If you've ever opened an inspection report and felt your stomach drop, take a breath. We've read thousands of these, and here's the honest truth: most of what fills the pages is small, fixable, and a lot cheaper than it sounds. The list below is the stuff that shows up again and again on Phoenix-area homes, what each item usually runs in 2026, and where folks tend to get overcharged.
Our whole approach is simple. We want to do excellent work, treat you straight, and save you money where the competition pads the bill. So we'll tell you which of these you can practically knock out yourself, and which ones genuinely need a licensed hand.
The 12 repairs we see most
1. Missing GFCI outlets
Kitchens, baths, garages, and exteriors are supposed to have ground-fault outlets. Older homes often don't. It's a real safety item, and it's an easy one. A lot of BINSR shops quote these as a minimum-fee line and pad the total. We'd rather just swap them at a fair per-outlet rate.
2. Smoke & carbon monoxide detectors
Expired, missing, or wrong-location detectors come up on almost every report. Cheap to fix, important to get right. Don't let anyone turn a $30 detector into a $150 visit.
3. Water heater straps, TPR valve & drain pan
Arizona requires water heaters to be properly strapped, with a correct temperature-pressure relief (TPR) line and a drain pan when they're in living space. These are common write-ups and quick corrections.
4. HVAC service & minor repairs
In our climate the AC works hard, and inspectors flag dirty systems, weak temperature splits, and worn capacitors constantly. A service or small part is often all it needs. Replacing a whole system is rare on a BINSR, so be cautious if someone jumps straight to "you need a new unit."
5. Cracked or slipped roof tiles
Tile roofs are everywhere here, and cracked tiles, slipped tiles, and broken mortar are some of the most common findings. Most of the time this is a targeted repair, not a re-roof. We'll tell you honestly which it is.
6. Plumbing leaks under sinks & angle stops
Slow drips at P-traps, supply lines, and angle stops show up on nearly every report. Small parts, fast fix, and worth doing right so it doesn't become water damage later.
7. Caulking & weatherstripping
Failed caulking around tubs, showers, and windows, plus worn weatherstripping on exterior doors. Inexpensive, but it protects the home from our monsoon moisture and helps energy bills.
8. Electrical panel issues
Double-tapped breakers, missing breakers, and improper wiring at the panel are common. This one genuinely needs a licensed hand. A full panel replacement is a bigger ticket, but most BINSR panel items are smaller corrections.
9. Stucco cracks & exterior patching
Arizona homes move with the heat and soil, and hairline stucco cracks are normal. They still get written up. Patch, texture, and paint, and it disappears. Here's a place a lot of companies cut a corner.
10. Fogged dual-pane windows
When the seal fails between the panes, you get that permanent foggy look. The glass unit gets replaced, not always the whole window, which is a big cost difference worth asking about.
11. Garage door safety sensors & reverse
The auto-reverse and photo-eye sensors are a safety must, and they're an easy fix when they're out of alignment or dead.
12. Exterior dry rot, trim & minor wood repair
Fascia, trim, and the wood under a sink or around a door can show rot or damage. We replace the affected wood and finish it so it matches.
What these repairs typically cost in 2026
Here's a realistic range for the Phoenix metro. Treat these as ballparks. Real numbers depend on what we actually find on-site, and we'll always put it in writing first.
| Repair | Typical 2026 range (Phoenix metro) |
|---|---|
| GFCI outlet (each) | $45 – $90 |
| Smoke / CO detector (each) | $30 – $90 |
| Water heater strap / TPR / pan | $95 – $350 |
| Caulking & weatherstripping | $90 – $250 |
| Under-sink plumbing / angle stop | $120 – $400 |
| Garage door sensors / adjust | $90 – $250 |
| Cracked roof tile repair | $200 – $900 |
| Stucco crack patch, texture & paint | $200 – $800 |
| HVAC service / minor part | $150 – $1,200 |
| Fogged dual-pane glass unit | $200 – $600 |
| Electrical panel corrections | $150 – $1,200+ |
| Electrical panel full replacement | $1,500 – $4,000 |
- Watch the minimum-fee game. Some companies turn a $40 outlet into a service-call line item. Bundled the right way, the small stuff should stay small.
- Make sure paint and drywall are in the quote. A few shops leave them off so the number looks low, then you find out at the end. We include them, every time.
- Repair before replace. A fogged window, a cracked tile, or a tired capacitor rarely means "replace the whole thing." Ask which it is.
None of this means cutting corners. It means doing the right repair, charging fairly, and keeping your deal moving. If you want to see how we turn a full inspection report into one clean, itemized number, here's how it works, and here's the full list of trades we cover. New to the form itself? Start with what a BINSR is.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to fix everything on the inspection report?
No. The report lists everything the inspector observed. The buyer only requests certain items on the BINSR, and the seller agrees to repair all, some, or none of those. You are never on the hook for the whole report.
What are the most common Phoenix inspection repairs?
GFCI outlets, smoke and CO detectors, water heater straps and TPR lines, HVAC service, cracked roof tiles, under-sink plumbing, caulking and weatherstripping, electrical panel corrections, stucco cracks, fogged windows, garage door sensors, and minor wood or trim repair.
How fast can you quote my BINSR?
Send us the BINSR with the inspection report or photos and we return a complete, itemized quote within 24 hours, in time for the 5-day seller response. Every trade, paint and drywall included.
Got an inspection report you want priced?
Send it over. We'll give you one complete, itemized quote in 24 hours, with no quote fees and no padding.
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