Home inspection found plumbing issues but seller says it's fine
Sellers often dismiss corroded pipes or water stains flagged in an inspection as minor, leaving buyers to decide whether to push for a repair credit or risk a major leak. This dynamic creates high-stakes friction during contract negotiations, forcing buyers to weigh walking away against paying out of pocket for a costly repipe shortly after moving in.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Asking the seller for a small financial credit to cover the fix
- 2Fixing the pipe yourself using solder or PEX pipe
- 3Ignoring the corrosion and handling the repair later if it becomes an actual leak
- 4Asking online forums for advice on construction inspections
- 5Throwing pipe foam on the pipes to check the box and pass the home inspection rather than arguing about it
- 6Accepting the seller's assurance that the plumbing functions appropriately despite looking unconventional
- 7Replacing the damaged drain lines independently after purchase
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“As the title states, I’m buying a house (California) and the inspection revealed some issues with the copper plumbing.”source ↗
“I asked for this to be repaired by the seller or provide a credit. They claimed they had it “looked at” by their own contractor and they claim this is totally fine, no leak.”source ↗
“To me this looks like one bath/shower away from a total burst. You can even see water stain on the wood adjacent to it (and check out that big rusty bastard next to it).”source ↗
“We're trying to close on a home purchase and one of the inspection findings was damaged drain/waste pipes.”source ↗
“Are those burn marks going to compromise the integrity of the pipes? Worry about letting them off the hook and dealing with a big repair expense out of my pocket later.”source ↗
“Doesn't stop people with clipboards demanding it be done. I do this every couple of years because a client wants a home inspection report dealt with for a sale or whatever, and "insulate exposed water pipe" is on the list.”source ↗
“Should I ask for them to replace?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 11Why does my new plumbing still have bad water pressure and risky joints?
- 7How to tell if boiler and plumbing installation was done right
- 2Am I responsible for fixing plumbing work I didn't do?
- 18Water keeps getting in the house during heavy rain
- 2Why do older houses have no outlets?
- 4Busted a pipe trying to fix a drain