Does the seller have to fix everything in the inspection report?

No. An inspection report is information, not a work order. Sellers are generally not obligated to repair anything, just as buyers are not obligated to proceed. What happens next comes down to negotiation between the parties, usually guided by their REALTORS. Most successful negotiations focus on a small number of significant findings — safety issues and major defects — rather than every item listed in the report.

Is it better to ask for repairs or a price reduction?

It depends on the item and your situation. Repairs put the burden on the seller but leave you little control over workmanship. A price adjustment or credit lets you hire your own contractor and choose materials, which many buyers prefer for significant work. For simple safety fixes, seller repairs can be practical. Ask your REALTOR which approach fits your transaction, and support any request with quotes where possible.

What happens if the seller refuses to negotiate?

You still have options. You can accept the property as it is, knowing what the report revealed and budgeting accordingly, or you can decline to remove your inspection condition as the clause in your offer allows. Neither outcome is a loss — the inspection did its job by giving you the facts. Talk to your REALTOR and lawyer about deadlines and next steps before your condition period expires.

Can I renegotiate after I've waived the inspection condition?

Once conditions are waived, your leverage largely disappears, because the agreement is typically firm at that point. That is why the condition period deserves your full attention: get the inspection done early in the window, read the report carefully, and raise concerns before the deadline. For anything involving contract rights or deadlines, speak with your lawyer — the specifics depend on how your offer was written.

Should I attend the inspection to help with negotiations later?

We encourage it. Buyers who attend see findings in context, ask questions on the spot, and understand the difference between a serious defect and normal wear before the written report arrives. That understanding makes your repair requests more focused and more credible. If you cannot attend the whole inspection, joining for the final walkthrough summary is a worthwhile compromise.

Is a long list of findings a red flag?

Not by itself. Thorough inspectors document everything they observe, so even sound homes produce detailed reports. What matters is the nature of the findings, not the count — one structural issue outweighs thirty cosmetic notes. Sort findings by severity before drawing conclusions, and see our guide on whether a home can fail an inspection for more perspective.

Negotiating Repairs After Inspection

Start with a careful read of the report

The day your inspection report arrives can feel like a lot. Even well-kept homes generate long documents, because a thorough inspector records everything observed — from a missing handrail to a furnace approaching the end of its typical service life. The first thing to remember is that a home inspection is not a pass-or-fail test, and a long list of findings does not automatically mean you have chosen a problem house. We explain that mindset in more depth in our guide to whether you can fail a home inspection.

Before reacting to anything, read the full report once without making decisions. Start with the summary, then work through each system, paying attention to the photos and to how each item is categorized. Those categories are the foundation of every conversation that follows. Jot down questions as you go — a good inspector expects follow-up calls and would much rather explain a finding than leave you guessing at its significance.

Triage the findings: safety, maintenance, or cosmetic

Once you understand the report, sort every finding into one of three buckets. This triage step keeps the negotiation focused on what actually matters.

Safety and major defects. Electrical hazards, structural movement, active water intrusion, unsafe stairs or railings, and heating or roofing components that have failed. These are the items that legitimately drive negotiations.
Maintenance and aging systems. Components that work today but are worn or nearing replacement — an older water heater, tired shingles, minor grading issues. These inform your budget more than your bargaining position.
Cosmetic items. Scuffed floors, dated finishes, small drywall cracks. These were likely visible when you made your offer and rarely belong in a repair request.

Most reports are dominated by the second and third categories. If your triage leaves only a short list in the first bucket, that is a normal outcome — and a very manageable negotiation.

Your three paths forward

After triage, buyers in New Brunswick generally have three options, and they can be combined.

Ask the seller to make repairs

You request that specific items be corrected before closing, ideally by qualified professionals with receipts or permits where appropriate. This works best for clear-cut safety issues. The drawback is that you have limited control over who does the work and how well it is done, so be specific about what you are asking for.

Ask for a price adjustment or credit

Instead of repairs, you negotiate a lower purchase price or a credit so you can arrange the work yourself after possession. Many buyers prefer this route because they choose the contractor and the quality of materials. Get quotes from local trades where you can, so the number you propose is grounded in reality rather than guesswork.

Walk away

If the inspection reveals problems beyond your budget or risk tolerance, the inspection condition in your offer typically exists so that you can step back. Walking away is not a failure — it is the condition doing its job and protecting you from a purchase that no longer makes sense.

How inspection conditions typically work in New Brunswick offers

Most resale purchase offers in New Brunswick include an inspection condition: a clause that makes the agreement conditional on the buyer obtaining an inspection within a set number of days and being satisfied with the results. Within that window, buyers usually either waive the condition and proceed, attempt to renegotiate based on the findings, or decline to proceed as the clause allows.

The exact wording matters a great deal, and it varies from offer to offer. Deadlines, notice requirements, and what happens to your deposit all depend on how the clause was drafted. We are inspectors, not lawyers, so we will not advise you on contract language — that is a job for your REALTOR and your lawyer, and it is worth a conversation with them before the condition deadline arrives, not after. What we can do is make sure you have clear, well-documented findings in hand while there is still time to act on them.

What's reasonable to ask for — and what usually isn't

A focused request is far more likely to succeed than a long list. In our experience, negotiations go well when buyers concentrate on items that are significant, verifiable, and genuinely unexpected.

Generally reasonable to raise:

Safety hazards, such as significant electrical defects or structural concerns
Active problems, like a leaking roof, moisture entering the basement, or a failed heating component
Major issues that were not visible or disclosed before your offer
Big-ticket systems that the report shows are at or past the end of their service life

Usually not worth raising:

Cosmetic wear you could see during your viewings
Routine maintenance items on an older home that was priced as an older home
Long lists of small, inexpensive fixes that add friction without adding value

There is no fixed rule for what counts as a deal-killer — it depends on your budget, your timeline, and your appetite for projects. A structural problem might end one purchase and simply reprice another.

Understanding the seller's perspective

Negotiations go more smoothly when you remember there is a person on the other side. Many sellers have lived in the home for years and genuinely did not know about the issues your inspector found — a slow leak inside a wall or a defect in an electrical panel is invisible in daily life. A request that arrives framed as an accusation tends to get a defensive response; one framed around documented findings tends to get a practical one.

Sellers also have their own pressures: a closing date on their next home, other interested buyers, or a limited budget for repairs. A seller who cannot afford to fix a roof may still agree to a price adjustment that reflects it. Keeping requests specific, evidence-based, and proportionate gives everyone room to reach an agreement — which, in most transactions, is what both sides actually want.

A clear, detailed report is your strongest negotiating tool

Every path described above depends on the quality of the documentation behind it. A vague report invites debate; a detailed one settles it. When a finding comes with photographs, a plain-language description of the defect, and a clear note on its significance, there is very little left to argue about — the conversation shifts from whether the problem is real to how it gets resolved.

That is exactly how we approach our residential inspections at Trueform Inspections. We document what we find, explain what it means, and remain available to answer questions after the report is delivered — including during your negotiation window, when a five-minute phone call can clarify whether a finding is a genuine concern or routine aging. If you are heading into a conditional offer and want an inspector who will give you clear answers, get in touch and we will walk you through the process.

Key takeaways

The days after an inspection report arrives are decision time, but they do not need to be stressful. A structured approach turns a long document into a short, actionable plan.

Read the whole report before reacting, and ask your inspector about anything unclear.
Triage findings into safety, maintenance, and cosmetic — and negotiate only on the first category.
Your main options are repairs, a price adjustment or credit, or walking away, and they can be combined.
Inspection conditions are deadline-driven; involve your REALTOR and lawyer early.
Focused, evidence-based requests succeed far more often than long lists of small demands.
A detailed, well-documented report does the persuading for you.

What Happens After the Home Inspection? Negotiating Repairs in New Brunswick