Choosing a home inspector
Scrutinize that huge investment to avoid nasty — and expensive — surprises
Upon initial reaction to a beautiful property, you may think you’ve found your dream home. The amount of space is perfect for your needs, the neighbourhood is lovely and the kitchen is perfect Just what you wanted. It’s easy to become swept up by the feeling that you’ve found what you were looking for. But before falling in love with a property, a building inspection is hugely important. Because under those beautifully polished hardwood floors could be expensive and laborious problems that only an expert would be able to recognize.
The Gazette sat down with Gary Bloomfield and Kevin Lantaff — both building inspectors at QuébecSpec and members of the Order of Engineers of Quebec — to find out what people need to know about protecting themselves when it comes to the home inspection process. The value of choosing the right building inspector
Choosing the right building inspector is hugely important when buying a property. As a home is often the biggest investment a person makes, it’s crucial to be well prepared for this purchase and to avoid any unfortunate surprises. A pre-purchase building inspection is a very important step in the acquisition process.
The main goal of an inspection is to identify any major defects that could diminish the overall pleasure and value of the building or represent a safety risk to the occupants. The inspection also serves as a repair to-do list if the customer decides to purchase the property. A proper inspector needs to be detailed and patient in explaining the operation and function of the mechanical systems and general maintenance inherent to owning a property.
Before hiring an inspector, make sure that they have the necessary tools such as a humidity tester, polarity tester, live current detector, camera, ladder, and so on. Moreover, an inspector should carry the necessary errors and omissions insurance and be affiliated with building inspection organizations such as the Quebec Association of Building Inspectors or the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors. Membership in these organizations ensures that inspectors are up to date with new technologies and mandatory training. The inspection process
The general building inspection process should begin by ensuring the client understands what the inspection will entail, and that the labour contract is clear and acceptable to both sides. From there, the inspectors need to review the seller’s declaration with the client; the seller’s declaration is a very important document as it will mention any past or present deficiencies with the property or any modifications that have been made over the years.
After that, a thorough inspection of the exterior envelope must be performed. This envelope includes the structure, foundation, roof, chimney and attic.
Interior components such as the main heating, electrical and plumbing systems must also be verified. The interior of the home must be checked to gauge the general safety of the property.
During the inspection, experts are looking for any defects that can affect the integrity of the structure over the short or long term. This includes elements such as deteriorated caulking or brick mortar joints, foundation cracks, signs of past or present water infiltrations and grading issues, for instance. Clients should be given a clear summary of the different aspects that were inspected. Common problems and how to avoid them
Some of the more prevalent issues that can be observed during a building inspection are deteriorated mortar joints around the exterior brick work. A home is always moving due to the extreme conditions of our climate here. When mortar joints have deteriorated or cracked, it’s very important to have them repaired to prevent further damage to the structure due to water infiltration and freezing. The age of construction and understanding of the different types of building structures is very important in these situations in order to explain the correct recommended remedies and diagnose the severity of the problems.
Another common issue is the lack of proper ventilation within the attic space of a given property. This is normally due to the soffits being covered with building materials or being blocked with insulation within the attic or the use of too many different ventilation types causing turbulent flow of air. The result of this excessive humidity will cause the premature deterioration of the roofing materials, which will be visible in the form of curling shingles and discomfort within in the home.
Inadequate lot drainage is another common problem. It can lead to foundation cracks, which can allow water infiltrations into the home or cause movement of the structure.
When gutter downspouts drain too close to the foundation or a slope drains water towards the structure, it can cause increased hydrostatic pressure on the foundation itself due to the excess water accumulating around it. It’s recommended to install extensions to the base of downspouts and ensure a positive slope away from the foundation to divert water. Hiring an inspector before listing your property
Home inspections aren’t just a useful tool for buyers. Another popular type of inspection is the pre-sale inspection. This is when the owner of a property commissions an expert to perform a building inspection prior to selling their home.
This helps the seller identify any potential problems or deficiencies in their home before the buyer identifies them. It gives the seller the opportunity to fix any problems that could scare off a seller and helps to decrease the overall stress involved in the sale of a home. About QuébecSpec
QuébecSpec was founded in 2004 by Daniel Ouellette and Yves Blanchette. The pair launched the business in the Eastern Townships and South Shore by offering building inspections and energy evaluations. Their success in the Eastern Townships led to a demand to expand their inspection business to Montreal.
Kevin Lantaff and Gary Bloomfield have been involved with QuébecSpec since 2006 and were crucial in expanding the business to include building inspection services in Montreal, Laval and the West Island.