Question:

What's the point of a home inspector disclosing cosmetic defects?  I just had a "structural" inspection, and the report recommended repainting a stain on the ceiling.  This stain is not a "structural" problem, but it has started a chain of
requests from the buyer to correct cosmetic defects.  Our contract does not spell out the difference between cosmetic repairs and structural repairs.  So now the buyer is using the inspection report as a shopping list.  What should I do?

Answer:

Your point is well taken, but with some important qualifications.  Cosmetic
defects, such as ceiling stains, should not become the focus of a home inspection report, and the repair of stains is certainly not incumbent upon a seller.  But stains on a ceiling are indicative of past or current leakage, either at the roof or the plumbing system.  Further evaluation of such conditions is often warranted. If an inspection takes place during dry weather, it is not always possible to
determine whether rain leakage will occur, but specific review of roof surfaces above ceiling stains is a critical part of a detailed inspection.

Another item that needs clarification is your repeated reference to a home
inspection as a "structural" inspection.  In a strict sense, the word "structural" is very limited in its scope, referring primarily to issues involving foundations, framing, and ground stability.  A home inspection, however, encompasses far more issues than these, including but not limited to the plumbing, heating, and electrical systems, fireplaces and chimneys, roofing, built-in appliances, ground drainage, general safety compliance, and much more. In essence, the purpose of an inspection is to identify significant property defects which are visually
discernible.  Cosmetic defects are typically included as a courtesy only. But to limit the scope of a home inspection to purely structural considerations is to drastically reduce the accepted standards of practice for a physical inspection.