The Home Inspection

Purchasing a home is the largest investment most of us will make. This process should involve the expert assistance of an experienced Realtor and a qualified registered home inspector. Although you can examine the home yourself, most people simply do not have the expertise of a qualified home inspector

The Home Inspector is the Expert.

It is Important to note, the home inspector does not appraise the property, make guarantees about the structural viability and building codes, make recommendations on whether you should buy the house or not, or find hidden defects. The inspector will find visible problems that could be overlooked by a real estate agent, a buyer, or a seller - and that is why you need them. An inspector can provide you with the information you need to help make your purchase decision wisely

There is a professional associations for home inspectors, Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (CAHPI) www.cahpi.ca/. ,The Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI). (www.oahi.com/) is the Ontario provincial organization. Friends who bought a home, or your agent, may be able to recommend a qualified home inspector who has performed well in the past. You want to know about any previous experience, how long they have been doing inspections, if they do inspections full time, how much they charge, what they charge extra for, and when they want to be paid.

The Offer for purchase should have a Home Inspection Clause which specifies a certain number of days to get the inspection performed, and allows you a specific number of days to review and approve the inspection

Who you actually hire is your choice, You may even want to hire someone before you make an offer. Make sure you hire the inspector quickly enough to meet all the deadlines in your Offer to Purchase. Typically an inspection takes between 2 and 3 hours, occasionally longer

Your inspector will check the foundation, doors, windows, roof, vents, fans, gutters, plumbing, electrical systems, heating, cooling, ceilings, walls, floors, insulation, ventilation, exterior, basement and attic. They will determine the components that are not performing properly as well as items that are beyond their useful life or are unsafe. They will also identify areas where repairs may be needed or where there may have been problems in the past.

Well water analysis and septic inspections are not part of a standard home inspection but very important. I would suggest that you have both of these areas addressed by professionals in those specialties when home is not on Municipal water or sewer.. Several Laboratories provide water sample vials that may be collected and filled by the purchaser and submitted to the lab for analysis.

The inspector may also recommend a specialist to test for such things as levels of radon gas. You might have to hire separate experts to inspect for termites or other pests, or inspect special home features such as a swimming pool.

Note that a home inspector is not qualified to inspect a wood-burning appliance such as a fireplace or wood stove unless they are WETT (Wood Energy Technology Training) certified.

You will benefit most from your inspection if you can be at the house during the inspection. The home inspection is the perfect opportunity to become familiar with the house. Do not hesitate to ask questions. A good inspector will be glad to take the time to explain proper maintenance and operating procedures for many of the building components.

When the inspector is done, he/she will generally issue a written report reviewing every major home system and component within 24 hours. There may be some problems with the house, and they may be major problems or minor problems. You might have some questions. If problems or symptoms beyond the scope of the inspection are found, the home inspector may recommend further evaluation. A home inspection is not to be mistaken as a warranty on the house.

The reason for the report is not to provide you with a laundry list of items for the seller to repair. The purpose is to provide you with information that you may have overlooked so you can make a final decision to move forward and close the deal or not. The inspector can answer any questions that do arise. Put them in writing as an amendment to your offer, if you do discover a problem that is so troublesome you would consider backing out. It makes sense to give the seller a chance to repair it. Always set deadlines if you negotiate a repair in writing with the appropriate initials, signatures, and dates.