Choosing Your Home Inspector

We take pride in doing a thorough job for our clients.  To help them make informed decisions for what can be a very daunting task, purchasing their next home.  After doing so, we're not thrilled for them until we've completed the home inspection. Unbeknownst to us, the home inspection industry is not regulated. The role of the home inspector is crucial both in providing valuable information and providing a list of items to consider.  If anything is missing or you are ill-informed you can decide to purchase a house with serious problems or walk away from a great house with a normal list of maintenance and repairs.  It is as important to choose the right inspector as it is to choose the right real estate agent.  The following advice is provided by T. E. Gordon Home Inspections Inc.

Buying a house may seem like an endless series of critical and important decisions. When you do find the house that is right for you, you need to find a home inspector to educate you about the condition of your new home. This is a wise decision, even when buying a newly constructed home; the additional peace of mind that a professional home inspection offers is invaluable.

It’s important to hire a knowledgeable, experienced and competent home inspector. Anyone can say that they are a home inspector without having taken any courses, passed tests or even inspected houses. So look for a home inspector who:

• Belongs to a National Home & Property Inspection Association or industry association
• Holds an accreditation that demonstrates training and experience
• Provides an inspection report (at least within 24 hours)
• Can provide proof they carry insurance
• Provide references and
• Has strong experience with the type of home to be inspected.

Professionally trained home inspectors are committed to conducting inspections in accordance with their association’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics and are dedicated to providing superior customer service.  A copy of their association’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics should be made available to you. It is important to understand what a home inspection is and is not.

A home inspection is a visual inspection, it is non-invasive, (no holes will be cut in walls, ceilings or floors) or technically exhaustive. A home inspection is a visual inspection stating the type and condition of various components of the dwelling.  Your inspection should include an assessment of at least the following:

• Foundation
• Doors and windows
• Roof and exterior walls
• Attics
• Plumbing and electrical systems (where visible)
• Heating and air conditioning systems
• Ceilings, walls and floors
• Insulation (where visible)
• Ventilation
• Septic tanks, wells or sewer lines (if inspector is qualified)
• Any other buildings such as a detached garage
• The lot, including drainage away from buildings, slopes and natural vegetation
• Overall opinion of structural integrity of the buildings
• Common areas (in the case of a condominium or co-operative dwellings)

Your home inspector should encourage to follow along and ask questions during the inspection, he or should be willing to answer questions concerning your purchase even after you move in. 

T. E. Gordon Home Inspections Inc. is pleased to provide this information, if you have further questions please contact our office.