Home Inspections: Tips, Do’s and Don’ts

Purchasing a home can be risky, because sometimes, it comes with a lot of unwanted strings attached. Damages that you may not notice when touring the property can arise after you’ve already purchased it, and they can cost you hefty sums of money to repair. One way to avoid this is to invest in a Home Inspection.

Home Inspectors are trained individuals that inspect a property either before or after it is sold in order to determine if there are any major damages that might put its inhabitants at risk. Sellers will often hire their own inspectors before listing the property, but it’s best to rely on your own knowledge and hire an independent inspector yourself before committing to a home.

What To Look For In an Inspection

Exterior Aspects

• Look Out For

  Exterior conditions

  Structural integrity

  Roofing

  Water drainage

  Fire safety

  Insulation

Interior Aspects

• Look Out For

  Appliances

  HVAC systems

  Interior plumbing

  Water damage

  Basements, ceilings, walls, floors and doors

  Noxious gases

Inspection Do's and Don'ts

1. Don’t rely on an inspector to tell you everything that is wrong with the home. Home inspectors cannot cause damage, and must respect the privacy of the current homeowners, and thus they can’t tell you everything there is to know about the condition of the home. That said, they can point out many of the significant repairs that may be needed.

2. Do be present during the inspection. Seller’s may hide significant damages so that inspectors don’t notice them; it’s important for you to be present so that you can advocate for yourself and your home and ensure that the inspector is looking at the whole home; even the seemingly bright and shiny parts.

3. Don’t let the realtor hire the inspector. Research local realtors, check if they are regulated (outside of Ontario) and always pick one who has hands on experience with home improvement.

4. Do read the report yourself before submitting it to the seller or letting your broker/realtor handle it. Sometimes, inspectors may tell you everything is fine upfront, but end up writing a much more rigorous report if they assume you won’t be reading it and following up.

Tips To Get You Started!

• A good place to find trusted and accredited home inspectors is the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors.

• Inspectors who have previous experience as plumbers, construction workers, engineers, builders or electricians are much more likely to give you a sound report than ones with little or no experience in any of these fields.

• Use the reports that result as leverage in order to negotiate the selling price of your home as well as repair requests.

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