Home Inspection Contingency: When the Inspection Happens in a Texas Contract
The home inspection contingency is what turns an inspection from a formality into leverage. In a standard Texas contract it lives inside the option period: you pay for the option, you get a set number of days, and during those days you can terminate for any reason and keep your earnest money.
A home inspector’s job is to look over the house from top to bottom and give you a written report. Having one done is your choice, but it is always worth doing — and it has to happen before the option period ends. Miss that window and the contingency is gone, whatever the report says afterward.
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What To Expect During A Home Inspection
- The inspector reviews interior plumbing, the HVAC system, and electrical systems, then the roof, windows and doors, floors, attic, and structural components.
- Most inspections take two to four hours, longer on a larger home.
- We advise buyers to attend. You will learn more standing in the attic with the inspector than you will reading the report afterward.
What the inspector reviews
Following the American Society of Home Inspectors’ standard, the inspector will look at:
- Roof
- Attic, including visible insulation
- Walls
- Heating system
- Central air conditioning system (temperature permitting)
- Interior plumbing and electrical system
- Floors
- Ceilings
- Windows and doors
- Foundation
- Structural components
For the buyer-side and seller-side version of this, with how to sort the findings once the report arrives, see our home inspection checklist for Texas buyers and sellers.
How the Contingency Clock Actually Runs
The practical sequence looks like this. Contract executed, option period starts. You book the inspector that day. Report arrives two or three days later. If it sends you to a specialist — a structural engineer, a plumber running a hydrostatic test, a roofer — you need days left to get one scheduled and back to you.
That is why waiting to book is the most common way buyers lose the protection they paid for. The home inspection contingency does not extend itself because a specialist was busy.
Paying for an expert
The buyer normally pays for the inspection, though you can negotiate for the seller to cover it.
Sellers sometimes get an inspection before listing. That report gives the owner a chance to fix or replace an issue before the home ever hits the market.
We still recommend our buyers get their own report after we have an executed contract. An arm’s-length transaction means an expert with no ties to the seller or the seller’s agent.
Why Sell With Terra Point Realty
How much is a home inspection
HomeAdvisor has put the national average for a home inspection at roughly $336. In the Greater Houston area, including Fulshear, the range tends to run about $278 to $399, with a low end near $200 and a high end near $500. Actual cost depends on location and square footage. Some inspectors price a flat rate up to 2,000 square feet and add around $25 for every 500 square feet after that.
The cheapest is not always the best. Texas requires a license to inspect homes, but a license is a floor, not a recommendation. Choosing an ASHI member adds some assurance — an ASHI home inspector holds themselves to a published standard of competence and ethics. More on vetting one is in our guide to hiring a home inspector.
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Other inspection costs to plan for
Buyers are sometimes advised in the report to have additional, specialized inspections done. Common ones cover the possible presence of:
- Mold
- Lead piping or paint
- Termites and other wood-destroying insects
- Asbestos
- Radon
Asbestos and lead were common in older construction and are no longer legal in new homes. Buyers also sometimes ask for a camera run through the sewer line, which is worth the money on an older property.
Budget for these when you set the option period length. A specialist report you cannot get back in time protects nobody.
How long does a home inspection take
In the Greater Houston area it varies with:
- Number of defects
- The size of the house
- How the homeowner has prepared the home for inspection
- The attention to detail of the inspector
Expect two to four hours unless there are unusual circumstances.
Questions About Your Option Period?
If you are under contract in Fulshear, Katy, Richmond or elsewhere in Fort Bend County and want help working a home inspection contingency before the clock runs out, call Terra Point Realty at (713) 766-1697.