The answer to the question is - YES.
The home inspection is designed to have a good in depth look at the home and its associated property. Home inspectors encourage the buyer to attend the inspection, this gives you an opportunity to ask questions and spend a few hours in the home. From this process you will attain a greater understanding of your intended purchase.
Older home versus newer home
We can easily see why an inspection on an older home would be beneficial, furnaces age, additions were done, repairs were made etc. What about a new home? "It is only six months old, you say, still under warranty." The home inspection will point out any deficiencies in the home so that you may have them corrected while the home is in the warranty period. Here is a short list of deficiencies and their associated consequences that have been found in new homes.
- Leaky toilet seal V water damage to floor, fecal contamination possible.
- Improperly installed furnace V carbon monoxide poisoning, fire hazard.
- Pedestal sink not secured V safety hazard, especially for small children.
- Electrical wiring faults V shock hazard, fire hazard.
The Inspection Process
The inspection begins with the property at which time the inspector will look at the yard and landscaping for any possible problems. Next will come the exterior of the home, construction, foundation, siding, windows, roof and garages will be checked. Moving to the interior we will inspect again the construction and foundation. Interior rooms, ceilings, floors and cabinets will be checked. Plumbing, heating, electrical and their associated equipment will be tested and inspected. The attic is usually the last item on the list.
Testing means that we will operate the equipment in a normal fashion and utilize some test equipment such as carbon monoxide meters, gas leak detectors, electrical meters and testers and in some cases an infrared temperature probe.
The inspection process is non destructive and is done in respect of the property and of the current home owner. The inspection will take about three hours at the site with a summary report given at the end of the inspection. A full report will follow usually within twenty four hours of the inspection.
The Home Inspector
Currently there is no legislation in place to control the Home Inspection business. At this point in time anyone can sell themselves as a home inspector but this does not mean that there are no qualified Home Inspectors - it just means be careful and ask questions of your inspector first.
Ask questions such as what is the inspectors background, has he or she taken and passed a recognized course in home inspection such as the Carson Dunlop or SAIT courses, are they insured, qualified for the type of inspection and is their business registered?
This information was kindly provided by Charlie Teets of Above Board Home Inspections. If you have any questions feel free to contact Charlie at (403) 560-5944 or click on the link below.
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