What Repairs Do Buyers Ask For After Inspecting a Craftsman?

Which repair items should I look for in the request?

Check the buyer’s written request against the findings for the foundation and cripple walls, wiring, drain lines, roof, termite damage and chimney. These are systems and conditions to review, not a prediction of what your buyer will request. The report and any specialist evaluation should identify the actual condition and proposed work. If you want to talk through the request, text me.

In Bungalow Heaven, check whether proposed street-visible work on a contributing house calls for review under the district’s conservation plan. For a Craftsman with an enclosed porch, collect permit records for the alteration before answering questions about it. My guide to restoring original features explains historic review; the disclosure guide covers Pasadena Presale.

What does an inspector look at in an older Craftsman?

For a Pasadena sale, California Business and Professions Code section 7195 describes a home inspection as a noninvasive physical examination designed to identify material defects in the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and structural and essential components. It is a useful starting point, but ask the inspector what the particular inspection includes and excludes. The statute defines material defects by their effect on value, desirability, habitability or safety, rather than style or aesthetics (California Business and Professions Code section 7195, checked 2026-11-04).

Under InterNACHI’s general inspection standard, the inspector describes the roof covering and reports observed active leaks, but need not walk on the roof. The plumbing scope includes running water at fixtures and examining the drain, waste and vent system; underground utilities need not be inspected. The standard calls for describing observed wiring. Its fireplace scope covers visible, readily accessible portions of the fireplace and chimney, not necessarily the flue interior (InterNACHI Standards of Practice, checked 2026-11-04). Standards and individual scopes can differ.

For a closer look at a particular system, read what to look for in a 1920s Craftsman foundation and what a plumbing inspection can find. Bring the actual report to a qualified specialist rather than assuming a visible symptom tells the whole story.

When might a separate inspection help?

A general report may recommend further evaluation or identify a place the inspector could not see. Ask what was observed, what was inaccessible and what question a specialist would answer. A foundation contractor or engineer, plumber, electrician, roofer or registered pest company can address a specific concern within its expertise. A pest inspection and a general home inspection have different scopes, so ask for the reports rather than assuming one replaces the other.

A chimney deserves its own question. The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends a Level 2 inspection when a property is sold. Its scope includes a video scan of the chimney interior, roof access and accessible attic, basement and crawl-space areas. That is a recommendation, not a claim that Pasadena requires it at sale (CSIA Level 2 standard, checked 2026-11-04). Our roof and chimney inspection guide explains the distinction.

If a buyer points to possible termite damage, distinguish a finding of damage from a proposed repair. Ask for the relevant pest report and the location and extent of the work being requested. Likewise, an old permit question calls for records and a conversation with the city, not a guess based on a room’s appearance.

How does the repair request fit the purchase agreement?

For your Pasadena sale, the signed agreement controls the transaction, including any negotiated changes. In the C.A.R. Residential Purchase Agreement, Revised 6/26, the investigation contingency defaults to 17 calendar days after acceptance, with a blank for a different period. Changes to time periods require mutual written agreement. During the investigation period the buyer may request repairs or other action using a Request for Repair. The form does not obligate the seller to agree or even respond (C.A.R. RPA paragraphs 3L(3), 14B(2) and 25J, checked 2026-11-06).

If the seller does not agree, the buyer is not entitled to the requested repairs and may cancel based on a contingency still in the contract. Contingencies do not disappear automatically at the deadline. The RPA sets out a written notice process before a seller can cancel for an unremoved contingency; until the seller cancels, the buyer can still remove or cancel in writing. I will review the dates and the actual paperwork with you. An attorney can advise on a legal dispute or the effect of unusual terms (C.A.R. RPA paragraphs 14B, 14C and 14E, checked 2026-11-06).

That timing matters. A contractor’s visit may be useful, but we should check when a response is needed and what information can realistically be obtained. A bid is information for your decision; it is not itself an agreement to do the work.

How should a seller respond to each item?

I suggest reading the buyer’s request beside the inspection report for your Pasadena Craftsman, line by line. Mark the precise location, the reported observation and the requested remedy. A request to investigate a foundation crack is different from a request to complete a defined foundation repair. If the language is vague, ask for clarification before agreeing to an equally vague commitment.

Get your own contractor bid when it would help you understand the proposed work. Ask the contractor to separate an observation from a recommendation, describe the work and identify whether permits are needed. Compare the bid with the buyer’s request rather than comparing only the bottom line. Record the proposed credit and its terms in the transaction documents.

For work you agree to perform, keep the written agreement, invoices, receipts and permit records together. Ask for evidence of completion and any final permit documentation. Keep the buyer informed through the transaction process, and avoid promising that a repair will last or that an agency will approve it.

Can a pre-listing inspection and permit review reduce surprises?

Yes. A pre-listing inspection can surface questions while you collect records, obtain bids and decide what to address, though it cannot reveal every concealed condition. Share what you learn with me so we can prepare an accurate disclosure package, including relevant reports.

For a transaction subject to the Transfer Disclosure Statement, disclose known material facts and defects, including relevant findings from your inspection. The TDS addresses known property conditions and follows California Civil Code section 1102 and following; answer it honestly and do not replace a disclosure with a verbal explanation (C.A.R. TDS, checked 2026-11-07). Our companion guide on disclosing knob-and-tube wiring and old plumbing provides a useful pointer for sorting your records and questions.

Check past permits and open matters with Pasadena: the city’s Presale certificate is required before close of escrow (City of Pasadena Presale program, checked 2026-11-07). The disclosure guide explains the certification process.

What about earthquake hazards in an older house?

For a qualifying conventional light-frame dwelling in Pasadena built before 1960, California requires the seller to provide the Homeowner’s Guide to Earthquake Safety and complete an earthquake hazards disclosure; certain transfers are exempt. The disclosure concerns actual knowledge, not a new inspection. Items include missing anchor bolts, unbraced cripple walls, unreinforced masonry and an unstrapped water heater. If you know of an applicable condition, disclose it accurately; if you do not know, do not invent an answer (California Government Code sections 8897.1 and 8897.2, checked 2026-11-01).

If the report raises a seismic question, ask a qualified professional to explain the observed condition and any recommended next step. The California Residential Mitigation Program says Earthquake Brace + Bolt does not cover chimney work. Check its eligibility tool and current program information for the property rather than assuming assistance is available (CRMP EBB Retrofit, checked 2026-11-04).

My broader guide, How Should I Prepare and Price a Craftsman Bungalow to Sell?, puts the inspection conversation alongside preparation and pricing. What Do Craftsman Buyers Look For That Other Buyers Do Not? is a companion pointer on buyer priorities. Keep the buyer’s written request with the inspection reports.

What should I do in the week after inspection?

1. Read the complete inspection reports for your Pasadena home and the buyer’s written request together. Note the exact items and any recommended further evaluations.
2. Review your signed agreement and contingency dates with me. Ask what response is needed and when; do not assume an elapsed date removes a contingency.
3. Gather prior reports, invoices, permits and disclosure documents. Identify questions you cannot answer from your records.
4. Arrange a qualified contractor’s evaluation or bid where it will help. Ask about scope, access, permits, timing and documentation.
5. Choose a proposed response for each item: repair, credit, counter or decline. Put the terms in writing and keep a copy of the signed result.
6. If work is agreed, track completion and request receipts and permit records. Update disclosures as appropriate with the facts you learn.

The deliverable is a written response for each request, supported by reports, bids and permit records. For legal interpretation or a dispute, consult your California real estate attorney; the inspector, contractor and city each answer questions within their own roles.

Sources

• California Business and Professions Code section 7195, checked 2026-11-04
• InterNACHI Standards of Practice, checked 2026-11-04
• CSIA Level 2 Masonry Chimney Inspection, checked 2026-11-04
• C.A.R. Residential Purchase Agreement, Revised 6/26, checked 2026-11-06
• C.A.R. Transfer Disclosure Statement, checked 2026-11-07
• City of Pasadena Presale program, checked 2026-11-07
• California Government Code section 8897.1, checked 2026-11-01
• California Government Code section 8897.2, checked 2026-11-01
• California Residential Mitigation Program EBB Retrofit, checked 2026-11-04