Many people buying Real Estate, when asked to get a home inspection decline the offer. Why do people, usually spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, decide to save two to three hundreds dollars? Simply put, these people usually have no understanding of what a professional home inspection entails.



A professional home inspection starts with the exterior of your property, checking your lot for retaining walls, water drainage, and any hidden problems such as buried oil tanks or other potentially costly items. A visit to the roof is usually next, checking shingles, roof vents, dormers, flashing, fascia, eaves troughs, exterior windows, window sills and siding material. This is an important area as new roofs can cost upwards of $7,000 dollars and repairing cracked or missing brick on second storey can also be expensive.

Next to be checked is the foundation, poured or block, looking for cracks indicating settling of the property, or severe spalling of finish. Small cracks can be repaired with epoxy for around $600.00, making area stronger than before. Remember your house is only as solid as its foundation. Some houses are supported on concrete blocks with 2 X 4's used as levelers. This is usually found on cottages and waterfront properties.

Inside the home, the basement is a treasure house of items that must be inspected. You have your furnace, hot water tank, sump pump, electrical panel, humidifier, air conditioning, duct work, air filter or electronic, structural support, windows, stairs, insulation and vapour barriers, plumbing, smoke detectors, exits, finishes, such as drywall, paneling, ceilings, doors and bathrooms.

Plumbing is an important aspect of the home inspection process. Toilets have to be checked for flushing, leaking, securely fastened, shut offs and condition. Sinks have to be checked for leaks, finish, working taps, shut offs and working condition. Baths and showers are also checked for leaks, missing grout, leaks, caulking, fixtures and working condition. Your supply lines are also checked to ensure listed product is not subject to alerts or product recall. Some poly products have been subject to bursting and leaks.

Electrical power supply is a major issue. Is the power supply adequate for your home? Is your electrical panel installed safely and correctly? Is your wiring copper or aluminum? Aluminum has characteristics that require special knowledge during installation and for maintenance. All your outlets, switches, GFCI's are checked with the appropriate testing devices for polarity and current drop. All visible wiring boxes and junctions are all inspected to ensure proper installation.

Windows and doors are all inspected to ensure proper closing and to check for damage, either through use or aging. Quite a few thermal pane windows lose their seal after a number of years, especially if facing the south. They can be very expensive to replace or have repaired.

Last but not least is the attic. Your roof structure is thoroughly inspected, looking for missing rafters or cracked trusses. Your insulation is also checked, to ensure proper coverage and that it hasn't been disturbed by someone doing a home wiring project and not replaced, causing a major heat loss problem. Asbestos and vermiculite are two products that you don't want to find in your attic, but both have been used in the past and removal might be expensive. Ventilation of your attic is very important and done improperly can lead to early shingle failure. A professional home inspector will assess your attic ventilation and ensure that it is adequate for your home.

Even brand new homes are a good investment for a home inspection. Building officials only check a percentage of homes in a new subdivision which allows for the possibility for mistakes. Some mistakes I have found are, different colored shingles, crack trusses, missing insulation, cracked basement foundation, broken windows, missing caulking, damaged cabinets and missing handrails and guards for decks.

You be the judge, just one small item of the defects listed above would, if paid for by yourself, have covered the cost of the home inspection. A major defect could run into the thousands of dollars if left un-corrected.

When purchasing a home, use a professional home inspector.