Short answerExpect a long report. Most of it will be normal wear: missing GFCI outlets, aging furnaces and water heaters, roof and gutter wear, grading, and small electrical items. The items that deserve real attention are active water, structural movement, failing systems, and older materials like aluminum wiring or certain panels in 1960s and 1970s houses.
Why does the report look so bad?
A good inspector writes down everything they see, from a loose toilet to a cracked heat exchanger. Most reports run 30 to 60 items on an older house. That does not mean the house is bad. It means the inspector did the job. Your work is sorting the list into four piles: normal for the age, worth negotiating, worth a specialist, and worth walking away over. How to tell a safety issue from a defect from maintenance.
What is normal for the age, and what is serious?
| Finding | Usually | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Missing GFCI protection, open junction boxes, double tapped breakers | Normal on older houses, simple to fix | Negotiate a repair or a small credit |
| Furnace, air conditioner, or water heater near the end of typical life | Normal, budget item | Budget for it; negotiate only if it is failing |
| Roof wear, a few lifted shingles | Normal | Get a roofer's opinion if the inspector estimates little remaining life |
| Water stains in the basement or crawlspace | Could be old and dry, or active | Ask the seller, check the disclosure, look at gutters and grading |
| Horizontal crack or bowing basement wall | Serious until proven otherwise | Structural engineer before your inspection period ends |
| Aluminum branch wiring, Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel | Real risk, fixable | Licensed electrician, then insurance check, then negotiate |
| Heat exchanger crack, gas leak, active roof leak | Serious | Specialist now; repair or credit before closing |
| Peeling paint on a house built before 1978 | Common, but an FHA loan requires repair | Repair before closing using lead safe practices |
What may the inspection find on a 1970s house?
Many Southern Indiana houses for sale were built in the 1960s and 1970s. In recent local MLS sales I track, the typical home sold was built in 1973. On top of the everyday items above, a house from this era may show:
- Aluminum branch wiring. Some homes built or expanded between 1965 and 1973 used it. The risk is at the connections. A licensed electrician can evaluate it, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission recognizes specific permanent repairs. Call your insurance agent before your inspection period ends.
- Older electrical panels. Federal Pacific Stab Lok and Zinsco panels were common, and many inspectors recommend replacement.
- Lead paint. Any house built before 1978 may have it. Federal rules give you the chance to test for lead, usually a 10 day window, which you can waive in writing.
- Asbestos. Some floor tile, sheet flooring backing, siding, and pipe or duct wrap from this era may contain it. Material in good condition is usually best left alone. Testing is a specialist job.
- Galvanized supply pipe and cast iron drains. Low water pressure and rust colored water are clues. A sewer camera scope shows the main drain.
- Block foundation walls with water history. Look for stains, white mineral deposits, and fresh paint on basement walls.
What should I look for at the showing?
- Water stains on ceilings and around the base of basement walls, and a dehumidifier running hard.
- Downspouts that dump next to the foundation, and soil sloping toward the house.
- The label on the electrical panel and the data plate on the furnace and water heater, which show age.
- Two prong outlets, a sign of older wiring.
- Soft spots in floors near tubs and toilets.
- For rural homes, where the well and septic are, and whether the seller has pumping and water test records.
Which specialist inspections are worth paying for?
- Radon test. EPA recommends testing every home. Many buyers add it to the general inspection.
- Sewer camera scope on older houses on city sewer, especially with mature trees in the yard.
- Well water test and septic inspection on rural homes. Your lender may require them. Well and septic rules for FHA, VA, and USDA.
- Structural engineer for any bowing wall or significant crack.
- Licensed electrician for aluminum wiring or an older panel.
- Wood destroying insect inspection where your lender requires it or the inspector sees signs.
Will the lender or insurance company care?
Possibly. FHA, VA, and USDA appraisers look at safety, security, and soundness, and can require repairs before closing. Some insurers ask about aluminum wiring, certain panels, and roof age. Call your insurance agent during the inspection period, not the week of closing. See what FHA, VA, and USDA appraisers flag.
What should I budget for the first five years?
Take every item the inspector says is near the end of its life and put a planning cost on it. These ranges help you start.
| Item | Planning estimate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GFCI or AFCI protection | $120 to $400 per location | W |
| Electrical panel replacement, 100 to 150 amp | $1,400 to $2,400 | W |
| Aluminum wiring connector repair, whole house | $2,000 to $8,000 | P |
| Water heater replacement, 40 gallon tank | $1,490 to $1,860 | W |
| Furnace replacement | $3,800 to $7,500 | W |
| Furnace and air conditioner together | $8,500 to $14,500 | W |
| Roof replacement, asphalt shingle | About $5,600 to $19,400 in Indiana, averaging about $7,400 | P |
| Grading and gutter correction | $500 to $5,000 grading; $1,200 to $4,500 seamless gutters | W |
| Basement interior drain tile and sump system | $3,000 to $7,000 | P |
| Radon mitigation system | $800 to $2,000 | P |
| Sewer line replacement, open trench | $80 to $180 per foot | P |
| Septic tank pumping | $250 to $500 | P |
| Well pump replacement | $1,200 to $3,000 | P |
W means Wardmark Property Operations pricing dated June to September 2026. P means published Indiana cost estimates gathered November 2026 (This Old House, AskDoss, Indiana radon cost guides, Summers Plumbing Heating and Cooling, NeedSeptic, AJ Long Electric). Local contractors may price differently.
Then decide what to ask the seller for and what to carry yourself. What to ask the seller to fix and how to build a five year repair budget.
Selling instead? Read the seller version: what a home inspector may flag when you sell.
What John sees in the field
The scariest looking reports are often on the best kept houses, because the owner left everything accessible and the inspector could see more. Read the summary page last. Sort the list yourself first.
On older houses, I look at where the water goes before anything else. Gutters, downspouts, and the slope of the yard explain most wet basements, and they are some of the cheapest fixes on the report.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the inspection period in Indiana?
It is set by your purchase agreement, not by state law. Read your contract or ask your agent for the exact deadline, and schedule specialists early.
Should I walk away if the report is long?
Not because it is long. Walk away over serious items you cannot price or fix at a price that makes sense, such as major structural movement or a house that will not qualify for your loan.
Can I ask the seller to fix everything on the report?
You can ask, but a focused request on safety items, failing systems, and lender required repairs usually gets a better response than a list of everything.
Do I need a radon test?
EPA recommends testing every home, and Indiana counties fall in EPA radon Zones 1 and 2. A test during the inspection period gives you a number to negotiate with.
Is a 1970s house a bad buy?
No. It is a house with predictable issues. Price those issues into your offer and your first five years budget, and it can be a solid buy.
Keep reading
Looking at a house and not sure what you are getting into?
Ask for a free Before You Offer review. Send me the listing. I look over the photos, the seller's disclosure, and recent sales, then flag likely condition issues and planning cost ranges before you write an offer.
Request a Before You Offer reviewOr call or text (812) 525-5489, or email john@yourpropertynegotiator.com.
The Before You Offer review is a REALTOR® and contractor review of the listing, not a home inspection. It is for buyers who are not already working with an agent. If you have an agent, please bring these questions to your agent.
Sources
- EPA and HUD lead disclosure rule, 10 day testing opportunity
- CPSC, aluminum wiring 1965 to 1973 and recommended repairs
- EPA Map of Radon Zones, Indiana
- This Old House, Cost of a Roof Replacement in Indiana, May 2026
- AskDoss, Basement Waterproofing Cost in Indiana, 2026
- Radon Ready Guide, Indiana Radon Mitigation, 2026
- Summers Plumbing Heating and Cooling, Indiana sewer and well pump pricing, 2026
- NeedSeptic, Septic Tank Pumping Cost in Indiana, 2026
- AJ Long Electric, aluminum wiring remediation pricing, 2026
- Wardmark Property Operations pricing, June to September 2026
Written by John Long, REALTOR®, 1 Percent Lists Indiana Real Estate. Working contractor who has priced hundreds of home inspection repair requests. Former labor relations negotiator for a major manufacturer and U.S. Coast Guard veteran.
John Long, REALTOR® · 1 Percent Lists Indiana Real Estate · (812) 525-5489 · yourpropertynegotiator.com
This page is general information, not a substitute for a professional home inspection, and not legal, tax, insurance, or lending advice. Ask a real estate attorney about contracts and disclosure, a CPA about taxes, your lender about loan rules, and a licensed inspector or tradesperson about your house. Nothing here guarantees a sale price, net proceeds, repair cost, payment, timeline, appraisal, inspection result, or loan approval. Cost figures are planning estimates, not bids. I own Wardmark Property Operations LLC, a contracting company. You are always free to use any contractor you choose.