of Real Estate’s buyer guide lists desired repairs, inspections, and their timeframes as matters to address in an offer. A report supports the discussion; it does not replace the terms both sides sign.
A hypothetical example: a leak under the sink
Suppose the report notes moisture under a kitchen sink and a stain on the cabinet base. It calls for a closer look.
One bid covers a leaking pipe joint. A second bid includes opening the cabinet base to check below it. Those are different jobs. Neither the stain nor the first bid proves what is hidden under the base.
The buyer can ask what caused the moisture, which area was checked, and what remains unknown. A repair request can then address the known leak and state how the hidden area will be handled.
This is a hypothetical example, not a Good Life Inspections client case or a repair-price estimate. The lesson is to define the job before discussing who pays for it.
Who verifies repairs after a home inspection?
Agree on how the work will be checked before it starts. A return visit may help record a visible repair. Work inside a wall or work that needs testing may call for other proof.
Ask what you will receive:
- A description of the work done and where it was done.
- Invoices and any needed permit or inspection records.
- Photos of parts that will be covered up.
- Test results or a specialist’s report when those are part of the scope.
A final walkthrough can reveal unfinished work. It cannot show everything behind a fresh wall or surface. Ask the original inspector whether a return visit fits their scope and what it would cover. Confirm its fee and timing; do not assume that visit is included.
Disclosures and loan terms can affect the next step
A seller’s disclosure and a buyer’s report have different roles. DRE describes the Transfer Disclosure Statement as a record of the home’s condition and possible defects. Ask your agent which forms apply to your sale.
A disclosed issue does not, by itself, settle who will pay to fix it. The signed terms and any later repair deal still need to be reviewed.
The lender may also have a role. CFPB notes that some loans require repairs before closing or an approved plan to do them afterward. If a major issue is found, ask the lender about it before assuming a credit will solve the problem.
Frequently asked questions
Can the seller refuse my request?
The seller may decline if no contract term requires the work. Ask your agent to review the reply and any open contingency. The report alone does not give you a right to force repairs or cancel.
What if I find a problem after closing?
Keep the reports, disclosures, repair records, and new photos. Have a qualified person record the current issue. An attorney can assess a dispute about who is responsible. Finding a fault later does not prove who knew about it before the sale.
Can sellers prepare before listing?
A pre-listing inspection can help a seller learn about the home before a buyer’s review. It does not replace the buyer’s own inspection. Ask about GLI’s home inspection services and the scope that fits the property.
Get clear findings before discussing repairs
When you schedule an inspection with Good Life Inspections, share the home details and your report deadline. We can explain the scope and findings so you can take clear questions to your agent and any needed specialists.
