The inspection contingency is usually the shortest clock in your contract, often 7 to 10 days from acceptance. In that window you book the inspector, read the report, order any extra tests and send the seller your repair request. Miss the deadline and, under most contracts, you have accepted the house as it is.

A general inspection is a visual check of what the inspector can reach. It is not the appraisal (that is the lender's estimate of value) and it is not a guarantee. Knowing what it covers, and what it leaves out, is how you decide what else to order while there is still time.

What a general inspection covers

  • Structure and foundation

    Visible cracks, settling, sloping floors, signs of water in the basement or crawl space.

  • Roof, gutters and drainage

    Condition and rough age of the roof covering, flashing, gutters, and whether water runs away from the house.

  • Exterior

    Siding, windows, doors, decks, steps and grading.

  • Plumbing

    Supply and drain lines that can be seen, water pressure, the water heater and its age, leaks under fixtures.

  • Electrical

    The panel, visible wiring, a sample of outlets and switches, GFCI protection where it is required.

  • Heating and cooling

    Whether the systems run and respond to the thermostat, their age and visible condition. Not a full service.

  • Interior, attic and insulation

    Walls, ceilings, floors, stairs, the attic, ventilation and visible insulation.

  • Built-in appliances

    Usually run briefly to confirm they work.

What it usually leaves out, and when to order it

Extra test Order it when
Sewer line camera scope The house is older, has big trees near the line, or the inspector sees slow drains. A broken main line is one of the costliest surprises.
Radon test You are in a region where radon is common, or the house has a basement. The EPA recommends fixing at 4 pCi/L or more.
Wood-destroying insect (termite) inspection Common in the South and often required by VA and some lenders or states.
Chimney inspection There is a wood-burning fireplace or stove you mean to use.
Well and septic The house is not on city water or sewer; lenders often require a water test for a well.
Roofer or structural engineer The inspector flags the roof or the foundation and says to have a specialist look.
Mold testing There is a musty smell, visible growth or a history of leaks the inspector cannot explain.

What to check yourself while you are there

Go to the inspection if you can: you learn more from the inspector's last 20 minutes on site than from the report. While you walk it:

  • Stains on ceilings and around windows

    Ask whether they are old or active. A moisture meter answers it on the spot - with the seller's permission, because the pins leave pinholes.

  • Run every faucet and flush every toilet

    Then look under the sinks.

  • The age of the big four

    Roof, furnace, air conditioner, water heater. The data plate usually shows the manufacture year. Anything near the end of its life is a budget line, or a negotiating point.

  • Outlets in the kitchen, baths, garage and outside

    An outlet tester shows wiring faults and whether the GFCI trips.

  • Windows and doors

    Open and lock each one. Fogged double-pane glass means a failed seal.

  • Photos of anything you will ask about

    With the room in the frame, so the repair request is clear.

General Tools MMD4E Digital Moisture Meter
General Tools

General Tools MMD4E Digital Moisture Meter

Best for: Checking a stain or a soft spot before you sign off on the inspection

Two pins pressed into drywall or wood read the moisture behind a stain: dry means an old, fixed leak; wet means it is still leaking. Ask the seller first, the pins leave pinholes.

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Klein Tools RT210 GFCI and Standard Outlet Tester
Klein Tools

Klein Tools RT210 GFCI and Standard Outlet Tester

Best for: Checking every outlet on the final walk-through

Plug it into each outlet: three lights say whether it is wired right, and the button trips a GFCI the way an inspector does. A phone charger only tells you there is power.

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Turning the report into a request

The report will be long; most of it is routine maintenance. Sort it into three piles: safety and big-money items (roof, foundation, electrical hazards, active leaks, a failing furnace), things that will need doing soon, and cosmetic. Ask only about the first pile, and sometimes the second. A request that lists 40 small things gets a "no".

You have three ways to ask:

  • Repairs by the seller before closing, by a licensed contractor, with receipts. You check them on the final walk-through.
  • A credit at closing toward your costs. Your lender has to approve it and there are caps on seller credits by loan type, so ask your loan officer first.
  • A lower price. It also lowers the loan amount, and it can help if the appraisal comes in low.

Your lender may care too. FHA and VA appraisers flag health and safety problems and can make a repair a condition of the loan, so a peeling-paint or broken-handrail item may have to be fixed whatever you negotiate.

Questions buyers ask

Often a few hundred dollars for an average-size house, more for a large or older one and for add-ons such as radon, sewer scope or termite inspection. The buyer pays, usually at the inspection.

No: an inspection reports condition, it does not pass or fail. What matters is what your contract lets you do with the findings before the contingency ends.

No. The appraisal is ordered by the lender to estimate value and protect the loan. The inspection is yours, to learn the condition. Some appraisal notes overlap, but an appraiser does not test systems.

You can waive the contingency and still inspect, for information only, before closing. Skipping the inspection entirely means buying blind; a sewer line or roof can cost more than the bidding war saved.