OptionDesk
Inspection Analysis · Sample
This is a real OptionDesk report — an actual 1960s Fort Worth inspection, address removed. It's the founder's own house. Play with it: uncheck negotiation items and watch the total move.
Your inspection, decoded.
A normal older home for its age — with two unknowns you must price before the clock runs out.
10
Priority findings
$36,100–$83,050
Recommended ask
$8,800–$18,800
Before move-in
58
Findings reviewed
The bottom line
This 1960s Fort Worth home has 58 findings. That sounds like a lot, but it's about right for the era — don't let the count scare you. What should drive your decision is two things, not the number.
First, insurance. The Federal Pacific panel and the aluminum wiring are the kind of thing that makes an insurer balk — which can hold up your ability to get a policy and close, not just your repair bill.
Second, two big unknowns you can still settle before your option ends: the foundation (get an engineer) and the aging cast iron drains (get a camera scope). Both are probably fine. Both could also be five-figure surprises — and right now nobody knows which. The roof and the covered weep holes are real, but you can put a number on them. These two you can't, yet.
5
Safety Hazard
5
Major Issue
2
Monitor
0
Cosmetic
Resolve before your option expires
Federal Pacific panel (insurability)
Many insurers decline or surcharge homes with an FPE Stab-Lok panel until it's replaced.
Next step: Call your insurance agent today and confirm they'll bind coverage as-is. A 'no' affects your ability to close, not just your repair budget.
Find a licensed electrician near you →Foundation movement (unknown scope)
Slab cracks and uneven floors could be old settlement or active movement — and the difference is tens of thousands.
Next step: Hire a structural engineer for an evaluation (~$400–$700) before the option expires. Active or progressive movement should change your price or your decision.
Find a structural engineer near you →Cast iron drains (no one has looked inside)
A standard inspection flags the drains as aging but can't see into the line — exactly where the expensive surprises hide on a home this age.
Next step: Order a sewer camera scope now (~$150–$300). If it finds cracks, roots, or a collapse, replacement runs $8k–$18k — renegotiate before the option expires, not after you own it.
Find a plumber near you →Questions to ask before you decide
- Ask the seller for any plumbing or sewer service history — has a drain ever backed up here?
- When you scope the sewer, have the plumber state in writing whether it's a spot repair or a full under-slab replacement.
- Ask the inspector exactly where the weep holes are covered, and whether he saw any moisture staining on the inside of those walls.
- Ask an electrician whether the FPE panel can be swapped without a full service upgrade — and get the insurer's requirement in writing.
- When bidding the roof, ask whether decking replacement is included or billed later as a change order.
Your budget, staged
$8,800–$18,800
Before move-in
Panel, GFCI, water heater, wiring safety, sewer scope
$18,500–$46,000
Within the first year
Roof, weep holes, foundation eval/repair, drains if scope finds failure
$3,200–$8,000
Five-year planning
Attic insulation, rodent remediation, monitoring
Findings, triaged
We reviewed all 58 findings in this report. The 12 below are the ones that affect safety, cost, or your negotiation — the rest were cosmetic or informational.
Federal Pacific Electric Panel · Electrical
$3,500–$6,500
Notorious fire-hazard panel brand; electrician evaluation and likely full replacement needed.
Estimate basis: Full panel replacement, permits included.
Safety Hazard⚠ insurance: FPE Stab-Lok panels frequently cause insurers to deny coverage or require replacement.
Foundation Movement / Slab Cracks · Foundation/Structure
$8,000–$20,000
Slab cracks and uneven floors suggest movement; may be historical settlement or active.
Estimate basis: Structural engineer evaluation plus piering/leveling; scope unknown until the engineer reports.
Major Issue
Cast Iron Drain Pipes — Aging · Plumbing
$8,000–$18,000
Original cast iron drains are near end of life and can crack or fill with roots underground — but a standard inspection can't see inside the line.
Estimate basis: Spot repair to full under-slab replacement, conditional on a sewer camera scope.
Major Issue
Ungrounded 2-Prong Outlets Throughout · Electrical
$1,500–$3,750
No ground protection; shock hazard for metal-housing appliances; upgrade required.
Estimate basis: Retrofit/rewire ~30–40 ungrounded outlets throughout the home with a licensed electrician.
Stopgap option: GFCI protection on affected circuits — $1,200–$2,800
Safety Hazard
Roof — Multiple Damaged Areas, End of Life · Roof
$9,000–$18,000
Patching, missing shingles, granule loss; active leak risk across the roof.
Estimate basis: Full replacement; tear-off, decking inspection, permits, DFW rates.
Stopgap option: Targeted patching of damaged sections only — $1,500–$4,000
Major Issue⚠ insurance: Roof at end of life with active damage may trigger insurer non-renewal.
Aluminum Branch Wiring · Electrical
$4,000–$9,000
Aluminum branch circuits are a known fire hazard requiring remediation (e.g. COPALUM/AlumiConn).
Estimate basis: Remediate connections throughout; cost scales with the number of devices.
Safety Hazard⚠ insurance: Aluminum branch wiring can complicate or block insurance binding.
Covered Weep Holes — Moisture Intrusion · Exterior
$1,500–$6,000
Brick weep holes sealed over; water can't drain back out of the wall cavity. Noted in passing in the inspection — but it's a real water-intrusion risk worth taking seriously.
Estimate basis: Re-open weep holes and investigate any trapped-moisture damage in affected walls.
Major Issue
GFCI Protection Missing · Electrical
$600–$1,800
No GFCI outlets in kitchen, baths, garage, or exterior; shock hazard near water.
Estimate basis: Install GFCI protection in all required wet locations.
Safety Hazard
Gas Piping Corrosion · Plumbing
$1,500–$4,500
Heavily corroded gas piping could leak; professional evaluation and likely replacement.
Estimate basis: Replace corroded exterior gas piping; pressure test and permits included.
Major Issue
Water Heater — No Drain Pan, Improper Height · Plumbing
$300–$1,100
Ignition source low to the floor and no drain pan; combustion and water-damage risk.
Estimate basis: Add drain pan, raise/replace per current standards.
Safety Hazard
Insufficient Attic Insulation · Interior
$1,800–$4,500
Only ~R-6 present; current standard is R-38; major energy-efficiency loss.
Estimate basis: Blown-in insulation to bring the attic to current standard; typical TX home.
Monitor
Rodent Activity in Attic · Interior
$1,200–$3,500
Droppings and chewed insulation; entry points need sealing and remediation.
Estimate basis: Exclusion, trapping, and insulation remediation by a licensed pest contractor.
Monitor
What to negotiate
Lead with the insurance- and safety-driven items — an insurer or lender can force them, so they're the hardest for a seller to refuse. Ask for repairs on the cheap, code-required fixes and credits on the big-ticket items, so you control the contractor and the scope. The large, age-typical items (Foundation Movement / Slab Cracks, Cast Iron Drain Pipes — Aging) are long shots — include them, but don't let them sink the asks that matter.
Uncheck anything you'd rather let go — focused asks get taken seriously; laundry lists get ignored.
Federal Pacific Electric Panelask for repairsellers usually fix
An insurer or lender can force this — sellers routinely concede rather than lose the deal.
$3,500–$6,500
Aluminum Branch Wiringask for creditsellers usually fix
An insurer or lender can force this — sellers routinely concede rather than lose the deal.
$4,000–$9,000
Roof — Multiple Damaged Areas, End of Lifeask for creditsellers usually fix
An insurer or lender can force this — sellers routinely concede rather than lose the deal.
$9,000–$18,000
Foundation Movement / Slab Cracksask for creditlong shot — maybe live with it
Big-ticket and age-typical — sellers rarely fund it in full, but a credit ask is worth making.
$8,000–$20,000
Cast Iron Drain Pipes — Agingask for creditlong shot — maybe live with it
Big-ticket and age-typical — sellers rarely fund it in full, but a credit ask is worth making.
$8,000–$18,000
Ungrounded 2-Prong Outlets Throughoutask for repairworth asking
A reasonable ask; the outcome depends on the seller and your local market.
$1,500–$3,750
GFCI Protection Missingask for repairsellers usually fix
A cheap, code-driven safety fix that sellers almost always complete.
$600–$1,800
Covered Weep Holes — Moisture Intrusionask for creditworth asking
A reasonable ask; the outcome depends on the seller and your local market.
$1,500–$6,000
Your repair request, drafted
Hello,
Please forward the following repair request to the seller's representation on our behalf. During the option period, our licensed inspector identified several material deficiencies at the property. We're committed to moving this transaction forward and believe the items below are a fair, reasonable request based on contractor estimates.
We are requesting the following:
1. Federal Pacific Electric panel — Buyer requests a seller credit of $3,500–$6,500. This panel is a known safety and insurability liability.
2. Roof — Buyer requests a seller credit of $9,000–$18,000 reflecting end-of-life condition and active damage.
3. Cast iron drain lines — Buyer requests a sewer camera scope and, if failure is found, a credit toward repair (aging lines, estimated $8,000–$18,000 if replacement is required).
4. GFCI protection — Buyer requests installation of GFCI protection in all required locations by a licensed electrician.
5. Covered weep holes — Buyer requests the weep holes be re-opened and any trapped-moisture damage remediated.
We appreciate your consideration and look forward to closing.
Sincerely,
The Buyer
This is what $29 gets you.
Your report, tailored to your house and your plan for it — in minutes.
Analyze my inspection report →Sample report shown with the property address removed. Estimates are informational guidance, not a professional opinion, bid, or substitute for licensed contractor quotes.