What to Do Before Your Inspection Contingency Expires

Step 1: Confirm your deadline

Check your purchase contract for the exact contingency expiration date and how days are counted (calendar days vs. business days). Write it down somewhere you'll see it. Every decision during this window works backward from that date.

If you realize partway through that you need more time — you're waiting on a specialist, for instance — your agent can request a written extension from the seller. The seller has to agree, and they may not. Ask early if you think you'll need it.

Step 2: Read and sort the report (Days 1-2)

Don't let the report sit in your inbox while you work up the courage to open it. Read it early, ideally within the first day or two.

Read it once to absorb the scope. Read it again using the prioritization framework: safety, structural, water, mechanical, maintenance, cosmetic. By the end of the second read, you should have a short list of items that need action and a much longer list of items that don't.

If you've already read our guide to understanding the report, you'll have a head start on this.

Step 3: Schedule specialist evaluations if needed (Days 1-3)

If the report flags significant concerns — foundation issues, a roof nearing end of life, active water problems, electrical panel concerns — you may need a specialist to evaluate before you can make a decision or a well-informed request.

Book these as early as possible. Specialists have their own schedules, and a structural engineer or roofer may not be available on short notice. Waiting until Day 6 of a 10-day contingency to call a specialist puts you in a difficult position.

Our guide to when to call a specialist covers who to call for which findings and what to expect from each evaluation.

Step 4: Get estimates where needed (Days 3-5)

For items you plan to raise with the seller — whether asking for repairs or a credit — having a cost estimate strengthens your position. A request backed by a contractor's number is harder to dismiss than one based on a guess.

You don't need estimates for every finding. Focus on the top two to four items that are driving your negotiation. For the rest, rough ranges are sufficient. See our guide to thinking about repair costs for how to approach this.

Step 5: Decide what to ask for (Days 4-6)

With your sorted findings, specialist input (if applicable), and cost estimates in hand, build your request. Decide for each priority item:

• Am I asking for a repair or a credit? (Here's how to decide.)
• What's a reasonable amount to request?
• What's my fallback if the seller pushes back?

Keep the request focused. Two to five items, clearly documented, with references back to the inspection report. Your agent will help you draft and submit this. See our guide to what's reasonable to ask for.

Step 6: Submit and negotiate (Days 5-8)

Your agent submits the repair request or credit request to the seller's agent. The seller responds — they may accept, counter, or decline. There's usually a round or two of back-and-forth before both sides land on an agreement.

Build in time for this. If your contingency expires on Day 10, submitting your request on Day 9 leaves no room for negotiation.

Step 7: Make your decision (Before the deadline)

By the end of this process, you're in one of three positions:

You and the seller have agreed on terms. The deal moves forward with the agreed repairs, credits, or price adjustment. Remove the contingency and proceed to closing.

The seller's response doesn't satisfy you, but you're still comfortable proceeding. You accept the home with whatever concessions you could get, factor the remaining costs into your budget, and close.

The findings are too significant, the costs are too high, or the seller won't engage. You exercise your contingency, walk away, and get your earnest money back.

All three are legitimate outcomes. The contingency exists to give you space to reach whichever one is right for you.

What happens if the deadline passes?

If your contingency expires without you taking action — no request submitted, no termination notice, no extension — the contingency may be considered waived depending on your contract language. That means you could lose the ability to walk away without forfeiting your earnest money.

Check your specific contract terms. If you're unsure, ask your agent before the deadline, not after.

InspectionTriage's Decision Packet includes a 7-Day Action Plan built around your contingency window, with specific tasks, owners, and due dates tied to your findings. It's designed to help you use every day of that window productively. See what’s worth negotiating — free.