What to know when choosing a home inspector

Author: Mississauga Home Inspections

Choosing the right home inspector is a very important decision that will affect your overall home inspection. Since home inspectors in canada are not required to have any legal certifications to persue the practise, it is important to verify whether your home inspector has the right qualifications.

Some basic suggested requirements of a home inspector would be to provide you with a detailed report of your propery inspection results and the home inspector should provide you with a list of recommendations and standards for your home inspection. Some home inspectors will identify concerns with your home inspection report and some will even provide details of the concerns which may include photographs of the affected review.

Some things to consider , or ask the inspector you will be choosting are;

Features and costs

Ask your home inspector what elements of your property he or she will inspect, inquire about the service provided and the cost of the inspection. Some home inspectors will have a set cost based on the total square footage of the dwelling they are to inspect, the approximate age of the property and even the location of the property. Be sure to clarify all hidden costs and identify whether the price is inclusive.

The provided report

Home inspectors will generally provide you with a written or printed report of the subject property once the inspection has been completed. This report should include all inspected elements and have careful review of the suspect property. It is recommended to have the home inspector provide you with a report on-site , however some inspectors may provide a web based report after they have processed the data. It is recommended to ask the home inspector for a sample report that they use for a better understanding of the elements in which will be inspected.

Certifications

As canadian home inspectors are not required to posess any certifications for home inspections, most home inspectors are certified from a variety of inspection certification institutes. Please have a look at the article home inspection certifications for more information about each individual certification provider.

Standards of Practise

Home inspectors usually follow a certain Standards of Practise which will include the type of inspection, the elements of the inspection and the reporting standards of the provided home inspection report. Be sure to ask your home inspector of their routine and standards of practise before making the decision.

Previous Inspections

Your home inspector should provide you with a general idea of how many inspections they perform in a month and the usual location of these inspections. As most home inspectors work locally, you should ensure that your inspector is familiare with the location of the property and have relative experience in the area.