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title: "Understanding Your Home Inspection Report" description: "You made an offer on a South Shore home, and it was accepted. Now you are holding a home inspection report that might be 30, 50, or even 100+ pages long, filled" date: "2025-02-12" category: "South Shore Guides" tags: ["home inspection","buying","reports","real estate","guidance"] author: "Zeke"

Understanding Your Home Inspection Report

How to read, interpret, and act on inspection findings for Massachusetts homebuyers

You made an offer on a South Shore home, and it was accepted. Now you are holding a home inspection report that might be 30, 50, or even 100+ pages long, filled with technical language, photos of concerning-looking issues, and a list of findings that could make any homebuyer anxious. Take a breath. This guide will help you understand what you are reading, separate serious concerns from minor maintenance items, and know what to do next.

What a Home Inspection Is (and Is Not)

A home inspection is a visual, non-invasive examination of a home's major systems and components. Inspectors look at what is visible and accessible without moving furniture, removing wall coverings, or excavating.

What Inspectors Examine

• Roof and exterior
• Structure and foundation
• Electrical system
• Plumbing system
• Heating and cooling systems
• Interior (walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors)
• Attic and insulation
• Basement and crawl spaces

What Inspections Do Not Cover

• Concealed defects behind walls or under floors
• Septic system (requires separate inspection)
• Well water (requires separate testing)
• Pests and wood-destroying insects (often separate)
• Lead, asbestos, radon (require specialized testing)
• Pool, hot tub, or outbuildings (sometimes extra fee)
• Code compliance (inspectors note concerns but are not code officials)

Important: No inspection can predict the future or find every potential problem. Inspections are a snapshot of visible conditions on the day of inspection.

Anatomy of an Inspection Report

Most inspection reports follow a similar structure.

Summary Section

Start here. The summary highlights the most significant findings that the inspector wants to make sure you see. These are typically items that:

• Pose safety hazards
• Are major defects affecting livability
• Require immediate attention or significant cost to correct

Detailed Sections

The main body covers each system in detail with:

• Description: What was inspected and its condition
• Observations: Specific findings, often with photos
• Recommendations: What the inspector suggests you do

Rating Systems

Many inspectors use categories like:

• Satisfactory/Acceptable: Functions as intended
• Marginal: May need attention soon but not urgent
• Deficient: Needs repair or replacement
• Safety hazard: Requires immediate attention

Others use color coding (green, yellow, red) or numerical ratings. Understand your inspector's system.

How to Read Your Report: A Prioritization Framework

Not all findings are equal. Here is how to categorize them.

Priority 1: Safety Hazards

These require immediate attention regardless of who pays. Examples:

• Electrical hazards: Double-tapped breakers, exposed wiring, ungrounded outlets in wet areas, Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels
• Carbon monoxide risks: Cracked heat exchanger, backdrafting water heater or furnace
• Fire hazards: Improper fireplace or wood stove installation, missing fire stops
• Structural concerns: Significant foundation cracks with movement, sagging beams
• Trip and fall hazards: Missing handrails on stairs with significant drop

Priority 2: Major Defects

Significant issues that affect the home's value, livability, or will require substantial cost to repair:

• Roof at end of life or actively leaking
• HVAC system not functioning or very old
• Significant water intrusion in basement
• Major plumbing issues (galvanized pipes failing, sewer line problems)
• Structural concerns that need engineering evaluation

Priority 3: Moderate Concerns

Issues that need attention but are not emergencies:

• GFCI outlets missing in required locations
• Smoke/CO detectors not up to current code
• Minor water staining without active leak
• Older water heater near end of expected life
• Weatherization issues (gaps, missing caulk)
• Grading issues directing water toward foundation

Priority 4: Minor and Maintenance Items

Normal wear, minor repairs, and routine maintenance:

• Caulk needed around tub or windows
• Touch-up paint
• Weatherstripping worn
• Gutter cleaning needed
• Light bulbs burned out
• Trim needs repair

Reality check: Every home inspection finds issues. Even new construction inspections reveal problems. The goal is not a perfect report but understanding what you are buying.

Common Findings in South Shore Homes

Based on the age and construction typical of our area, here are findings you are likely to see.

Older Colonials and Capes (Pre-1970)

• Knob and tube wiring: Common in pre-1940 homes. Not automatically dangerous but needs evaluation. Insurance implications.
• Lead paint: Assumed present in pre-1978 homes. Typically noted as requiring disclosure.
• Galvanized plumbing: Corrodes from inside, eventually fails. May have decades of life left or may be near end.
• Undersized electrical service: 100-amp service is adequate for most needs but may need upgrade for EV chargers, central AC, etc.
• Foundation concerns: Stone or old block foundations may show efflorescence, minor cracks, or dampness. Not all findings are serious.
• Poor attic insulation: Homes were built to different standards. Often easy to improve.

Mid-Century Homes (1950-1980)

• Aluminum wiring: Used briefly in late 1960s-early 1970s. Requires special outlets and connections. Insurance may require remediation.
• Original windows: Single-pane, possibly with broken seals or failed glazing.
• Asbestos: May be present in insulation, tiles, siding. Condition matters more than presence.
• Undersized HVAC: Systems may not be matched to additions or finished basements.

Newer Homes (1980-Present)

• Polybutylene plumbing: Gray plastic pipes used 1978-1995. Prone to failure. Insurance issues.
• EIFS (synthetic stucco): Can have moisture problems if improperly installed.
• Deck concerns: Improper ledger attachment, undersized beams, missing flashing.
• Builder-grade quality: Items installed to minimum standards may be at end of life earlier than expected.

Coastal-Specific Issues

• Salt air corrosion: Metal components, wiring, and fixtures deteriorate faster near the water.
• Flood zone considerations: If in a flood zone, note elevation and past flooding history.
• Wind exposure: Roofing and siding take more abuse on exposed coastal lots.

What to Do with Your Report

Step 1: Read the Summary First

Focus on the big-picture issues before getting lost in details.

Step 2: Make Your Lists

Create three lists:

1. Safety and major defects: Must be addressed
2. Significant concerns: Important but negotiable
3. Maintenance and minor items: Normal homeowner responsibilities

Step 3: Get Estimates on Major Items

For significant findings, get contractor estimates before negotiating:

• How much will the repair actually cost?
• Is it as serious as it sounds?
• What is the timeline for addressing it?

Sometimes an inspector's finding sounds alarming but the actual fix is minor. Other times, what seems small is actually expensive.

Step 4: Consult Specialists When Needed

Home inspectors are generalists. For complex issues, consider:

• Structural engineer: For foundation cracks, settling, structural concerns
• Electrician: For electrical panel issues, knob and tube evaluation
• Roofer: For roof condition assessment
• Plumber: For sewer line scoping, water heater evaluation
• HVAC technician: For heating/cooling system assessment
• Pest inspector: For termite, carpenter ant, or rodent concerns

Step 5: Negotiate (or Do Not)

Your inspection report may lead to:

• Requesting repairs: Ask seller to fix specific items before closing
• Requesting credits: Ask for money off the price or closing cost credit to cover repairs
• Accepting as-is: Proceed knowing what you are buying
• Walking away: If findings reveal deal-breakers

Market reality: In competitive South Shore markets, buyers often have less negotiating leverage. Focus requests on safety and major defects rather than maintenance items.

Questions to Ask Your Inspector

Before they leave the property:

• What are the top 3 things I should be concerned about?
• What would you want to know more about if this were your house?
• Is there anything here that is unusual or that you do not see often?
• What is going to cost me money in the next 5 years?
• Are there things I should get a specialist to evaluate?

Most inspectors are happy to walk you through their findings and explain what matters most.

Red Flags vs. Normal Findings

Red Flags Worth Concern

• Water intrusion into living spaces
• Foundation cracks with movement or displacement
• Electrical panels known for safety issues (Federal Pacific, Zinsco)
• Evidence of structural modification without permits
• Active pest infestation
• Mold in living areas
• Signs of unpermitted or DIY work on major systems

Normal Findings (Not Deal-Breakers)

• Minor foundation cracks without movement (very common)
• Some dampness in basement (extremely common in Massachusetts)
• Older systems that still function
• Missing caulk, weatherstripping, minor wear
• Items not up to current code but legal when installed
• Minor wood rot in isolated areas

After Closing: Using Your Report

Your inspection report is valuable even after you buy.

• Maintenance roadmap: Use the report to prioritize projects
• Contractor reference: Share relevant sections with contractors
• Insurance documentation: Keep the report for future reference
• Baseline record: Compare to future inspections or when selling

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Every home has a story, and every inspection report tells part of it. A 1920s colonial in Cohasset will have different findings than a 2005 cape in Hanover. The key is understanding which findings matter for your specific home, your specific situation, and your specific tolerance for projects. Ask Zeke about specific findings in your inspection report, and we will help you understand what they mean and what to do about them.