I thought getting a home inspection was just a box to check, but mine found a huge problem

When my partner and I were under contract on a cute bungalow in Tacoma, I kept hearing 'just get the inspection done.' I mean, I figured it was a formality, you know? The house looked fine. Our inspector spent almost four hours there and gave us a 40 page report. The big thing was the sewer line. He said it was original cast iron from the 1950s and showed major corrosion on the camera scope. The quote to replace just that section was over 8 grand. We used that to get the sellers to drop the price by that exact amount. It totally changed my view. I went from seeing it as a fee to seeing it as maybe the most important money you spend. Has anyone else had an inspection find something that majorly changed the deal?

3 comments

3 Comments

adamr141mo ago

Yeah, "just a box to check" is how a lot of people see it. That sewer line story is the perfect reason it's not.

josepha321mo ago

Exactly! It's like insurance. You don't think about it until you really, really need it. Then that box is the only thing that saves you.

vera5141mo ago

Forget the box. It's a trap door. You're right adamr14, people only see the cost until they fall through it. Then that checkmark is the only thing holding the floor up.