What is a Home Inspection

What Is a Home Inspection.  Most home buyers will go through the home inspection process before buying their home, but there are still people who are not sure whether they really need a home inspection or not.  These people typically have a relative who is a contractor or in the construction business and they are willing to rely on their expertise when making one of the most significant investments in theirs life.

Home inspections have been around for over twenty years and initially most Realtor’s did not promote using them.  Realtor’s only get paid when their clients buy or sell a property so it stands to reason that anyone who may prevent that from happening would not be welcomed by most Realtor’s.  This is why many people prefer to hire their own home inspector to get an un-biased opinion of the property and not the favourite go to guy that some Realtor’s may use.   Some home inspectors have been known to gloss over a properties short comings to get a Realtor’s business.  The Realtor’s code of ethics requires them to refer a minimum of three home inspectors to their client for this very reason.

These are some of the many reasons why a home inspection is considered as an advantage for home buyers:

It really does reveal much

barrie home inspection

Home inspection will give you a clear perspective of the property you are interested to buy. Some of the most important matters that are revealed during a home inspection are: serious property issues, possible repair needs, safety assessment, air system and ventilation quality, quality of walls and floors, electrical wiring, drainage etc.

Shop around and find a Professional 

Different home inspection services charge differently:  by square foot, by hour or by a general assessment on the house. Shop around and find out what the price includes as almost every company works differently. The more established home inspection companies offer Free Thermal Imaging as part of the home inspection package.  Thermal Imaging can detect hidden moisture, hot spots in electrical wiring and fixtures and it can also find areas of missing insulation.  Professional home inspectors are also WETT certified which is important if you have a wood burning appliance as your insurance company will require an inspection by a Wett Certified Professional.

It only takes a few hours

How long a home inspection takes usually will depend  mainly on the size of the home. Usually, an average home inspection takes about 2-3 hours, but there are also big houses that require more time in order the inspection to be conducted properly.  Century homes will typically take longer as there are more issues such as knob & tube wiring, galvanized plumbing, asbestos insulation and structural considerations to evaluate.  Most professionals inspectors will charge $50.00 more for inspecting this type of home.

The Results are 98% true

Certified Master Inspector - Barrie

When buying a home you have to remember that  home inspection does not provide a guarantee that a house is free from defects. It only reports what is visible at the time of the inspection.  Although we have all seen Mike Holmes go into a home and start pulling down walls etc. you have to remember that the property is still owned by someone else and you or the home inspector do not have permission to do any damage to the property.  A home inspection can not protect you from a home owner who deliberately hides a deficiency or symptom of a deficiency by covering or painting to prevent discovery.  Always ensure your Realtor has a Seller Property Information Sheet filled out which can protect you if it is discovered that the seller did if fact hide a deficiency which would have prevented you from buying the home if you had known.  A Certified Master Inspector will have performed a minimum of 1,000 inspections and had a background check.