15 Questions That You Should Ask When Shopping for a Home Inspector
Q: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?
A: Home inspectors come and go. The long time firms are here to stay. They'll be here if you have a question or a problem down the road. Carson, Dunlop has been in business since 1978. We are one of the oldest and largest home inspection companies in Canada.
Q: WHAT ARE YOUR INSPECTORS' QUALIFICATIONS?
A: The industry is essentially unregulated. Anyone can call themselves a home inspector. Our inspectors are actually engineers. They have all graduated from engineering programs at Canadian universities. Most have earned their designation as Professional Engineers.
Q: CAN I FOLLOW ALONG AT THE INSPECTION?
A: If they won't let you go to the inspection, don't use them. We actually encourage you to attend. This is a valuable learning experience for most home buyers. It is the perfect opportunity to ask specific questions about the condition of the home. Also, where defects are identified, the engineer can discuss these so that you understand what repairs are required, when and at roughly what cost.
Q:ARE YOU MEMBERS OF OAHI AND ASHI?
A: Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop were actually founding members of the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors. Alan Carson was the 1993 President of OAHI. Bob Dunlop was the first Canadian member of the American Society of Home Inspectors in 1984. Alan Carson was the 1994 President of ASHI.
Q: DO YOU DO REPAIRS OR RECOMMEND CONTRACTORS?
A: No. We are a consulting engineering firm specializing in building inspections. We consider it a conflict of interest for a home inspector to recommend or refer a contractor to perform repairs. We offer an unbiased opinion on the condition of the home. We accept no referral fees from anyone.
Q: HOW MUCH DOES AN INSPECTION COST?
A: Our typical fee for an inspection is $419. However, some factors will affect the fee. If you are comparing home inspection firms, the fee charged should not be the sole deciding factor, unless of course the level of service offered is identical.
We suspect the house you are buying is not the cheapest house, but rather a house that you feel represents good value. We urge you to choose your home inspector the same way.
Q : HOW LONG DOES AN INSPECTION TAKE?
A: A typical home inspection takes between 2 and 3 hours. Some older and/or larger homes can take longer. As a courtesy to the vendor, they should be informed of the time involved once the inspection is arranged.
Q: DO YOU PROVIDE A WRITTEN REPORT?
A: Yes. Our report is ready for you upon completion of the inspection itself. No delay. We have developed a comprehensive report writing system, The Home Reference Book, that our clients have found to be essential in assisting them in their decision to purchase. It is also a valuable reference during your ownership of the property. It includes a one page summary of the condition of the home, nine reports dealing with the major systems of your home, and 400 pages of reference material corresponding to our recommendations. It's such a comprehensive system that dozens of our competitors and colleagues buy it from us to use as their reporting system.
Q:CAN WE CONTACT YOU WITH QUESTIONS AFTER THE INSPECTION?
A: Certainly. We would be glad to answer any questions you might have after the inspection or even after you move into your new home.
Q:WHAT DO YOU LOOK AT?
A: We inspect the major systems of the house. These include the Roof, Exterior, Structure, Electrical, Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, Insulation and Interior. Our goal is to identify any existing major problems that would affect a typical purchasers buying decision.
We will add significantly to your knowledge of the home, but still cannot tell you everything about the house. All home inspections are entirely visual. No destructive testing is performed. The inspection and report will put you in a much better position to make your decision.
Q: CAN YOU PROVIDE ME WITH ANY REFERENCES?
A: Certainly. We can fax you a few questionnaires from previous clients. If you wish to come to our office we can show you hundreds of questionnaires.
Q: DO YOU DO TERMITE INSPECTIONS?
A: We inspect the accessible structural components of the house for visible termite damage, but would suggest hiring a pest control specialist if you are concerned about termites.
Q: DO YOU LOOK FOR UFFI?
A: The only way to guarantee that UFFI is not present somewhere in the house is to remove all of the interior finishes. Obviously, this is not possible. Looking for application holes, or drilling the odd hole is not enough. If we should see evidence of a UFFI installation or uncover a material we suspect to be UFFI, we will inform you.
If you are interested, we can send you our very well researched article on UFFI. Please be wary of companies who offer to guarantee that no UFFI is present in a home.
Q: DO YOU DO RADON INSPECTIONS?
A: No, this is beyond the scope of a typical home inspection as it involves laboratory work. We would be happy to refer you to a specialist, if you desire.
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