Getting a home inspection? You probably think the inspector can check everything and tell you exactly what’s wrong with your house, but that’s not quite how it works.
Home inspectors have lots of rules about what they can and can’t do when it comes to inspecting your home. It may be surprising to discover what some of these rules are and how they could affect your home sale in ways you haven’t even thought about.
If you’re dealing with inspection problems or worried your house won’t pass a home inspection, and need to sell your house fast in Milwaukee. You’ll want to start by knowing what inspectors can’t do to help you figure out your best next steps.
What Does a Home Inspector Do?
A good starting point is to talk about what home inspectors do. Their job is to walk through your house and look at the big stuff and check the overall condition of things like your roof, foundation, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, windows, and doors. Basically, they check if everything looks like it’s working properly and if anything seems unsafe.
After they’re done looking around, they write a report that lists what they found. This report helps buyers know what they’re getting into and helps sellers understand what might need fixing.
But here’s the thing—they can only look at what they can see. And there are tons of things they’re not allowed to do at all.
Key Limitations of a Home Inspection
Here’s what you need to know: home inspectors can only look at things they can see without breaking anything or moving your stuff around. They can’t cut holes in walls, take apart appliances, or dig into anything to see what’s underneath.
They aren’t handymen or contractors; they also can’t fix anything. It is not their job to tell you how much repairs will cost, or say whether something breaks building codes. Instead, think of them like a doctor who can only look at you from the outside—they can spot some problems, but they can’t see everything.
Things Home Inspectors Are Not Allowed to Do
They can’t Give Legal Advice – Home inspectors aren’t lawyers. If they find something that might or is breaking building codes, they are not supposed to tell you if it’s illegal or what you should do about it. You’ll need to ask your city or a contractor for that kind of advice.
They can’t predict the Future – An inspector might say your roof looks old, but they can’t tell you it’ll last exactly 3 more years or that it’ll leak next winter. They’re not fortune tellers.
They Can’t Tell You What Things Cost – This is a big one. Yes, inspectors can spot problems, but they can’t tell you how much it’ll cost to fix them or if it’s even worth fixing. That’s where getting a seller’s home inspection would be helpful, so you can plan, and then you can get repair estimates before listing your home.
They can’t decide if Problems Matter – They’ll list every little thing they find, but they can’t tell you which problems are deal-breakers and which ones are no big deal. That’s up to you to figure out.
Are Inspectors Allowed to Move Furniture or Personal Items?
Nope! We commonly get asked this question: “Are home inspectors allowed to move things?” The answer is no—they can’t move your couch, boxes, or pretty much anything else in your house.
Here’s why: If they move something and break it, who’s responsible? Plus, moving heavy furniture could hurt them, and their insurance doesn’t cover handling your stuff.
So, can home inspectors move things at all? They might shift a small rug or pillow if they really need to, but that’s about it. If they can’t see something because your stuff is in the way, they’ll just write “couldn’t inspect because the area was blocked” in their report.
Do home inspectors move furniture? Not really. For some reason, if you want them to check under your couch or behind your dresser, you will need to move it yourself before they show up. The takeaway here is that your house, your furniture, and your job are to move them. Using a home inspection checklist for sellers can help you remember to clear these areas.
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Repairs, Upgrades, and Code Enforcement—What’s Off-Limits
No Fixing Allowed. Even if an inspector sees a loose screw or burned-out light bulb, they can’t fix it. Their job is to look and report, not to touch or repair anything.
They can’t Make You Fix Things. If their report says something doesn’t meet today’s building codes, the inspector can’t force you to fix it. They’re just pointing it out. Only city officials can make you do repairs.
What are building inspectors not allowed to do? Pretty much the same thing—they can’t force repairs either. Home inspectors just tell you what they see; they don’t have any power to make demands.
They can’t check the Permit History. Inspectors might notice that someone did electrical work recently, but they can’t tell you if the previous owner got the right permits. When you’re thinking about how we buy houses at Cream City Home Buyers, remember we understand these limits and can work with properties no matter what the permit situation looks like.
Specialized Inspections Home Inspectors Can’t Perform
Regular home inspectors can’t do everything. They’re not trained for specialized testing that needs special equipment or licenses. Here are some things they can’t check:
- Bugs and pests – They might see signs of termites, but they can’t do a full pest inspection
- Radon gas – This needs special testing equipment and takes days to complete
- Lead paint – Requires special training and lab testing
- Asbestos – Needs lab analysis to identify
- Mold – They can spot what looks like mold, but can’t test to see what type it is
- Structural problems – If there’s a serious structural issue, you’ll need an engineer
Can a home inspector inspect their own home? Technically,, yes, but most won’t because it’s hard to be objective about your property. If you want to learn about our home buying team and what we look for, we understand these inspection limits and can explain how they affect your sale.
Environmental Hazards and Safety Risks They Can’t Assess
Home inspectors have big limits when it comes to environmental dangers. It is not their job (or are likely even qualified) to test your air quality, check for toxic chemicals, or measure things like electromagnetic fields or radon. And if your house had a fire or flood, they are unable to tell you if it’s safe to live in now.
Here’s a big question people ask: “Can a home inspector condemn a house?” Not. Only government officials, like city building inspectors, can condemn a property or say it’s unsafe to live in. Home inspectors can point out serious problems, but they cannot condemn your property.
If your home was built with unusual materials or weird construction methods, a regular home inspector probably can’t tell you if it’s safe or not. You’d need special experts for that.
Understanding Your Inspection Report and Next Steps
When you get your inspection report, remember it only shows what the inspector could see on that visit/day. If something’s hidden behind a wall or under a pile of boxes, it won’t be in the report. That doesn’t mean there’s no problem there—just that the inspector couldn’t see it.
Got a report full of issues? Don’t panic. You have options:
- Get more detailed inspections from specialists
- Ask contractors for repair estimates
- Decide if you want to fix things or sell as-is
Many people feel overwhelmed when they see a long list of problems, especially if they need to sell quickly. Remember, the inspection report is just information—it’s not a list of things you must fix before selling.
If you’re thinking about getting a cash offer for your home, companies that buy houses often work with properties that have inspection issues, so you might not need to fix everything first.
Conclusion
Now you know the truth: home inspectors can’t do nearly as much as most people think. They can’t fix things, tell you what repairs cost, or force you to make changes. They just look around and write down what they see.
This is important to understand because inspection reports can look scary when they list tons of problems without explaining how serious they are or what they’ll cost to fix.
If you’re dealing with a tough inspection report and need to sell, we buy houses in Fox Point and all around Milwaukee—even houses with inspection issues. Lots of homeowners discover that cash home buyers in New Berlin and nearby areas offer more flexibility than trying to fix everything for a traditional sale.
Whether you’re worried about inspection problems, short on time, or just want to avoid the hassle of repairs, knowing these inspector limits helps you make better decisions. When you need to move fast, contact us today to learn about options that work around inspection issues and fit your specific situation.
