How to Read Your Inspection Report

When getting a home inspection, you may be initially overwhelmed by the very detailed and thorough inspection report you get back. You may be holding it in your hands or viewing it on your computer thinking, “What now?” At Wall 2 Wall Property Inspections, we do our best to go through the report with you, highlighting all the important things. However, in case you want a few extra pointers on interpreting the report, consider these few tips.

1. Focus on the summary page.

The first few pages after the cover page (that has a picture of the property as well as basic info) should be a Report Summary. Before you go looking through all the details on every aspect of the house, we recommend that you start with this summary. Here, we give you the main causes for concern and suggested repairs.  These pages are likely what you and your realtor want to focus on in any repair negotiations.

2. Skip to the details.

The summary pages will include another page number for each item listed. That additional page number refers you to where you can find more details about the repair, including pictures when applicable.

3. Remember the scope.

We reiterate this in the report itself, but it’s important to note that any inspection report “is a synopsis of the potentially significant improvements that should be budgeted for over the short term. Other significant improvements, outside the scope of this inspection, may also be necessary” (see sample inspection report).

4. Give it a thorough read-through.

After you have the big things out of the way, be sure to read through the report from start to finish. We recommend that all home buyers or sellers do this so they can ask questions and understand the condition of the home to the fullest extent.

5. Ask questions.

If you have questions about the findings or how they were worded, ask your inspector. We will be glad to go over the results with you so you can feel confident in moving forward.

6. Determine how to proceed.

From there, you will want to decide what you want to do. If you’re getting a pre-listing inspection, you as the seller may decide to fix a few things so that they don’t hamper the selling process. As a buyer, you may want to go back to the seller with a request for repairs. Either way, we recommend that you consult with your realtor before moving forward.

Check out our sample inspection report (link above) so you know what to expect prior to your inspection. If you have any concerns along the way, you can always ask your home inspector. To find out more or to schedule an inspection in the San Jose, CA, area, contact us at (408) 905-9255, or schedule an inspection online.