Are you looking to purchase your first property or list your house for sale? Before taking the plunge, it is important to consider the advice of Canadian home inspectors. A home inspection is typically done after the seller has accepted your offer, but before you buy the home. To have enough time to carry out additional inspections or negotiate with the seller, it is advisable to schedule a home inspection as soon as possible after the contract has been concluded. When searching for a reliable home inspector, ask for references from previous customers, particularly from homeowners who have been in their homes for at least six months.
This will help you determine if there have been any issues that were not reported in your inspections. Do not trust real estate agents to recommend you to home inspectors, says Steve Maxwell, a home improvement consultant based in Manitoulin Island, Ontario. If the home inspector does not use the CSA A770 home inspection standard, consider asking how their inspection procedures compare to the procedures listed in the standard. However, there are steps you can take to find a trustworthy home inspector before making an offer on a home.
If desired, ask your home inspector if the CSA A770 standard for home inspections will apply during the inspection. A comprehensive home inspection report can help you make more informed decisions about your purchase or the possible repairs you may need to make. You can review the home inspection report with your realtor to decide how the problems found may affect the purchase of the potential home. A good home inspector should provide you with a detailed report documenting everything they inspected in your home. Get recommendations from friends and colleagues and search the databases of professional associations, such as the American Society of Home Inspectors and the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. Take a look at a sample report before hiring someone, says Graham Clarke, president of the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors.
If you're thinking of buying a log home or a house that has a lot of worked wood, it is essential to make sure you hire the right type of home inspector. Be wary of quotes at the bottom as they could mean that the inspector is harming customers. Do not hesitate to ask for a sample report and remember that, a day ago, word of mouth was gold. In addition, a home inspector does not necessarily determine if your home complies with local building codes. A home inspector who isn't familiar with log homes may not know this and won't know what to look for to make sure your home is trouble-free for years to come. Even if the seller offers to share their home inspection report or claims that the home has been previously inspected, you'll need to organize your own inspection so you can investigate the inspector yourself.
In conclusion, a good home inspector is a worthwhile investment, not only to ensure that current or future problems are addressed, but also to give you peace of mind before buying your home.
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