Toronto Real Estate - Home Inspections
Home inspections are an important part of the home-buying process (if not the most important).
You do not want to end with issues that you had not anticipated.
Choosing a home inspector can be difficult process. It is important to consult with your REALTOR, family, friends, people you know who have recently bought a home ... and ask them for references.
You should also contact inspectors in your area and interview them in advance, to make sure these people are at least semi-qualified to inspect the type of home you're planning on buying.
Here is a short list of question you can ask the home inspector:
1. How long has the inspector been in business, as a home inspector?
2. Is the inspector experienced specifically in RESIDENTIAL home inspections?
3. What does the inspection include?
Inspections should include visual inspections covering exterior, structure, garage, plumbing, heating, cooling, electrical, interior, insulation and ventilation. Extras include radon testing, a pest infestation survey or inspection of septic systems or wells, depending on where the property is located..
Ask if the inspector will provide a written report at the home, and if you will be receiving photos or a DVD a few days later.
4. How much will the inspection cost you, including all applicable taxes?
Determine fees up front. Inspections cost from as little as $200 to as much as $1,000 depending on the size of the home and which inspection services you ask for (for example, if you ask for a termite inspection, that is over and above a regular home inspection).
5. How long will the inspection take?
This depends on the age and size of the home, but the average is 2 to 3 hours - and it could take much longer. Anything less isn't enough time to do a thorough inspection.
6. Does the inspector encourage the client to attend the inspection?
Listen carefully to how the home inspector will answer this question. A home inspector's refusal means you should look for a better inspector, who will actually want to take the buyer through the process.
7. Bluntly ask what educational and/or training facility the inspector attended.
Maybe he/she worked for a builder at some point in his life ... maybe they were/are a self-employed contractor ... maybe they just thought it would be an interesting job, and just went right into it, without any previous experience in residential construction...
Does the inspector participate in continuing education programs to keep his/her expertise up to date?
Do they keep up with all the new laws/code?
8. Does the company offer to do any repairs or improvements based on its inspection?
This might cause a conflict of interest. You may not want to deal with someone who is going to find problems, only so they can then charge you to fix them. Shop around. Interview others.
9. Do they belong to an association that will investigate a consumer complaint?
10. Do they carry errors and omission insurance?
11. Will they come back and do a follow-up inspection?
If you ask the seller to fix some items found on the inspection, will the inspector come back to ensure those items were actually completed?
You may have your own list of questions to ask the inspector, and whether you ask all of them or just a few, it's important you do ask questions.
If you need assistance or additional information, call me any time.
Sylvie Conde, Broker - Your Toronto Realtor!
Sutton Group-Associates Realty Inc, Brokerage 416-966-0300
Independently Owned & Operated
sconde@sutton.com
www.sylvieconde.com
www.torontorealestatelife.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Toronto Real Estate and Life Blog ....
.... information on buying - selling - mortgages ... and all things Toronto and the GTA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
