Choosing a Home Inspector

The most important factor in choosing a home inspector is to ensure that you choose one who will provide you with the proper service and advice. Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and we would suggest that you do not choose an inspector based solely on his/her fee. Instead, look for experience and ask questions, lots of questions such as:How long he/she has been in the business and what is his/her experience in the industry? What are his/her educational background and qualifications? Is he/she a full member of any professional provincial and/or home inspection association?

Check with the professional and home inspection associations concerning the inspector's background and verify the inspector's proof of membership.  Make sure he/she is a full member, not merely an associated member or applicant.

Make your own personal assessment of how the inspector appears to you as a professional. Ask yourself: Will he/she get the job done? Has he/she answered all the questions you have asked?

Ask for references from satisfied customers.

If there are any trade-specific issues that arise during inspection, I will refer you to a qualified specialist (e.g. plumber, electrician, structural engineer, etc.).

How to Prepare for an Inspection

No home is perfect. Anything from major damage to minor maintenance issues are often found. Even new homes are not immune – they could have problems with the plumbing, electrical system, heating and cooling system, or the roofing system just to name a few.

For homeowners, it's important to be aware of any issues your home may have prior to putting it on the market. Getting a pre-listing home inspection will ensure that you're aware of any problems and can take care of them on your terms – or present them as-is and adjust your selling price proportionally. The alternative leaves you open to costly surprises and delays, and even potential deal-breakers once you've entered negotiations with the buyer.

For buyers, an inspection is vital to uncovering issues a home may have but are invisible to the untrained eye. Even if the inspection finds more problems than you're comfortable with and you move on to a different home to start the process all over again, it's money well spent. An inspection will give you the opportunity to ask the seller to make the repairs before you buy, or to back out of the contract.

When your inspector arrives, it is recommended that you accompany him on the inspection of the property. This is so you can become familiar with the home and its systems as well as exactly what repairs the inspector recommends and why. You might also want to prepare a list of items that you've seen in the home that you feel are cause for concern as well as any questions you may have. The inspection is a great time to find out where the home's water and gas shutoffs are and where the fuse box is.

If you already own your home here are some other suggestions:

Accessibility: Make sure that all areas of the home are accessible, especially to the attic and crawl space. It's also a good idea to trim any trees and shrubs that may make an inspection of the exterior of the property difficult.

Housekeeping: The inspector may photograph your home for the inspection report, so clearing the clutter and moving vehicles from the front of the home will help the inspection go smoother.

Maintenance: Repair minor things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.