Home Inspections

Kitchener Waterloo Home Inspector. Why have a home inspection? Because not all defects are this obvious. 

Did you find a house in the Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph or Cambridge area and now you are looking for a home inspector?

I am the Kitchener Waterloo Home Inspector
and I bring added value to your home inspection

Why hire a home inspector?:
When you make an offer, you deal with real estate agents about the purchase transaction, with banks about mortgages, with lawyers about title searches.  Do you want to add home inspectors to the list?    80% of all  resale purchasers do. The picture above is obviously an exaggeration but it does make a point.  If all defects were this obvious there would be no need to have a home inspection.


Some Defects Illustrated:
These are pictures of defects I found during home inspections. Some are common, others not so common. (You can control the speed of the slide show by using the buttons at the bottom left.)

 

 

The thought that the house you are about to purchase may have a serious but hidden defect, can create anxiety.  Hiring a home inspector can ease that anxiety.       Usually offers have conditions attached to them.  The condition may be financing.  You should consider making your offer conditional on a home inspection as well.        The purchase of a house is one of the largest purchases most people make so it is important to proceed with caution.


Make your decision an informed decision.

  •    A home inspection could save you from costly regrets if serious problems are uncovered.
  •    A home inspection can give you peace of mind on the real cost of home ownership.  
  •    A home inspection can be the basis of honest price negotiation.
  •    Is a safe home, dry home, warm home, and GREEN home important to you?

I serve South Central Ontario, specifically Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Milton Brantford, Mississauga and surrounding areas.

Why hire me?

  • Having a home that is safe, dry warm,  and GREEN is part of a value sytem for 21st century living.  If you share this then you have arrived at the right. 
  • Along with the inspection report you will receive a copy of this home maintenance book.  This book gives helpful information about home ownership and home maintenance.  It is written in an easy to understand way, especially so to the first time buyer.
  • My service to you doesn't stop once my report has been delivered.  If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them, even after you have purchased the home.  This service is included in the inspection fee.  See the Client for Life page for more details.
  • I can provide Air Leakage tests at no charge to you for your increased comfort and reduced fuel bills.
  • I can help you put together a CO monitoring and exit plan in case of a CO alarm.
  • It is not only my aim to point out defects but also to provide a level of education regarding home ownership.
  • The main purpose of a home inspection is to point out major defects and safety concerns but I will also make you aware of small points; items which appear to be of little importance but that can make maintaining your home easier or save costly repairs down the road.  See this blog entry for an example.Kitchener Waterloo Home Inspector. 1st time buyer friendly emblem 
  • I will give you as much time as you require to understand your home.  If you have a lot of questions, ask them. Getting questons answered can be very important for you if you are new to home ownership.
  • If you are not happy with the way I have conducted the inspection, I will refund the inspection fee.  There is only one condition with this money back guarantee; you must have been present during the inspection.

Pre listing inspections
Most home inspections are done for potential buyers but even if you are the seller, you should consider hiring a home inspector.  It gives you the opportunity to repair possible defects wihtout having surprises or a home inpsection conditions on buyer offers.  If I perform a home inspection for the seller, I will put a sign in the front yard next to the realtor's sign on the front yard.


For New Homes:

Pre Delivery Inspections (PDI):  New home builders are required to provide the buyer with a PDI inspection.   This inspection in a builder's eyes is Christmas day for the new home owner. The builder's priority is to get a signature on the certificate of completion and possession.  This is a "tour" to a builder's rep.  They will not go up on a roof to check flashing details, of enter an attic much less inspect it. Do they  have a protocal for testing all windows, doors, cupboards,  outlets,  etc. They will not check for compliance to the Ontario Building Code(OBC) or even pretend to cover the Construction Performance Guidelines(CPG).  They will not specifically look for defects, code violations, and  the multiple finishing conditions covered in the CPG. Nor will that person tell you that there are 39 conditions if not caught on the PDI will not be enforceable therafter on any subsequent Tarion warranty inspection.  They will not inform you of the strict guidelines in a timely and acceptable format for a program that they themselves set up and run.

You will need to have a set of trained eyes to know what to look for, the places the CPG violates the standards of practise for home inspections, where the OBC needs to be enforced,  the parameters of the CPG and the new home Tarion warranty so that it works in your favour. See

Tarion New Home Warranty:  Subsequent to the PDI, Tarion's new home inspections the new home buyer is allowed 30 day, 1 year, 2 year and 7 year inspections. Find out what they cover, and the timelines under which they must occur to become eligible for enforcement.  And make sure that the inspector has done education in this area. All repeat new home warranty inspections are discounted.