Home Inspection Repair Costs in Florida: What Repairs Actually Cost

Everyone knows what a home inspection costs. In Florida, you'll pay $300-$600 for the inspection itself. That number is on every real estate blog on the internet.

Nobody talks about what the repairs cost. And that's the number that actually matters. If you're looking up home inspection repair costs in Florida, you want the real answer — not the inspector's fee, but what it costs to fix everything on the report.

You get the report back, it lists 22 items, and now you need a number. Good luck finding that answer online — most results are about the inspection fee, not the repair bill.

We handle home inspection report repairs across Southwest Florida every week. We've gone through hundreds of reports. What follows is based on what these repairs actually cost in SW Florida — not theoretical national averages from a database.

Costs vary. Every report is different. But this will give you a realistic frame of reference before you get an estimate, or help you evaluate one you've already received.

Home Inspection Repair Costs by Category

These are typical ranges for Southwest Florida as of 2026. Your actual costs depend on the scope, accessibility, materials, and whether permits are needed.

Plumbing Repairs

Plumbing items show up on about 13% of inspection reports. Most of them are fixture-level issues, not major pipe work.

Electrical Repairs

Electrical findings are the most common safety items on Florida inspections. Missing GFCI outlets alone show up on almost every older home.

Multiple GFCI outlets done in the same visit are typically cheaper per unit. We upgrade these on nearly every inspection job.

Drywall & Painting

Carpentry & Interior

Door adjustments are the single most common inspection finding nationwide — they show up on roughly 55% of reports.

Exterior Repairs

Florida's heat, humidity, and storm seasons do a number on the outside of a house. These items come up on almost every SW Florida inspection.

Safety Items

Safety items are the ones that can delay or kill a deal. Lenders may refuse to close. Insurance companies may refuse to bind. These are usually non-negotiable.

What Affects Home Inspection Repair Costs

Two reports with the same number of items can have very different price tags. Here's what moves the needle:

• Number of items on the report. More items doesn't always mean proportionally more cost. When a contractor handles 20 items in one trip instead of 10, the per-item cost usually goes down. You're paying one mobilization charge, not two.
• Accessibility. A faucet under a sink is a quick fix. The same repair in a tight crawlspace or a three-story foyer ceiling takes longer. If your water heater is crammed in an attic with 18 inches of clearance, that costs more than one sitting in an open garage.
• Materials and finishes. A basic chrome faucet is $80. A brushed nickel pull-down model is $250. The labor is the same — the fixture price is the difference. If you're matching existing finishes, materials cost more.
• Permits. Some repairs require permits in Florida (typically $50-$200+ each). A licensed contractor pulls the permit and handles the inspection. An unlicensed one can't — and unpermitted work can create problems at closing.
• Timeline urgency. If your closing is in 10 days and the report just came back, the schedule is tight. Expedited timelines can affect pricing. We work around closing dates regularly, but the more lead time you give, the better.
• One contractor vs. multiple. Hiring one licensed handyman for the full list is almost always cheaper than hiring four separate specialists. One trip charge, one estimate, one invoice. Not four of each.

Sample Inspection Report Repair Estimates

Every report is different, but these scenarios reflect what we see regularly across Estero, Fort Myers, Naples, and Bonita Springs. They're illustrative — not quotes.

These don't include items that require a specialist — full roof replacement, HVAC system replacement, main sewer line work, or foundation repairs. For a breakdown of what requires a specialist vs. what a handyman handles, see our guide: Who Fixes Items From Home Inspection Reports?

How to Save Money on Inspection Repairs

You can't control what's on the report. But you can control how you handle it.

• Use one contractor for the whole list. This is the single biggest way to reduce your total cost. One trip charge instead of four. Bulk efficiency. One schedule to coordinate. We see buyers save 20-30% compared to hiring individual specialists for each category.
• Prioritize must-fix items. Not everything on the report needs to happen before closing. Safety items and code violations? Non-negotiable. Functional defects? Probably. Cosmetic observations? Those can wait. Our home inspection repair checklist breaks down which items fall into each category.
• Get multiple estimates, but compare apples to apples. Check that each contractor is licensed and insured. The cheapest bid from an unlicensed worker can cost more in the long run if the work fails re-inspection or doesn't meet code.
• Negotiate a credit instead of repairs. Sometimes it makes more sense to negotiate a closing credit and handle repairs on your own timeline after closing. You choose your own contractor, control quality, and remove the time pressure. Talk to your agent about which approach works for your situation.
• Don't skip the license check. In Florida, unlicensed handymen are limited to casual work under $1,000 and can't touch anything structural or safety-related. Unlicensed work can void insurance, fail re-inspection, and cost more to redo. It's not savings if you pay for it twice.

Negotiating Inspection Repairs: Buyer vs. Seller Tips

The inspection report is a negotiation tool. A clear, itemized estimate from a licensed contractor turns a 30-page report into a specific dollar amount — and that's a stronger negotiating position for everyone involved.

If You're the Buyer

Focus your repair request on safety items and code violations. Sellers agree to fix those because they have to — lenders and insurers often require it. A focused list of 10 items that actually matter gets better results than a 40-item kitchen-sink list. Use the itemized estimate to negotiate repairs or a closing credit.

Under the standard Florida FAR/BAR contract, the seller is responsible for repairs up to the Repair Limit — which defaults to 1.5% of the purchase price. On a $400,000 home, that's $6,000. Know your number before you negotiate.

If You're the Seller

Consider getting a pre-listing inspection and fixing items proactively. A clean inspection report removes buyer leverage and speeds closing. It also shows buyers you have nothing to hide — which, in our experience, reduces back-and-forth by weeks.

For Both Sides

A clear, itemized estimate from a licensed contractor strengthens any negotiation position. It replaces vague anxiety with a specific number. And in a negotiation, specific numbers win.

If you're a realtor coordinating repairs for your clients, check out our realtor partnership program. We work with agents across SW Florida and understand the timeline pressure.

Get a Free Estimate for Your Inspection Report

Stop guessing. Send us your inspection report and we'll give you an itemized estimate for every repair we can handle — usually within 24-48 hours. No obligation.

We handle 80-90% of what appears on a typical home inspection report: plumbing, electrical, drywall, painting, carpentry, screens, doors, windows, safety items — one team, one visit, one invoice.

Frequently Asked Questions