Once you receive your inspection report, then what? If you’re purchasing a home, typically you will be drawing up a Request for Repairs (RFR) list with the help of your agent and entering into a secondary round of negotiations with the seller. Real estate contracts generally limit the kinds of repairs you can request to those of specific defects, ones that typically affect health, safety, or the habitability of the home.
While you are free to put anything you want in the RFR, sticking to the following will increase the chances of success in getting the seller to agree to negotiate the cost of correcting (or offsetting the price of) those defects:
- Heath & Safety
- Structural Concerns
- Inoperable or defective appliances / HVAC
- Water or drainage (sewage) leaks
- Anything expensive to repair or upgrade, such as an old roof or rotted siding.
Work with your agent to build the RFR. Informational items and everyday maintenance (such as a dripping faucet or window caulking) are not typical candidates for inclusion in the RFR.
Repairs can be performed by the seller (before your closing) or by you after taking possession of the property. Our position is that it’s better for you, the buyer, to handle repairs yourself. You negotiate the estimated cost of the repairs during the RFR phase. Here are two vendors that provide repair estimation services:
RepairPricer (fee-based): https://www.repairpricer.com/
Thumbtack (free): https://repair.thumbtack.com/
A third company, Oversite, provides a low-cost assessment of the inspection report and can also provide project management (oversight) services: https://oversitehomes.com/inspection-review
If you’re undecided on whether to purchase the property, you can also use a repair estimation service to form a budget of all repairs needed. The cost of correcting certain defects can often be passed onto the seller, while the buyer is responsible for all other repairs.
If you handle the repairs yourself, you can take your time to research and hire well-rated and qualified individuals. Leaving this decision to the seller often results in substandard or shoddy work with no guarantee or proof that the work’s been done, let alone correctly.
Integra does not make recommendations for specific contractors, and we do not re-inspect the home after repairs have been made. This helps avoid conflicts of interest and other ethical issues.
If you decide to permit the seller to handle repairs, we recommend that you insist that the sellers:
- Use properly licensed or certified professionals for work that typically requires it (see list below). A licensed general contractor is not required for small jobs that a handyman can perform.
- Provide documentation of the work, including invoices and guarantees/warranties. Repairs must be performed by insured or bonded individuals who stand behind their work.
If you decide to handle repairs on your own, before and/or after move-in, you’ll need to find and hire professionals. If you have an agent, ask for their recommendations for professionals. If not, start with resources such as Google or Yelp to create a list of candidates. We recommend that you never hire the least expensive.
We suggest that your choices meet the following:
- Is properly licensed or certified. These professions require a state license or other certification:
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Heating/Air Conditioning (HVAC)
- Pest control (termite, etc.).
- Stucco and EIFS inspectors
- Fireplace and Chimney specialists
- General contractors
- Radon mitigators. These don’t currently require a license in AL but we highly recommend that you use one that is AARST-NRPP or NRSB Certified. See:
Registered Radon Mitigators in Huntsville area
- Is insured or bonded.
- Guarantees their work or provides a warranty.
- Has excellent ratings and reviews by organizations such as Google, BBB, and Yelp.