How to get repair estimates during the inspection period
Book quotes on the big systems this week, price every smaller line in one pass, and have real numbers before your inspection window closes.
Updated · By 
Ben Sikes
How do you get real repair estimates before your window closes?
Split the report in two. Book a contractor or specialist right away for the one to three big-ticket findings (roof, foundation, sewer line, heating and cooling, electrical panel), and price every smaller line in one pass so nothing on your list is a guess. Start the calls the day the report lands, because scheduling contractors is the slow part. If you haven't decided which findings are worth asking about, start with what to ask for after a home inspection.
Key takeaways
- Your inspector usually won't price repairs. A standard inspection leaves cost estimates out.
- A written contractor quote carries the most weight with a seller, but it can take days to schedule.
- Put the source next to every number on your list, so the seller can check each one.
Do home inspectors give repair estimates?
Usually not. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) Standards of Practice list "correction, replacement or repair cost estimates" among the things an inspector is not required to determine. Your report tells you what's wrong, not what it costs to fix.
Some inspection companies sell a repair-cost report as a separate add-on. A seller may give it a little less weight, since it comes from the same company that found the problems.
What are your options for repair estimates?
You can run several of these at once. Most buyers should.
| Option | Best for | How fast | Weight with the seller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor quote on site | One big system: roof, foundation, heating and cooling, panel | Days, depending on who can come out | Strongest: the seller can call the contractor |
| Specialist inspection (sewer scope, structural engineer) | A system your inspector couldn't fully evaluate | Days | Strong: it's the trade's own read |
| Inspector's add-on report, if offered | The whole list, from the company that wrote the report | Ask your inspector | Moderate |
| Report-pricing service | Every line on the report at once | Hours | Strong when the math behind each line is shown |
| Your agent's read | Small items not worth a quote | Same day | Weakest: it's an opinion |
Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours.
Specialist visits cost money, but usually far less than what they can uncover. InterNACHI notes that "depending on the area, fees for a sewer scope inspection can range from $100 to $250." A cracked or root-filled sewer line can cost many times that to replace, so a scope is usually cheap next to what it can find.
How do you get a contractor quote a seller will take seriously?
Get it in writing, with the scope spelled out. The Federal Trade Commission's advice on hiring a contractor says "a written estimate should include a description of the work to be done, materials, completion date, and the price." A seller's agent can argue with "about $8,000." It's much harder to argue with a signed bid that names the work.
When you call, ask:
- Can you come out this week?
- Do you charge for the estimate?
- Will you put the scope and price in writing?
- How long is the price good for?
The FTC also says to "get multiple estimates" and to "ask for an explanation if there's a big difference among the estimates." Inside an inspection window, two quotes on your biggest item is realistic. One written quote beats none.
Which findings need someone on site?
A price built from labor hours and materials works for most lines on a report: a missing handrail, a double-tapped breaker, a leaky trap. It breaks down on jobs where the scope depends on what nobody can see yet. Send a specialist or contractor for these:
- Foundation movement or structural cracks (see foundation crack on an inspection report)
- A whole-house repipe, common with galvanized pipes or polybutylene pipes
- Regrading or drainage correction around the foundation
- A sewer line the inspector couldn't see into
- An older electrical panel, like a Federal Pacific panel
Everything else can usually be priced from the report itself.
What should you do with the days you have left?
Your contract sets the exact deadline and what counts as notice, so confirm the date with your agent before you plan around it. Then work backward from it.
7 or more days left
Book contractor quotes or specialist visits now for every big-ticket system on the report. Booking today leaves room for the contractor who is slow to call back. Price the whole rest of the report the same day, in one pass, so every smaller line already has a number while you wait on the big quotes.
3 to 6 days left
Price the whole report today, every line in one pass, so each smaller finding has a number. Spend your remaining site visits on the findings in the list above, and ask your agent for a quick read on anything you're unsure about including.
Under 3 days left
Book a same-day contractor only if a big finding could change what you ask for. Price the whole report today, every line in one pass, so each finding has a number. For everything else, send the request on time with those numbers. A reasonable ask that arrives before the deadline beats a perfect one that arrives after it.
What do you do with the numbers once you have them?
Put them in one list, one line per finding, with the source of each number next to it, and keep the rest of the timeline in view (how long after inspection is closing). The home repair estimate template shows the layout. Then decide whether to ask for the repair, a credit, or a price cut (repairs vs. credit vs. price reduction), write it up with the buyer repair request letter template, and get the final terms signed in a repair addendum.
Can you ask for more time to get estimates?
Yes. Your agent can ask the seller for a written extension before the window closes. The seller can say no, so don't count on it. Send what you have on time and note which lines are still waiting on a quote.
Can you use estimates from the seller's contractor?
You can read them, but get your own number on anything big. A contractor the seller hired has no reason to price the job high. For more on working the window, see negotiating during due diligence.
If your window is closing and you still need a number on every line, upload your inspection report to Kept today.
Sources
Cost figures are modeled from public wage and materials data unless a line says observed. Kept is accountable for the numbers on this page, and corrections go to support@usekept.com. How we price.