GL InspectionsThe home inspection found problems. What are my options?
First separate normal wear from major or safety issues; almost every report has a long list. If you still have an inspection condition, you can proceed as is, ask the seller to lower the price, ask for a credit on closing, ask for specific repairs, or let the condition expire and walk away. If your offer is already firm, your options are much more limited, so speak with your lawyer.
Updated October 2026 · By Gerardo Lucero, Certified Professional Inspector (CPI)
Don't panic at the page count
A thorough report on a GTA home often lists dozens of items. That is normal. A 1960s bungalow in Etobicoke and a five-year-old house in Kleinburg will both have findings; they will just be different ones. A home doesn't "pass" or "fail" an inspection. What matters is sorting the findings by how serious and how expensive they are.
Normal wear vs real red flags
| Usually normal (budget and maintain) | Red flags (get quotes or a specialist) |
|---|---|
| Worn caulking around tubs and windows | Active leaks, staining with soft drywall, or fresh repairs hiding stains |
| Hairline shrinkage cracks in a poured foundation | Wide, stepped or displaced foundation cracks, or walls leaning inward |
| Missing outlet covers, a loose switch | Overheated or scorched panel components, double-tapped breakers, amateur wiring |
| Furnace or water heater nearing typical end of life | Heating equipment not operating, or venting concerns |
| Downspouts discharging too close to the house | Negative grading combined with basement efflorescence, staining or damp smell |
| A few lifted or worn shingles | Widespread curling, granule loss and signs of water in the attic |
| Squeaky floors, sticking doors | Cut or notched joists from past renovations, sagging beams |
As a carpenter who has framed and renovated GTA homes since 2009, I pay close attention to that last row. Notched joists under a renovated bathroom or a removed wall without a proper beam is the kind of thing that looks fine from the living room and isn't.
When something is outside the visual scope of a home inspection, I say so plainly and may recommend further evaluation by a licensed electrician, plumber, roofer or structural engineer. Getting that quote quickly, ideally during your condition period, turns a vague worry into a number you can negotiate with.
Your five options (if you still have a condition)
- Proceed as is. The findings are normal for the home's age and you've priced them in.
- Ask for a price reduction. Use contractor quotes, not guesses. Sellers respond better to a specific number tied to a specific issue.
- Ask for a credit on closing. Similar to a reduction, but handled through the lawyers. Lenders may have rules on credits, so check with your mortgage broker and lawyer.
- Ask the seller to repair before closing. Be precise: who does the work, to what standard, with receipts or permits where needed. Vague repair promises often lead to cheap fixes.
- Walk away. If the condition isn't waived or fulfilled in writing by the deadline, the agreement typically becomes void and your deposit should be returned. In practice, brokerages often release deposits with a signed mutual release, so act early and let your agent and lawyer handle the paperwork.
If your offer is already firm
Findings after a firm deal are useful for planning repairs, but they generally don't let you renegotiate or back out. Ontario law gives sellers limited duties to disclose: known latent defects that make a home dangerous or unfit to live in are a different matter, but that is a question for your lawyer, not your inspector.
Want to understand the inspection condition better? Read the condition guide, or see whether a pre-offer or conditional inspection fits your next offer. More on our pre-purchase inspection.
General information, not legal advice; confirm with your agent and real estate lawyer.
Questions about a report? Contact GL Inspections, in English or Spanish.
Sources
More guides
- How much does a home inspection cost in Vaughan and the GTA?
- Home inspection condition in Ontario: how many days do you have?
- Pre-offer inspection or conditional inspection: which should I do in the GTA?
- Should I be at the home inspection? What should I bring and ask?
- Final walk-through before closing in Ontario: what should I check?
Questions people ask
can a house fail a home inspection
No. There's no pass or fail; the report describes condition. You decide whether the findings are acceptable at the price.
can i back out after home inspection ontario
If you still have an inspection condition and don't waive it by the deadline, the deal typically ends and your deposit should be returned. Confirm with your lawyer.
should i ask for a credit or repairs
A price reduction or credit puts you in control of the repair. Seller repairs can work, but spell out the scope and who does the work.
what problems are deal breakers
It depends on your budget, but structural movement, active water entry, unsafe electrical and roofs at the end of their life are the big ones to price carefully.
found problems after closing what can i do
Talk to a real estate lawyer. Sellers in Ontario have limited disclosure duties, and your options depend on what they knew.
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