Inspectors write “further evaluation” for liability and for genuine uncertainty. Your job is to tell which.
Treat as a stop / scope requirement when
- Safety systems are involved (gas, electrical, structural)
- The finding cites inaccessible areas that could hide active damage
- Cost could flip proceed → negotiate → walk
Treat as lower urgency when
- The note is generic (“older home — systems may fail”)
- No symptom, no photo, no recommended specialist type
- The system already has a recent service record you can verify
Ask once, in writing: What would change your recommendation if a specialist clears this? If the answer is “nothing,” you may be reading boilerplate.
Embargoed until late July so the digest cadence stays staggered.