What is covered in a home inspection?
A comprehensive inspection includes an
examination of the structure from top to
bottom including heating, air
conditioning, plumbing and electrical
systems, as well as the roof, visible
insulation, walls, ceilings, floors,
windows, doors, foundation and basement.
In older homes, the presence of lead
paint, aluminum wiring, asbestos and
urea formaldehyde foam insulation (or
UFFI) should also be investigated.
Some of these things may affect the
appraised value of the home. Home
inspections usually run about three
hours. Take the time to join the
inspector during the process. Doing so
will give you a firsthand opportunity to
see any problems for yourself and become
much more familiar with your new home in
the bargain. You'll also learn a host of
maintenance tips on how to keep your
property in top shape.
The inspector should provide you with a
written report that summarizes the
inspection and points out defects and
the estimated costs for making any
repairs. Don't ask the inspector to
evaluate the home's purchase price or
general property value. It's not their
role to keep up on home prices in the
market.
Why do I need a home inspection?
A home inspection before you purchase a
property gives you the security of
knowing what to expect and helps you
make an informed decision about the
value of the home and the costs of
future upkeep. If a major problem is
discovered, you can bring it to the
seller's attention before waiving any
conditions on your offer to purchase. As
most REALTORS will tell you, hiring a
home inspector to inspect the property
you are interested in purchasing is one
of the smartest things you can do.
How do I find a home inspector?
The Canadian home and building
inspection industry consists mostly of
home/property inspectors and public or
municipal building code officials. Some
7000 individuals work in this industry.
Try to find an inspector who is a member
of a professional home or building
inspection association or who is
licensed in a building-related field
(architects or structural engineers).
Your REALTOR may be able to recommend
several to choose from. You may want to
avoid inspectors who are also
renovators, since their reports may not
be objective.
With the support of the Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corporation (CMHC), a new
national organization, the Canadian
Association of Home and Property
Inspectors (CAHPI) was formed to provide
consumers across Canada with access to
home and property inspection services
that conform to a national standard of
practice and code of ethics.
Until such national standards are
established, CMHC urges consumers and
housing industry professionals alike to
consider the following questions with
regard to home inspectors and
inspections:
How long have they been working as home
inspectors?
What qualifications do they have?
What training or education do they have?
Do they belong to an industry
association?
Can they provide references?
What does the inspection include?
Is the inspection strictly visual?
Can the client accompany the inspector
during the inspection?
Are there re-inspections, if necessary,
to inspect repairs? Do they also do
renovation work?
Are they working on behalf of a real
estate agent?
Will a written report be provided?
When will the report be provided?
Will they identify current problems as
well as those that are imminent?
Do they have errors and omissions
insurance?
Do they have any disclaimers or
limitations as part of their contract?
Visit the Alberta chapter of CAHPI at
www.cahpi-alberta.com or CMHC's website
at
www.cmhc.ca for more information.
Compliments of the Alberta Real Estate
Association Revised March 2003
Available for download:
