Most of them have a clause in their contract that limits damages for missed stuff to the cost of the inspection. It holds up in court. The buyer’s attorneys are not amused. That said, there are good ones and not good ones. Things they have missed in my cases: Severe and obvious termite damage in open crawl space Water service provided by a spring and pump system to a big cistern. Only problem was spring dried up. Huge settlement crack Way overloaded breaker box Ongoing water intrusion due to clogged gutters Ongoing water damage in basement covered up by sofa in weird spot. Zero flashing around fireplace. Electrical plugs on new porch with no wires at all. Vent hood with no exhaust pipe. The BS that bad contractors do never ceases to amaze me. ** Edited by Spudnut at 7/22/2026, 9:27:23 PM

Are very good at defending my freedom! ** Edited by Spudnut at 7/24/2026, 8:24:41 AM

the HI on my current home (bought 8 years ago) failed to detect that the carpet all over the house was riddled with dog and cat pee (I assume because they didn't bother to unplug any of the 87 scent-producing devices around the house) or that the roof had recently been damaged by a hail storm (which resulted in everyone on our street but us getting a new roof paid for by insurance).

The rain washed away the dirt and/or leaves at at rust cavity at shingle level. Water was coming onto the stove. He later told me he didn't climb on roofs. His forte seemed to be cracked corners and sunken areas of concrete sidewalks. Easy peasy money. I can do the easy stuff. Get an agreement of the scope of the inspection.

is in the nose of the beholder, and is what’s called “cosmetic”. Surprised you didn’t notice it yourself. Truth is, I decided to become an HI when the poorly trained HI kid who our last buyer hired did such a sh** job. I knew I could have done better. We went back and forth with the buyer about things the kid blatantly either missed or ridiculously overstated. So I have special place in my heart for dumbarsed HIs.

and inspected the entire surface. Since then, I've gotten inspection reports that indicated they either inspected it from the ground with binoculars, or with a video camera mounted to a drone. That's not an inspection, yo.

roof defects, regardless of the type of roof - shingles, shakes, terra cotta ... It's a bona fide inspection to fly your drone above a roof at a distance from the surface to make defects evident. IF you see a torn shingle or a broken tile, you don't have to be standing over it or near it to report it as needing further evaluation by a licensed specialist. If your original inspector did actually get on t he roof and do his inspection that way, then you have to realize that report was only good on that day at that time. ****e changes constantly in every aspect of homes; subsequent inspection reports you've gotten are irrelevant. ** Edited by PhotoHokieNC at 7/22/2026, 5:44:24 PM

He got on our two story barn and house. It was a 100 bucks eight year ago.

"for the buyer" of the front of our 5-year-old home and plopped a red arrow on the roof image pointing to nothing and indicated there were shingles missing. I took telephoto pix from the street from sufficient angles to question that, but the out of state buyer wanted the roof fixed. Buyer and buyer's agent hired a roof inspector (2017 - $475) to drive out, go up on the roof, then turn to all of us on the ground to ask where the damaged shingles were. Did the HI use a ladder? no. Binoculars? No. Pole extension with camera? No. Roof inspector came down off the roof and said there were no damaged or otherwise compromised shingles. There are many sides to inspections but it's not clear how some indefinite time after your first inspector was on your roof, other inspectors - later - found things the first inspector missed. An inspection is only legally good on the date and time it was done.

a number of homes 10 years apart. At the first inspection, buyers held the seller up for significant $$ reductions in sales points. Ten years later, the HI said he could easily have just changed the date on the new inspection report since none of the $$ allegedly discounted to make original fixes, etc., were never performed. Buyers deserve to know what's going on in a home; some are more tolerant of some issues and adopt a "no-big-deal, I can DIY that stuff". Other buyers are real sticklers. Sellers USUALLY know where all the zits and scars are and may hope an HI overlooks them or diminishes issues. Nobody wins when HI reports look the other way. And - CONGRATS!! ** Edited by PhotoHokieNC at 7/22/2026, 12:10:15 PM

The HI & prospective buyer decided they would go up in the attic of our split level ranch above our kitchen. Both came crashing down through the ceiling on top of a halfwall/bar/kitchen sink type of area. They had to fix this, including the lights that overhung the area. In the HI's report, they wrote up that one of the lights they broke & supposedly fixed did not work. I responded to the buyer, "You break it, you buy it...." They bought it as it was a pretty hot market back then so the house was only on the market 2 days total.

an attic is important! 😁 That wasn’t the best way to learn but it hopefully was permanently effective!!

created way too much stress for my TSO & our realtor. The buyer's realtor was mortified apparently.

Absolutely (certifiably) insane. This one, unlike many I have had in the past, makes me feel really good about the house so even that was worth the money. That said, fingers are crossed because the sewer inspection guy was arriving as I left.

construction, renovation, codes, etc. But more importantly, I know how people try to conceal issues. So granted, I am not the average buyer. But if I am interested in making an offer, I schedule a second look and tell the agent I am going to take my time to check things out because I intend to exclude inspections on the offer. Agents and sellers love to hear that because most of the time, the inspection is used as a negotiating weapon, or a stalling tactic for whatever reason, and the house comes back on the market, wasting everyone's time.

wasting agents' time to wander around a house in which you think you may be liability-free. But you ain't. Knowing "quite a bit about home construction" is a comment that drives agents nuts around here. You're right that there are misguided motives for hiring an HI but 99% of buyers deserve to better understand the components and systems in a home they might buy; a good HI will know if a buyer is getting "tactical" and beg off. And while you're back for your second look taking your time, you're not making a legitimate offer and you're getting in the way of buyers looking for their next home. Would you let an agent show a house you're just dicking around in while you're onsite?

in books. Step off. The only thing worse than arrogance is unfounded arrogance. I have literally taken them apart and put them back together. I started in 1984 with my first house. I can literally build an entire small house by myself (yes I have done it more than once). That includes all plumbing and electric (except city hookups), framing. siding, roofing, drywall, and trim. I can lay brick and block. I admit that I am too old to physically do it now, but I still retain the knowledge. Yea, I drive home inspectors nuts, alright. Because I can run circles around them. And wasting agents time? Taking time with a prospective buyer is an agents job. They can certainly leave me there and run off doing whatever they do, as I am also a licensed agent. And I do make legitimate offers when I take MY time to look at the property thoroughly. You are a blowhard that has been "on the job" for what...a year. How many homes have you actually been paid to inspect? Bet you won't answer that truthfully. I know you aren't worth the money. There have to be 20 guys in your area with more experience. And experience is EVERYTHING.

mention you've ever made of being a licensed agent. Is that residential real estate? You keep that up to date, do you? And your electrician's license? And your plumber's? And your GC's? And wind mitigation? FWIW, I'm in my 62nd year directly involved in the built environment - continuously since I was a sophomore in high school. Given the HI population in my area, there are likely 1000 HIs with more experience, and I'm in my 3rd year as a licensed NC inspector, but how many I've done only matters to agents who've been pleased with my work, and nobody's keeping score. I haven't been on anybody else's payroll since December of 1983, and I'll stack my individual skills and personal business experience up against anyone's. I've been a carpenter's helper, a finish carpenter, a framing carpenter, a maintenance (apartments) carpenter, a plaster's helper, and I also have laid block and brick, but wouldn't claim any more than you can that I'd done it for any length of time to claim legit expertise. I've worked in architecture firms, been a residential/multi-family painter and drywall hanger. I worked in trenches helping lay waterlines while I was in high school before trench shields were required. From 1973 to 2022 I worked hand in glove with architects, building contractors, electrical engineers, property management firms, industrial property brokers, mechanical and electrical subcontractors and regional hospital and university systems producing marketing photographs and literature for people who demanded I understand their world as well as they did to sell THEIR expertise in an incredibly fast growing SE US market. These people can spot blowhards miles away, but I somehow managed to fool more than 300 of those firms and over 100,000 images they bought for 49 years, but it wasn't until now that I was exposed as a fraud. Nice work, coach. Shucks, you caught me. ** Edited by PhotoHokieNC at 7/22/2026, 3:58:36 PM

you have actually been paid. Typical dance around that question. And we have heard ad nauseam about your vaunted career in photography. Yeah, I worked at Publix. I called it "my little job". We have an extreme difference in personality. Yes, I am currently licensed as a residential real estate agent in Florida. It's not a big deal. Anyone can pass the test easily. As such, I don't brag about it. And in Florida, as with many states, a homeowner can do their own electric and plumbing provided it is permitted and inspected by the local government. Are you implying that you have all of the licenses you are trying to attack me for not having? No? Then what is the point with that? It doesn't improve your position trying to attack mine. You know less than I, when it comes to homes, I'm sure of it, and that's the bottom line. I just don't have to run around puffing my chest up. But when someone tries to denigrate me, I set the record straight. My ego is not as fragile as yours has been shown to be. All I have ever done here is offer advice when I think I have some, when someone poses a question about fixing something. I don't go on a tirade as the ultimate authority, lol. You are a comical character.

I never claimed to know more than you about sirloins or purloins, but I did justifiably defend the 'blowhard' insult. Who wouldn't have? In my 3rd year, Coach, how the hell many inspections should I have done to make you think I'm not dancing around your pointless demand, just to make you look smarter? I never implied I had any of those licenses, but it looked to me like you suggested you had those. Anybody in any state can DIY the crap out of their homes without licensed specialists. It's commonplace and it's sometimes competent but more often either comical or dangerous. You pointedly diminished the role of the Home Inspector profession with your " ... because most of the time, the inspection is used as a negotiating weapon, or a stalling tactic for whatever reason, and the house comes back on the market, wasting everyone's time" comment. Given all you know, which you've now proven is a great deal more than I know, you can't possibly believe that.

periods here in the Keys, and many times buyers from Miami send in contracts just to tie up the property for 2 weeks with no effort to actually hire an inspector. The contracts are such, that a buyer may withdraw for any reason whatsoever before the inspection period ends (and that period length is whatever is agreed to in the contract, but often 2 weeks). The whole ploy is to tie up the house until the buyer or buyers actually come down and see it. Agents are wise to this here, of course, but there is little they can do if a seller wants to sign such contracts. As for the rest...You certainly seem dedicated to your craft and I wish you much success. You are, as I believe I said when you first pursued your license, an inspiration. I wish I shared your dedication to keep contributing. ** Edited by Coach McGuirk at 7/22/2026, 4:44:00 PM ** Edited by Coach McGuirk at 7/22/2026, 4:45:10 PM

That HI situation in the Keys is terrible. With all that going on, it's obviously easy to see (NOW ... Photo) how and why you can do what you do to check out a house. Great explanation on your part. I spent 1984-2022 shooting for everyone in the industry EXCEPT RE agents (too demanding, too cheap) and now I'm out most weekends at open houses begging in unbelievably clever ways for agents to get buyers herded in my direction. FACT: I'm building the business, and though you may hear dance music when I say this, I went into it with no expectations for how often I'd get hired. You don't spend 8 months online and in the field to take a state exam, form an LLC, order stunning business cards and write captivating literature and then the phone vibrates off your desk with jobs. I was building solid momentum until TSO got me the drone for Christmas, then I had to learn to use it (damn, in the old days I hired pilots and Cessna 152s to take aerials) and then spend a month studying to take ANOTHER FREAKING EXAM to be is drone pilot so the FAA will let me use the thing. ** Edited by PhotoHokieNC at 7/22/2026, 5:46:09 PM

inspection and your offer is not getting accepted.

* for themselves interested in scoping out their home before putting it on the market. A buyer doesn’t ask for one and if they’re proceeding as though they’re getting one and a seller gets stuffy, buyers truly ought to shop elsewhere pronto. If a seller is doing an FSBO the seller can decide for themselves, but if it’s a VA or FHA buyer the seller would just muck things up getting in the way. Sellers’ markets come and go and when a house sits on the market too long (180-365 days), the seller is losing any prior “leverage”. ** Edited by PhotoHokieNC at 7/22/2026, 2:02:35 PM

neighborhoods. If I'm the seller and have two comparable offers, one with inspection and one without, no way I'm going with the inspection offer. Why would I want to deal with the hassle of the buyer nitpicking. All cash, no inspection.

neighborhoods. If a buyer wants to buy an uninspected home that buyer forfeits any future opportunity to pursue claims for what broke down the week or the month or ten years (yes, it happens) after they closed and assumed occupancy. Sure the seller may look "smart", but once the seller is gone the buyer can be really screwed. A lot of real estate/property law tries to protect even the dumbasses.

inspection just for awareness. They did not have the ability to back out due to the results.

during the first visit to eyeball any major issues. But nothing was written into the contract.

his license in jeopardy doing that kind of foolishness.

They just put $14k work into the crawl space to replace vents, moisture barriers, etc. Inspector says it is in great shape but the moisture levels are slightly elevated. Generally you don't encapsulate without a dehumidifier so that is why he made the recommendation. I think the sellers may actually pay for it as well.

is pretty serious about proper maintenance of the home. The only thing I’d be careful of, is if it was done just recently, then likely done for the future sale. And could indicate there were/are moisture issues going on there. The expectation of course, is that encapsulation resolves/solves those issues. As someone who lives on the coast, with Sandy soil also, that can be a big issue. It’s good you’re inspecting in summer. With humidity, interior moisture issues will show up. Check hardwood floors for cupping. A good indicator moisture down below. I’d ask if any guarantees provided by the mitigation vendor transfer over to you, the new buyer.

my crawl space is as dry as a bone.

There’s a reason Code doesn’t require it. It’s unnecessary.

often exhibit far fewer moisture issues. Crumbling piers and buggy joists and efflorescent degradation more typically ruin crawls.

morning, the crawl space was just treated, etc. Moisture levels were at a peak. He didn't see anything unusual and said that it was in really good condition so hopefully the dehumidifier will do the trick.

from the kitchen sink/disposal had been dumping into the crawl for months. It was like crawling towards rotted/festering Cole slaw. I laid there for minutes asking myself what the frick I was doing there. And questioning why I had gone to college to do this. Truly disgusting. I should write a book.

taking on new areas to build profits, among them radon testing and sewer testing. Trained and licensed specialists are far more reliable, and as often as not an inspector is sued for missing something in either of those. We carry significant liability insurance with a carrier who has a documented defense of claims reversal record (95%+), but mostly offering more services way outside our Standards of Practice are a royal pain in the butt. Doing inspections that are just basic SOP efforts are lazy and an HI can do more until it crosses the line into a whole 'nother country.