A re-inspection is a second, shorter visit after the original inspection. Sometimes it’s because something couldn’t be tested the first time, and sometimes it’s to confirm that repairs actually got done right. Here are the three situations where we recommend one.

Disconnected Items

During a home inspection if something is disconnected it won’t be inspected or will have a very limited inspection. This can mean a sink, appliance or air conditioner doesn’t have any visual defects, yet does not function correctly when reconnected and operated. That’s the part worth understanding. A disconnected item isn’t a passed item, it’s an unknown, and it stays an unknown until somebody plugs it in and runs it.

Utilities Are Off

If utilities are turned off it will affect how much of many different systems the inspector can evaluate. For instance, if the gas is turned off to the home many different appliances like the water heater, furnace, and oven can’t be tested. Therefore, limiting the inspector’s ability to find issues other than those that are visible without operating the unit. Furthermore, any issues not found during the initial inspection have the potential to cost the clients lots of time and money in the future.

This one comes up most often on vacant homes and foreclosures, where the power or gas has been shut off for a while. If you know ahead of time that utilities are off, it’s worth asking whether they can be turned on before the inspection rather than paying for two visits.

Check Completed Repairs

Lastly, re-inspections are a great way to check to make sure any repairs performed after the initial inspection were done correctly. These inspections also typically cost a fraction of what the original inspection did and are an unbiased professional analysis of the completed work. A receipt from a contractor tells you money changed hands. It doesn’t tell you the work was done properly, and we do find repairs that were done wrong or not done at all.

Re-inspections fill in any gaps left from the first inspection and check any repairs that have been made. So, the next time you or someone you know get an inspection, consider a re-inspection if any of the above items apply. We at Panther Inspections offer re-inspections and have flexible scheduling to ensure our clients get the info they need to make informed home purchases quickly. You can see what’s covered on a full inspection on our what’s inspected page.

Updated July 2026