Hiring a Home Inspector

Find out about potential problems before you buy!

Buying a home is probably one of the most expensive and important decisions you’ll ever make. But unlike many of life’s other major purchases, when it comes to buying a house, there’s no such thing as a money back guarantee. Once you buy a home, you are on your own to maintain and repair it, anticipate problems – and pay the bills.

Hiring a professional home inspector can help you find out as much as possible about a home’s condition, habitability and safety before you sign on the dotted line. Contrary to what Mike Holmes (Holmes on Homes HGTV) might have you think, there are plenty of reputable, knowledgeable and thorough Home Inspectors out there.

Here are some tips for finding a qualified home inspector:

Ask your Realtor or friends or family members who have recently purchased a home for a recommendation. Check association web sites, the Yellow Pages, or housing trade magazines for names of qualified home inspectors.

Make sure the home inspector is an experienced, full time inspector, not a renovator or contractor with an inspection business on the side.

Look for inspectors who are liscensed, belong to a provincial association, and determine if they  meet the standards of competency of the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (CAHPI)

Ask for references and call to see if they were satisfied with the service they received.

Choose only home inspectors who are not associated with any other construction or housing trade, and who therefore don’t carry out the repairs or improvements themselves.

Make sure the home inspector does not solicit, receive or give referral fees.

Ensure that the inspection is carried out during the day, as nighttime inspections may miss vital components of the exterior of the house.

Find out where you can get more information on the inspector and his or her firm, such as the company’s web site or industry association.

Finally, ask what you will receive once the inspection is complete, and when you can expect to receive it. A professional home inspector should provide a written report reviewing every major exterior and interior component and system in the home, usually within 24 hours of inspection.

Information supplied by Supplied by Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation