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A Colorado home inspection misses four things when the buyer orders the base package only: the electrical panel behind the cover, the plumbing under the slab and out to the street, the roof after five hail seasons, and the environmental readings for radon and other contamination. This guide covers what a Denver metro inspection needs to include, what each add-on costs, and what the findings mean under the Colorado Contract to Buy and Sell.
A general inspection on a 2,000 square foot Front Range home costs $400 to $700 and takes 3 to 4 hours. The four add-ons below add $500 to $1,000 in total. Against a median detached price in the $600,000 range, that is the cheapest insurance in the transaction.
How long is the inspection period in Colorado?
The Colorado Real Estate Commission's Contract to Buy and Sell sets three dates: the inspection objection deadline, the inspection resolution deadline and the inspection termination deadline. The Kenna Real Estate Group writes 7 to 10 days for the objection deadline on most Denver metro purchases, which leaves time for a general inspection, a sewer scope, a radon test (48 hours minimum) and a specialist visit if the general inspector flags something. The buyer's earnest money stays protected through the termination deadline. The full timeline is on the what happens after your offer is accepted page.
1. The electrical system: panels, wiring and 5,280 feet
Lights that turn on prove nothing. The inspector removes the panel cover and reports the brand, the amperage and the wiring type. Three findings appear again and again in Denver metro homes:
- Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels in homes built from the 1960s through the early 1980s across Lakewood, Arvada, Aurora and Littleton. Insurers decline or surcharge them. Replacement runs $2,500 to $5,000.
- Aluminum branch wiring in homes built 1965 to 1973. Repair with approved connectors costs $1,500 to $4,000; a full rewire of a 1,500 square foot ranch costs $10,000 to $20,000.
- 100-amp service in a home that now needs an EV charger, central air and an induction range. A 200-amp upgrade costs $2,500 to $4,500 through Xcel Energy's service territory.
Ask for a GFCI and AFCI test on every kitchen, bath, garage and exterior outlet; missing protection is the most common electrical write-up on pre-2000 homes.
2. Plumbing: the sewer scope is not optional in the Denver metro
The general inspection runs the faucets and checks under sinks. It does not look at the main sewer line, and in Colorado the sewer line is the finding that changes the deal. Order a sewer scope ($150 to $300) on every home built before 2000 and on every home with mature trees in the front yard.
- Clay tile lines in Denver's pre-1970 neighborhoods (Park Hill, Washington Park, Berkeley, Platt Park) crack and admit roots. Spot repair costs $3,000 to $8,000; a full replacement to the tap costs $8,000 to $25,000 depending on depth and street cuts.
- Orangeburg pipe (tar-impregnated fiber) in 1950s and 1960s homes collapses. Replacement is the only fix.
- Galvanized supply lines in pre-1960 homes cut water pressure and corrode from the inside. Re-piping a bungalow in PEX costs $6,000 to $15,000.
- Polybutylene supply lines in 1980s and early 1990s builds in Aurora, Highlands Ranch and Westminster fail at the fittings.
- Lead service lines: Denver Water's Lead Reduction Program is replacing customer-side lead service lines at no charge in homes built before 1951. Ask for the property's status on the program map.
Freeze-thaw matters too. Hose bibs without frost-free valves, exposed pipes in unconditioned crawl spaces and sprinkler backflow devices that were never blown out for winter show up as water damage the following spring. The pre-offer home checks for Denver metro buyers post shows what to look at before you even write the offer.
3. The roof after Colorado hail season
Ground-level roof observations are worthless on the Front Range. Hail season runs May to September, and the Denver metro sits in the most active hail corridor in the country. Insist on a walk of the roof or a drone survey, and get the roof's install date from the seller's disclosure and the county permit record.
| Roof finding | What it means for a Colorado buyer | Cost range |
|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles over 15 years old | Many Colorado insurers decline or add a cosmetic-damage exclusion | Replacement $12,000 to $25,000 on 2,000 sq ft |
| Unrepaired hail bruising | Prior claim paid but roof never replaced; ask for the claim record | Negotiate a credit for the full replacement |
| Class 4 impact-resistant shingles | Insurance discount with every major Colorado carrier | $1,500 to $4,000 more than standard at install |
| Concrete tile or metal | 40 to 50 year life; check underlayment, not the tile | Underlayment replacement $15,000 to $35,000 |
UV at 5,280 feet cooks shingles faster than at sea level, which is why a 25-year shingle lasts 15 to 20 years here. Ask the inspector to photograph the south and west slopes. The Colorado roof report for home buyers covers the full checklist.
4. Environmental readings: radon, meth and mold
Radon is the Colorado item most out-of-state buyers skip. The EPA maps every Front Range county as Zone 1, and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reports that about half of the homes tested in the state come in above the 4 pCi/L action level. A 48-hour continuous monitor test costs $150 to $250. Mitigation on a typical Denver metro home runs $1,200 to $2,500 and the seller pays it or credits it in most negotiations. Full detail is in radon in Denver homes: testing and mitigation.
Radiation detection goes beyond the radon monitor on some properties. One of the biggest benefits of using radiation detectors in home inspection is a same-day reading, which matters on homes near former mining and milling sites in Jefferson County and along the Front Range mineral belt. You are free to use any inspection provider.
- Meth contamination: Colorado law requires a seller who knows of meth contamination to disclose it, and a preliminary screening test costs $200 to $500. Order it on any foreclosure, estate sale or home that sat vacant.
- Mold: finished basements in bentonite clay zones take on water through foundation cracks. A moisture meter reading on basement drywall costs nothing extra; air sampling costs $300 to $600.
- Expansive soils: if the inspector notes diagonal cracks over doors, heaving slabs or doors that stick, order a structural engineer ($400 to $700) before the objection deadline. Pier repair runs $15,000 to $40,000 on a tract home.
What happens after the inspection in a Colorado purchase?
The buyer sends an Inspection Objection by the deadline listing the repairs or credits requested. The seller answers with an Inspection Resolution. If they do not agree by the resolution deadline, the buyer terminates and the earnest money returns. Denver metro sellers in 2026 agree to credits on roof, sewer and radon findings in most transactions; cosmetic items get no traction. The making an offer on a Colorado home page explains how the group writes the deadlines.
Loan type changes what the seller must fix. FHA and VA appraisals in Colorado require peeling paint on pre-1978 homes, missing handrails and a roof with at least two years of remaining life to be corrected before closing. Mike Oswald, VP of Mortgage Lending at Rate, NMLS 261003, Equal Housing Lender, reviews inspection findings against the loan program for the group's buyers. You are free to use any lender. See the Colorado home financing guide and the mortgage pre-approval guide, and budget the inspection fees with the rest of the closing costs for Colorado home buyers.
How to choose a Denver metro inspector
- Licensing: Colorado does not license home inspectors. Ask for InterNACHI or ASHI certification, errors-and-omissions insurance and a sample report.
- Thermal imaging and drone: included by the better Denver inspectors at no extra charge; ask before booking.
- Sewer scope in-house: saves a second appointment inside a 7-day window.
- Attend the last hour: the walk-through with the inspector is where the priorities get explained.
The find a good home inspector in Denver post lists the questions to ask. The Denver home buyer verification checklist covers everything outside the inspection: permits, HOA documents, metro districts and the title commitment.
Where to go next
- The Colorado home buyer's guide
- First-time home buyer guide for Colorado
- Inspection red flags that kill Denver home sales
- Homes for sale in Denver and homes for sale in Aurora
- Moving to Denver guide and Colorado relocation services
- Meet the Kenna Real Estate Group agents
Talk to the Kenna Real Estate Group
The Kenna Real Estate Group, Keller Williams DTC, schedules the general inspection, the sewer scope, the radon test and any specialist inside the objection window on every Denver metro and Front Range purchase, then negotiates the findings into credits or repairs. Read how we help buyers, then call or text 303-955-4220. A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree. Start now and search every home for sale in Colorado.
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Guides
Questions about any home in Colorado? Call or text 303-955-4220. A live person answers.
