What a standard home inspection covers, and what it does not
A general home inspection is a broad visual look at the house: roof, structure, plumbing, electrical and heating. A good inspector will note visible water stains or suspected growth, but most do not collect air samples or send anything to a lab. Growth hidden behind finishes, in a crawl space or in ductwork can go unreported.
A mold inspection is narrower and deeper. It focuses on moisture history and fungal growth, and air samples analyzed by an accredited lab show whether spore levels indoors differ from the outdoor air on the same day.
When a mold inspection is worth it
We recommend one when any of these apply: the home is older or has a finished or daylight basement; the listing or seller disclosure mentions a past leak, flood or remediation; the house smells musty, or was staged with heavy air fresheners; your general inspector flagged staining in the attic or crawl space; or someone in your household has asthma, allergies or a health condition that makes air quality a priority.
How it fits Washington's inspection timeline
Most Seattle-area offers use NWMLS Form 35, the inspection addendum. It gives the buyer an inspection period that defaults to 10 days after mutual acceptance unless a different number is written in, and in competitive markets buyers often agree to fewer. Lab results for air samples typically take a few business days, so timing matters.
Our advice: book the mold inspection for the same day as your general inspection, or within a day or two. That leaves room for lab results and for your agent to prepare a response before the deadline. If an inspector recommends further evaluation, Form 35 also lets the buyer request extra time for a specialist inspection.
What to do with the results
If the report comes back clean, you buy with more confidence and a baseline for the future. If lab results suggest remediation is warranted, you have documentation to negotiate a repair, a credit or a price change, or to walk away within your contingency. Either way, you decide with data instead of a guess.
Why independence matters for buyers
When a company that sells remediation inspects your future home, it has a reason to find problems. An inspection-only firm has no stake in the outcome. That matters most when thousands of dollars in negotiation depend on the report.
Frequently asked questions
Can I skip the general inspection and just do mold?
We do not recommend it. A mold inspection adds depth on one issue; it does not replace a general home inspection.
Can the seller's pre-listing report replace my own?
It is a useful starting point, but it was commissioned by the seller. Many buyers order their own for an independent read.
How long does a mold inspection take?
Usually one to three hours on site, depending on the size of the home and the number of samples.