Structural inspection before buying a house: when and why

A general home inspection is a broad visual check of the whole house. When the inspector writes "recommend evaluation by a structural engineer", the inspection has found something outside its scope. A structural engineer answers the questions that matter for your offer: is it serious, what caused it, and what would the repair involve?

Home inspector or structural engineer?

Home inspectors follow a standard of practice: they report visible defects but are not required to determine the structural adequacy of the building or to design repairs. A structural engineer is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE). Their evaluation focuses on the structure (foundation, framing, beams, load paths) and their signed report carries professional responsibility.

Common reasons to call an engineer during a purchase

• Foundation cracks, especially horizontal cracks in basement walls, stair-step cracks in block walls or cracks that are wide or offset;
• sloping floors, doors and windows that stick or no longer close;
• sagging roof lines, cracked rafters or trusses that were cut or altered;
• a wall removed by a previous owner, with no permit on file;
• signs of water damage or rot in the crawl space, sill plates or joists;
• an addition or deck that looks homemade.

Hairline shrinkage cracks in concrete are common and often cosmetic. The engineer's job is to tell the difference.

What the visit and the report look like

The engineer walks the house, the basement or crawl space and the exterior, and may measure floor levels. The report usually describes what was observed, the likely cause, whether the condition is structural, and recommendations: monitor, repair, or further investigation. It is signed and, in most states, sealed with the engineer's stamp.

Many buyers use the report to:

1. negotiate a price reduction or a seller-paid repair;
2. obtain repair estimates from contractors based on a neutral scope;
3. answer questions from the lender or the insurer;
4. walk away within the inspection contingency if the problem is major.

Fit it into your timeline

Inspection contingencies are short, often a week to ten days. Book the engineer as soon as the home inspection report comes in, and share the relevant pages and photos with them. Ask the seller's agent for access to the basement, attic and crawl space.

Hiring the right engineer

• Check the license with your state's engineering board.
• Prefer an engineer who does not sell the repair: their opinion stays independent.
• Ask what the fee covers (visit, written report, sealed letter) and the turnaround time of the report.

Describe the issue and the deadline of your contingency in the form: local structural engineers get back to you with their availability and a written quote.