Getting contractor quotes for home inspection repairs
Ask your agent who they send clients to for each trade in the report, then call those contractors during your inspection period. A contractor can tell you what the fix is and price it, which the inspector is not required to do. Get the quotes in writing so your agent can attach them to the request.
Should I have contractors come out in addition to the inspector?
Yes, for the big items in the report. The InterNACHI standards of practice say an inspector isn't required to estimate what a repair or replacement will cost, so the report tells you what's wrong without a price. A roofer, an electrician, a plumber or a heating contractor can look at the item and tell you what fixing it will cost.
Time is the limit. The CFPB suggests scheduling the inspection as soon as you've chosen a home, so you have plenty of time to resolve problems. Call contractors the day the report arrives, because your inspection deadline doesn't move to fit their schedules.
Who should I consult, a home inspector or a contractor?
Both, one after the other. The inspector looks at the whole house and tells you what's wrong, and a contractor in one trade tells you what the fix is and what it costs. Start with the report, then call a contractor for each item that needs a price.
How do I find a plumber or roofer to quote inspection repairs?
Start by asking your agent who they send clients to for each trade. If your agent uses Proferral, they can send you their go-to list as a link, and it opens on your phone with no app and no login. Being on an agent's list means the agent recommends that person, and it isn't a license check, so look up each contractor's license before you hire them.
Here's how to check a contractor license in Oregon and Washington, and here are the license lookups for every state. Ask each contractor for a written quote that names the problem, the fix and the price. Your agent can attach those quotes when they ask the seller for repairs.
What if the electrician and the home inspector disagree?
Ask the electrician to put their finding and the fix in writing, and give both opinions to your agent. An electrician usually spends more time on the panel and the wiring than an inspector can, because the inspector is looking at the whole house. Do this before your inspection deadline, so the request is based on the opinion you trust.
Sources
Your agent's list goes on your phone
If your agent uses Proferral, nobody pays to be on their list, and Proferral takes no referral fee. License checks against state rosters are available only in Oregon and Washington today, so in other states the lookup is yours to do. Here's how your agent's go-to list works.
Your agent sends you the link, and you open it on your phone without installing anything.