by If you’ve bought or sold a home, you’ve probably experienced an independent home inspection in Toronto. This type of home inspection is designed to provide buyers and sellers with important information about the health of the home’s systems – heating and cooling, electrical, plumbing, water tightness, roof condition, and security. This type of inspection is very detailed and provides a wealth of information about the home. While this type of inspection is not required, it can help buyers avoid “money pits” and can help sellers understand what things might turn buyers away.
I told them that one of the things home inspectors don’t do is check for pests because they are not qualified to identify them. Pest control specialists are qualified to spot pests and should be called in before you buy. Most of the time, your real estate agent will advise you on what inspections you should have done to protect yourself.
This brings me to the myth of home inspection. Here are the 6 most important myths.
Home inspectors inspect for termites. Myth! Unfortunately for the couple above who believed this, repairs are very expensive.
You should not attend an inspection of the house you are buying because it will interfere with the inspector. Misconception! Inspectors appreciate their clients attending inspections knowing they can fully communicate issues with them. Sometimes a written report doesn’t adequately explain everything. If the client is out of town and cannot attend the inspection, they should hold a conference call as soon as possible after the report is completed to discuss the report items.
It is the seller’s responsibility to fix all problems found by the inspector. MISTAKE! Repairs, even serious ones, are negotiable. However, if the inspector finds a serious defect, the seller may back out of the deal.
New construction requires an independent home inspection in Toronto to obtain a certificate of occupancy. Misconception! New construction does require a step-by-step inspection by a municipal building inspector to ensure safety and code enforcement. I would also personally recommend an independent home inspection in Toronto if you are moving into a newly constructed home, as it can uncover many vulnerabilities.
If the home has a good assessment, then there is nothing likely to be wrong with the home and you won’t need another inspection. Misconception! Home appraisals are based on many factors, including market conditions, location, and materials (such as HardiePlank and granite countertops), but do not check the actual functioning of the system or the structural integrity.
The home inspection takes approximately 30 minutes. Myth! A thorough home inspection in Toronto should take between 2-5 hours, depending on the size and complexity of the home. There are hundreds of inspection points during a home inspection, including walking the roof and crawling through the crawl space.
Now that you’re a home inspection expert, you can try these questions on your friends and see how they fare.
