After spending $3,000 on an inspection, a Maryland homebuyer was under the impression that everything was sound. However, they ended up with a house needing up to $17,500 in repairs.
Here's what to know
In r/HomeInspections, a Reddit user described three major bills after buying the home in Kingsville: a $5,000 garage-door replacement, $5,500 for a new well pump, and another $5,000 to $7,000 for French drains and related work to keep water out of the garage.
"Sadly, he missed water flowing into the garage. … He also listed the garage door as functional but it's not," the poster wrote.
They added they had already contacted their realtor and were trying to decide whether to seek a refund from the inspector or obtain legal representation.
More background
Some commenters argued that an inspector would not necessarily catch conditions that were not apparent during the visit.
One asked, "How would an inspector know if under some wild condition, water flowed into the garage?"
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The inspection price itself also became a focus in the discussion. One user said paying $3,000 sounded "fishy," while another thought it was plausible for a large home. Others stressed that buyers often expect more from an inspection than the service is designed to provide.
As one commenter put it, "Home inspector basically just tells you what you might need to look at. … They're generalists. Depending on access, they can totally miss things."
Another homebuyer said their own inspector had overlooked $60,000 in repairs. "To be fair, our sellers worked very hard to hide the damages," they remarked.
What can be done?
Ultimately, the poster's options may come down to their contract with the inspector.
"OP, my inspection came with a 2 month warranty. Does yours have a warranty?" someone asked, to which the OP replied: "Let me read the contract. Excellent point thank you."
Others focused less on the inspection and more on repair costs, including getting multiple estimates to see whether it was really necessary to spend $5,000 on a French drain.
Where can I learn more?
Missed issues prior to purchasing a property can lead to expensive remedies after an already costly outlay.
• A homebuyer was left stunned when a heat pump that was supposed to be in their new property was nowhere to be found.
• On Staten Island, a buyer spotted a grossly altered listing that warped expectations.
• At a new build, an owner uncovered a buried tree flare tied to developer work.
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