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Home Inspection - The 8 most expensive problems

Foundation Cracks

When you pay a home inspection service, you expect them to find any significant or hidden flaws in the house before you buy it and lose a lot of money. Before you even get to the point of a contract, you should look for the following major problems. If these problems were not disclosed by the buyer and the price set accordingly, you might want to stop wasting your time with the property.

1. Roof needs replacement

Most states allow only 2 layers of roofing before you must strip it down to the decking again. When a roof is striped, it can uncover decking problems that should be fixed. Many other issues to add to the cost of the roof and some roofs are in excess of $40,000 for a full replacement. This is a significant cost when looking at the purchase of a house.

2. Mold

Untreated leaks from plumbing or poor property drainage can result in mold inside the walls. There has been a lot of bad press about the health issues associated with mold and the removal can be very expensive. This is another potential showstopper.

3. Lead paint

Older houses may contain lead paint that would be hazardous if eaten by small children. The removal of this paint is very expensive.

4. Asbestos Insulation or Siding

Asbestos is common on older HVAC system ductwork and also as a siding material. Large-scale asbestos removal must be done by licensed professional and is very expensive.

5. Termites

Termite can eat a house from the inside out. Since they are usually eating structural parts of the house, the bill for removal and repair is usually in units of $10,000. If the house does not come with a termite letter, think again.

6. Structural  problems

Major cracks in the foundation are the sign of a serious problem that should discourage most buyers. Very old houses all have some settling so look for any changes that are less than 10 years old. These are the sign of unstable house and rebuilding the foundation will cost you an arm and leg. Any structure that leans more than one degree should be suspect.

7. Bad septic or main sewage line

Have the system tested or scoped is you have any doubts. These repair can exceed $15,000 if you find a problem.

8. Code Violations

If the house is not built to code, the city or state may force you bring it up to code when you get any permit. This can include building outside the envelope allowed by the current regulations, out-of-date electrical wiring, and limitation in the number of plumbing fixtures. Check with the local officials if you have any doubts. It is always better to talk to them before you own the property.


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