Homeowners On Reddit Share Issues Missed During Home Inspections: Be Warned

After you purchase a home, one of the biggest worries is discovering a major defect that can lead to expensive repairs and a reduction in the resale value of the house. Although attempting to catch these hidden defects by hiring a house inspector is one thing you should do before closing on a house, these professionals can sometimes miss things.

Unfortunately, not every U.S. state or Canadian province requires licenses and training for home inspectors. Consequently, they may make some errors or miss problems. HGTV star Mike Holmes frequently focuses on fixing homes with problems that inspectors missed. The home inspectors might miss problems that are hidden behind furniture or that they don't have the training to find, such as electrical or plumbing installation issues.

If you aren't sure whether watching Mike Holmes' TV show will help you figure out what kinds of common errors home inspectors might make in your situation, perhaps information consisting of real-world examples might be more useful. Reddit users listed the most common problems their home inspectors missed, often resulting in expensive repairs. By understanding common issues these professionals may miss, you'll have a better idea about the most important questions to ask a home inspector to protect yourself and your investment in a house. Some of the most common problems that the Reddit users listed include improper water drainage around the home, hidden water and plumbing problems, and building code violations.

By far, the most common issue that home inspectors miss involves water damage and problems, according to the Reddit users. Failing to understand how water flows across the roof or property after rain was a common issue. One Reddit user shared improper drainage led to flooding in the basement twice in the first year of occupancy, but the home inspector did not anticipate these problems. This professional should have looked for signs of water pooling near the foundation and tested the gutters and downspouts.

Some home inspectors might miss problems with the roof that could lead to leakage in the house. They should specifically look inside the attic or on the ceilings for water damage from a leaking roof. "In our most recent house, [the inspector] never told us the roof needed to be replaced," one Reddit user wrote, even though the roof turned out to be 25 years old. A shingle roof usually lasts 15 to 30 years, and home inspectors should be able to make an accurate estimate of a roof's age.

One Reddit user shared the home inspector missed a collapsed cast iron sewer pipe in the yard, forcing plumbers to install a new line through the yard and basement foundation. Home inspectors rarely test or look at the plumbing line as part of a basic inspection, but you could request a separate test of the sewer line. (It's not clear from the post whether the Reddit user asked to have the separate test done.)

Many types of home renovations require obtaining permits and following building codes, but that doesn't mean that the previous homeowner followed the rules. Unfortunately, home inspectors might not catch these kinds of issues. They focus on any parts of the home that create a hazard or increase the risk of major repairs in the future. They aren't necessarily looking for building code violations, although they may catch some if they notice an associated hazard.

One Reddit user stated a seller lied about making renovations with the correct permits, and the home inspector did not find the issue. Such problems included a failure to use AFCI outlets in the kitchen and not adding support in the basement floor where stairs were removed. Another Reddit user found bad aluminum wiring behind an outlet that the inspector missed. I "had to rewire the entire place; was for the best," the Reddit user wrote. Home inspectors won't open walls to inspect the wiring, but they should still catch aluminum wiring issues by inspecting the main electrical panel and seeing the aluminum strands. Aluminum wiring can cause house fires because it expands under heat more than copper, which causes connections to loosen.

Even though errors are possible and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) estimated in late 2025 that 21% of buyers waived the inspection to speed up the closing process, you shouldn't skip the inspection process. You'll increase your risk of facing costly repairs in the future. You're probably better served attending the inspection and asking questions.