Here’s a pattern we see every spring selling season: the general inspection report says “fireplace appears serviceable, recommend chimney evaluation by qualified specialist”, the buyer waves it off in the excitement, and eight months later we’re standing in their living room pricing a reline they could have negotiated into the deal.
Why the general inspection isn’t enough
No criticism of home inspectors, their scope is the whole house, and the chimney interior is explicitly outside it. A licensed home inspector checks that the damper moves and the firebox looks intact. What they can’t do is run a camera up the flue, and the flue is where the money hides: cracked tiles, failed joints, glazed creosote, water-damaged liners.
That’s why the standard is a Level 2 inspection on every property transfer, per the CSIA. It exists precisely because ownership change means the new owner has zero history with the system.
If you’re the buyer
If you’re the seller
A pre-listing Level 2 flips the dynamic: you find out what’s there before the buyer’s side does, fix it on your schedule (or price it in transparently), and hand every prospective buyer a documented clean report. Nothing kills a fireplace objection faster, and it signals the kind of maintenance history that buyers read as a well-kept house.
How fast can it happen?
Option periods are short, so this is built into how we schedule: transaction inspections get priority slots, and the documented report, photos, footage, findings, and fixed repair pricing if anything turns up, is delivered the same or next day. If a sweep is needed first for camera visibility we do it in the same visit. Book with your closing date and we work backwards from it.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for the chimney inspection in a sale?
Whoever orders it, buyers typically during option, sellers pre-listing. There’s no Texas rule assigning it; it’s leverage either way.
Can you coordinate with my agent?
Yes, and we regularly do. Reports are written to be handed directly into the transaction file, and we’re happy to walk either agent through findings by phone.