What is a Re-Inspection and Why You Need One

What is a Re-Inspection and Why You Need One

Following the home inspection, the buyer has a chance to proceed in one of a few ways.

1. The buyer can request that the seller make the necessary repairs, and then verify the repairs are complete afterward.

2. The buyer can negotiate their offer or ask the seller to pay closing costs instead, to help cover the cost of completing the repairs.

3. If the buyer is okay with covering the cost and responsibility of completing the necessary repairs, they can do that instead of involving the seller.

It’s most common for buyers to request that the sellers complete the needed repairs.

With that being the case, how does a buyer ensure the work is done correctly before proceeding with the closing?

The answer is, with a re-inspection.

But – what’s a re-inspection and why would you need one?

Essentially, a re-inspection is an appointment where the home inspector returns after the seller claims to have completed all agreed-upon repairs. The inspector will check to see if the repairs were indeed completed.

If they were, the inspector also makes sure that everything looks right – done according to building standards with no safety concerns.

As the buyer, it’s easy to assume the seller will complete the repairs just as you would.

In reality, that is not typically the case.

Let’s take a look at four of the most common problems a home inspector will find at a re-inspection.

1. Repairs were not done at all.

At almost every re-inspection, the inspector will find a handful of agreed-upon repairs that weren’t done at all. In most cases, the seller will not give a reason why. When you get a re-inspection, you get the chance to uncover and correct that discrepancy before closing on your new home.

2. Repairs were not done completely.

When an inspector returns to examine the repair work, a common finding is incomplete repairs.

It’s never ideal to have a bandaid fix break after you already own the home because the seller used gorilla glue to “fix” a component that needed to be replaced.

A re-inspection gives you a chance to see whether the repair work is satisfactory, and if not, do something about in time.

3. Repairs were not done by a licensed contractor.

In general, sellers are going to try to complete your repair requests as cheaply as they can. They want to do the right thing and address some of the problems found in the report, but without spending too much money. A lot of times, that means DIY repair work.

The seller might be experienced with home projects, or they might not – so there is no guarantee what the results will be.

At the end of the day, you, the buyer, are going to be living in the home and the seller is not. A re-inspection provides an in-depth look into the DIY repair work, to help make sure you as the homeowner don’t run into a problem later on. A licensed contractor has insurance and is held to a warranty on their work that will surpass the day you close on your new home.

4. Repair work damaged something else or made the original problem worse. (Xanax)

When a seller attempts DIY repair work, there is a chance that the process damaged another component of the home. If the repair wasn’t successful, it’s also quite possible that the tinkering around worsened the original problem. If you aren’t sure, it’s best to get a re-inspection so a professional can check for errors and damage.

The only two ways for a buyer to avoid the need to schedule a re-inspection are these –

  1. Requesting that the seller apply for the appropriate building permits before beginning any work, so they are required to follow a thorough set of standards and pay for a re-inspection themselves.
  2. Agreeing to take care of the repairs without involving the seller and hiring a licensed contractor to do the work, which usually ensures it is done the right way.

Freedom Home Services offers convenient re-inspections so you can be sure all repairs are done right before you close.

The best part is, our realtors get a personal online portal. There they can schedule, view and download the inspection report and photos, make a repair list, and request a re-inspection once the repairs are completed – all in one place!

Although we do not hold regular hours on the weekends, we can accommodate most weekend requests!

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