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Pre-Listing & New Construction
Pre-Purchase Inspection
Buying a home is a big deal! A professional inspection will help you know
exactly what you’re getting into ahead of time and what additional
costs you may be looking at. Our inspection will provide you with the vital
technical information you need, delivered in an honest, straight-forward,
and objective manner so that you can confidently make the best purchasing
decision for your unique circumstances.
Pre-Purchase Condominium Inspection
Expensive repairs to the exterior walls and roof are the most significant
and common costs you are likely to run into in a condominium purchase. A
Pre-Purchase Condominium inspection involves not only a detailed inspection
of the suite you are considering buying but a thorough visual inspection
of the building’s exterior, roof, mechanical rooms and underground
parking. Buildings constructed in the 1980’s and 90’s are at
particular risk of building envelope failure (see Moisture
Problems in Building Envelopes). Strata Council Minutes and Engineering
Reports (if available) provide invaluable information to the condominium
buyer and are reviewed by the inspector. Look for buildings that have been
Rainscreened or built prior to 1980 or after 2000 when the building code
requirements changed in response to the many Leaky Condo problems. If you
are confident in the condition of the building exterior, an inspection of
the Suite interior can be arranged. If you have any concerns about the exterior
we recommend a full inspection with all components included.
After-Purchase Inspection
You found the house of your dreams but had to forego a Pre-Purchase Inspection
in order to get an accepted offer. Now you’ve taken possession and
are making plans for personalizing your new home but you’re not quite
sure what will be involved, or worse, what you might come across once you
start a project. An After-Purchase inspection will provide you with the
information you need to prioritize repair, maintenance and renovation plans.
Ballpark estimates of potential costs can also be discussed with your inspector,
on-site during the inspection or forever afterward, for as long as you own
the home. An inspection at any time during the course of ownership will
help you prepare for upcoming repairs and maintenance and quite possibly
save you thousands of dollars in unanticipated expenses.
Pre-Listing Inspection
All homes have room for improvement. A Pre-Listing inspection will identify
existing or potential problems before your home, townhome or condominium
goes on the market. A Pre-Listing inspection report can make your home sell
faster, for more money and with fewer headaches for you.
A Pre-Listing inspection places the control with you. You choose a reputable
inspector based on their credentials and experience, and have them perform
the inspection at a time that suits you. The inspector will prepare a written
report on the condition of the home; items in need of attention will be
prioritized and the inspector can discuss estimated costs for any work required.
The report can be used to guide repair or maintenance projects you want
completed prior to putting the home on the market, making the home more
saleable and likely fetching a higher price. Disclosing the current condition
of the home allows you to reflect the existing conditions in the listing
price, rather than have to renegotiate later when the issues are discovered.
Pre-listing inspections are especially useful if the seller does not actually
live in the home; owners of rental properties, and trustees, for example.
New Construction Deficiency Inspection
Since July 1999 all new homes and apartments constructed with building permits
must be built by residential builders licensed by the Homeowner Protection
Office (HPO) and covered by mandatory third-party home warranty insurance
that meets the requirements of the Homeowner Protection Act. One would think
that this is adequate protection of their investment. Not so! The number
of new homes being built ‘in bulk’ by inexperienced trades-people
has left many home owners with their new homes falling down around them,
and without the expertise of an independent inspector to back them when
dealing with unscrupulous or uninterested builders.
A New Construction Deficiency Inspection will identify numerous items that
likely will not be noticed by the buyers untrained eye during the typical
“deficiency walk-through” prior to occupancy. A New Construction
Deficiency inspection can assist in spotting defects, oversights, incomplete
work and building code violations. In addition to conducting a full inspection,
we will prepare a list of deficiencies and defects for the builder to complete
or repair.
Note that some builders are resistant to the idea of a third-party inspection
and since they still own the house, they can veto who attends. We recommend
you check the builder's policy in advance and consider including a clause
in the offer allowing a home inspector to attend the final walk-through.
Problem Investigation Inspection
Often through the course of ownership a building problem will present itself
that defies resolution. No matter what you do to repair it, the condition
persists. For these kinds of problems an experienced inspector with a background
in construction is your best bet to identify the cause and recommend an
effective course of action. Keep in mind that any inspection is limited
to what can be seen without doing destructive testing. Training and experience,
along with some specialized equipment are the inspector’s tools of
trade. Putting these together with a sound base of knowledge about homes
and how they work will provide you with the answers to any building problems
that are plaguing you.
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