HSHomeScope Guide
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Homeowner decision path

What do you have right now?

Choose your current situation. HomeScope will take you to a useful next step. No sales form.

After the inspection

Prioritize home inspection repairs.
Build your next steps.

Item count is a poor measure of property risk. Prioritize by safety, active damage, uncertainty, time sensitivity, likely cost, and whether a specialist must answer the question before your purchase decision.

Build my repair plan →See a report-to-repair worked example →Return to the inspection-day hub →

Decision matrix

Give each important finding
a clear next step.

01Act or clarify now

Safety / active hazard

Fire, shock, combustion, instability, sewage, unsafe access, or another condition posing immediate harm.

Next: inspector clarification + qualified specialist
02Prevent worsening

Water / structure

Active intrusion, drainage failure, rot, foundation movement, roof leakage, or concealed-condition risk.

Next: diagnose source before pricing finishes
03Understand capital exposure

Major system

Roof, sewer, septic, well, electrical service, HVAC, plumbing, or another expensive system near failure.

Next: specialist scope + remaining-life context
04Plan the first year

Maintenance / monitor

Working components with wear, deferred service, small defects, or conditions to track.

Next: calendar, budget, baseline photograph
05Do not inflate risk

Cosmetic / preference

Appearance, finishes, or optional upgrades that do not materially affect safety or operation.

Next: separate from purchase-critical repairs

Fictional worked example · not an inspection or diagnosis

One finding. A clearer repair plan.

Keep the observation, its visual evidence, and the next question together. Here is what that looks like for a sample gutter finding.

01 / Report finding

Debris visible in a gutter

Example report note: “Leaves are visible in the gutter above the front entrance. Have a qualified contractor evaluate and service as needed.”

02 / Repair task

Arrange a gutter evaluation

Location
Front entrance gutter
Next question
Is this limited to debris, or are there drainage, attachment, or repair issues?
Completion evidence
Contractor findings, written work description, and after-work photos

Choose timing and ownership after clarification. A photograph alone does not establish urgency or a safe DIY method.

03 / Shared brief for contractors

“Please evaluate the front entrance gutter shown in the inspection finding. Describe recommended work, access, debris disposal, exclusions, and any repairs priced separately. Provide photos and a written explanation of what was completed.”

Five-pass review

Read the report
like a decision document.

  1. 01
    Mark uncertainty first

    Highlight every item that says inaccessible, not operated, further evaluation, monitor, apparent, possible, or unable to determine. Unknowns can be more decision-relevant than minor confirmed defects.

  2. 02
    Group by consequence

    Put safety, active water, structural movement, sewage, combustion, and major system failure ahead of appearance and routine maintenance.

  3. 03
    Ask for location and evidence

    Tie each material finding to a room, component, photograph, test result, observed condition, and the inspector’s recommended next professional.

  4. 04
    Get diagnosis before repair pricing

    A contractor quote based on a vague sentence may price a different problem. Ask a qualified specialist to define cause, urgency, options, and the work boundary.

  5. 05
    Compare the same written work

    For large repairs, give bidders the same description and compare materials, quantities, access, protection, disposal, permits, undecided product amounts, exclusions, warranty, and final records.

Copyable repair brief

Replace “fix issue” with a scope bidders can understand.

At [property and exact location], the inspection report dated [date] observed [condition and evidence]. Please evaluate [specific system or component], state the likely cause and urgency, and provide a written option that identifies included work, materials, quantities, access, protection, disposal, permits or inspections, exclusions, warranty, schedule, and conditions that could change the price.

Do not ask a contractor to certify conditions outside their qualification. For structural, environmental, health, or complex system questions, obtain the appropriate professional evaluation first.

1Write one repair descriptionGive every bidder the same finding and questions →2Set money aside for uncertaintyPlan for repair conditions that are still hidden →3Check official permit sourcesDo this after the repair work is defined →4Compare written bidsCheck included work and exclusions before totals →
Still preparing for inspection?

Use the full Michigan buyer checklist.

Confirm scope, specialty checks, inspection-day notes, and follow-up questions in one printable record.

Open the inspection hub →