How long does your standard inspection take?
It depends on what we find, the age and size of the property and the amount of questions that arise. For a full inspection, typically between three hours should be set aside by the seller with the majority finished in 2.5 hours.. Beware of anyone that says a proper home inspection can be done in less that an hour!
What about Pre offer Inspections?
We appreciate the market is very, very hot at the moment, so we are now presenting Pre-Offer Reviews. This is an approximately one hour review of the property in which we record the major items (See "Prices" page for full details) to enable quick bidding and to cover the questions usually asked by the insurance companies. It is a compromise to enable piece of mind when a full inspection is not possible due to time constraints.
I am the buyer, do you send a copy of the report to the seller?
No. The report is your property of the person that pays for it. (And the intellectual property of the inspector writing it). A home inspector cannot share the report without that person's permission. That includes the local municipality, Insurance agents, the listing agent and even your buying agent.
I am a seller. What can you do for me?
So am I buying a code inspection?
No. Although a good inspector will use the building code as a reference for safety, you are not obtaining a code inspection.
My uncle / cousin / friend is in construction. He is cheaper / free. Why should we not use him?
Remember, Houses were built to the code that was applicable at the time of construction. It's often the case that most contractors will simply advise you to demolish everything and let them build it again to the code they are most familiar with. As good as they may be, they simply do not have the extensive training and experience that a good home inspector possesses. In most cases their recommendations prove to be completely unnecessary and can cause stress and financial headaches. If you take an old car to a dealership, guess what? They will recommend you buy a new car! Also, consider if they misidentify anything, are you really going to risk causing a rift in your family / friendship over it?
I don't understand who's qualified and who is not? What's all of these letters mean after inspector's names. What if mine does not have any?
​The first thing you must know is that at the moment there is NO regulation of Home Inspectors in Ontario. Anyone can pick up a flashlight and call themselves one. However this will all be changed imminently with the introduction of the Home Inspection Act 2017 http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=4333&detailPage=bills_detail_the_bill .
It is unclear what standards the government will accept from currently qualified inspectors, but it is clear that those who carry no formal qualifications, training or insurance will be forced to refrain from offering Home Inspections in the future or suffer heavy fines and potentially prosecution.
The initials C.H.I simply mean that the person is a Certified Home Inspector. This certificate may have been awarded by any number of bodies, colleges or even Franchisors. Putting the letters C.H.I after you name is considered misleading as it implies authority and depending on if copyrighted titles apply or not, may be a legally protected term.
Absolutely! That way you can ask questions and learn about the house as we go. Can't make it? That also fine. I shall send a comprehensive report with extra detail and more pictures to keep you informed.
Do you print the report on site?
Certainly not! The report is the written record of the observations made. You deserve to have the inspector give you their full attention during the time we are together. I will go home and review all of the information and review the pictures to ensure the report is complete before emailing it to you within 24 hours. Rest assured you will receive a full verbal summary before we leave the inspection site.
We do not offer constrictive packages, forcing people to pay extra for things they don't want or need. We offer one amazing inspection with the option of Add-ons as required. (Infra red, WETT inspection, etc) Please see our price list for further details.
​So your inspection is a review guaranteeing the condition of the property for the future?
No, the inspection is a visual examination of the property as of that time. It does not imply a warranty or a guarantee for future performance. Think of it like this, Imagine a roof is reviewed and assessed as typically having 5 years left. It is beyond the scope of a home inspection to predict that three shingles would be blown off in a massive storm 3 years later. We provide reasonable estimates based on a visible review and typical life cycles.
Will you climb the roof and enter crawlspaces?
Yes, as long as in the opinion of the inspector it is safe to do so and he is physically able to.
Do you work late and on the weekends?
Absolutely! I will work around your schedule. The real estate market can be fast moving! Do remember however, that it can be dark during the winter months and so visibility can be an issue .