Does a home inspector check plumbing?

Is plumbing checked during a regular home inspection?

Yes, your home inspector checks the plumbing, but only by using it. They run the faucets, flush the toilets and watch the drains, then report what fails. They don't scope the sewer line, test the water or check for gas leaks. If your report flags a plumbing problem, book a licensed plumber before your inspection deadline.

Key takeaways

• A plumber's visual check runs $100 to $200; adding a camera brings it to $350 to $1,375.
• Your inspector's standard requires the report to give the main water and fuel shut-off locations. If yours doesn't, ask.
• Ask the plumber for a written report and the camera video, then put their repair price in your request.

How much does a plumbing inspection cost?

The plumber prices the plumbing. Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote.

Across the three HomeAdvisor types, most homeowners spend around $300. Many home inspectors offer the sewer scope as an extra service, so ask yours before you book it elsewhere.

Say your report flags slow drains in two bathrooms and can't name the supply pipe. A plumber's visual inspection ($100 to $200) plus your inspector's sewer scope ($100 to $250) comes to $200 to $450. A plumber's combined visit covers both in one trip, at the higher price in the table.

The plumber's visit itself takes two to three hours on a standard one- or two-story home. Ask the plumber when the written report will arrive, and check that date against your deadline.

What does the home inspection check?

Under InterNACHI Standards of Practice, your inspector runs water at all fixtures and faucets and flushes every toilet. They check sinks, tubs and showers for drainage. They look at the water heater, the drain and vent pipes, and any sump pump with an accessible float.

They also check water flow by running two fixtures at once. The report must call out active leaks seen during the inspection. It must also flag toilets that are damaged, leaking or loose at the floor.

The report must describe a few things too: whether the water is public or private, where the main water and fuel shut-offs are, and the water heater's capacity if it is labeled. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) standard also has the inspector describe the "Interior water supply, drain, waste, and vent piping materials." If yours doesn't name the pipes, ask.

What does the home inspection leave out?

It leaves out a lot. Under InterNACHI's standard, the inspector is not required to:

• test water quality, or measure exact pressure and flow
• test shower pans and tub surrounds for leaks
• open sealed plumbing access panels
• judge the water heater's age or life expectancy
• identify polybutylene or similar plastic piping
• "inspect or test for gas or fuel leaks, or indications thereof"

The sewer line is out too. InterNACHI says a sewer scope, a video of the pipe from the house to the city sewer or septic tank, "is not required" by its standards. ASHI's standard leaves out "Septic and other sewage disposal systems" and wells. If the house has either, book that inspection separately.

So read a clean plumbing section for what it is. InterNACHI says an inspection "will not identify concealed or latent defects," and it reflects only what the inspector saw that day. Working faucets tell you nothing about the pipe inside the wall or under the yard.

When does the report send you to a plumber?

A gas smell comes first. If you smell or hear gas at the house, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says: "leave your home immediately and contact local gas authorities from outside the home." Then have a licensed plumber find the source. An active leak on your report goes to a plumber next, before your deadline.

The inspector also isn't required to find the cause of any condition. So call a plumber when the report flags low flow, a slow drain, a water heater problem or plastic pipe it can't identify. In an older house, ask what the supply pipes are made of. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says "The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes, faucets, and fixtures."

What can a plumber's report let you ask for?

After a visual inspection, HomeAdvisor says, you get a report summarizing findings and next steps. After a camera inspection, the plumber may include a digital copy of the video. Ask for both, plus a written repair price for each finding.

That written price is what goes in your repair request. It turns "the drains seemed slow" into a line with a number.

Then pick what to ask for. You can ask the seller to have a licensed plumber do the repair, to credit you the plumber's price, or to lower the price by that amount. If you ask for the repair, ask for the plumber's invoice and any permit before closing so you can see what was done. For the other lines on your report, see how to get repair estimates during your inspection period.

What if the seller says no?

You have three choices: accept the house as is, ask for a smaller credit, or use your contract's inspection terms to walk away. Your contract sets the exact dates and terms, so confirm them with your agent or attorney. What to ask for after a home inspection covers how large a request is normal.

Is a plumbing inspection normal when buying a house?

HomeAdvisor says to consider one when buying a home. It adds that a plumber "might suggest" the combined visual and camera inspection "if you're buying or selling a home." Book it when your general report points past what the inspector checked.

If your deadline is close and the rest of your repair request still has no numbers, upload your inspection report to Kept.

Sources

• InterNACHI, Residential Standards of Practice
• InterNACHI, Sewer Scope Inspections for Home Inspectors
• ASHI, Standard of Practice
• CPSC, Winter Weather Safety Tips
• EPA, Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water
• HomeAdvisor, Plumbing Inspection Cost
• Fixr, Home Inspection Cost