Really? Why should I have a home inspection?

Home Inspectors

Choosing a home inspector is one of the most important decisions a buyer will make and it’s important that you have a clear understanding of what to expect from a home inspection.  The purpose of a home inspection is to have an experienced and accredited person go through the home in detail to uncover any major problems that would affect a buyer’s decision to buy the home. It is important to remember that there are no perfect homes, including brand new ones.  All homes have issues to deal with…the question is whether the issue is big enough or expensive enough to change your mind about buying the home.  Normally, we don’t go back to the negotiating table or ask the sellers to fix minor issues, but we will ask them to deal with safety concerns or expensive items.  They have the option of refusing, at which point the buyer has the right to walk away (that’s the “sole and absolute discretion” part of the clause) or choose to deal with the problem themselves. But walking away because the Buyer has found another house they like better…that’s not bargaining in good faith and can put the Buyer in a world of pain called ‘being sued’.

It’s also important to remember that home inspectors are limited in what they can inspect, for example:

• They can’t inspect what they can’t see

•  Can’t see behind drywall or a roof covered in snow

• When items are stacked against a wall, they are not allowed to remove the seller’s possessions…which makes it very hard to assess the condition of the foundation from the inside

•     They can’t test for things like asbestos etc. unless they are specifically licensed and trained to do so

• Their contract will list the exclusions

Moreover, inspectors are NOT infallible and may not catch every problem.  Despite the disclaimers in their contracts, the courts still hold them responsible most of the time because they are considered ‘experts’.  But that means having to take the time and expense to sue a home inspector who misses a problem. It’s also why it’s important to hire someone who has liability insurance.

So why bother having an inspection then? 

Neither you nor we are electricians, roofers or plumbers so despite being able to notice things that are obvious, it is still a good idea to have someone with more experience to take a look at the home.

The reality is, there are no guarantees with a resale home, even with a home inspection…but having said that, a home inspection is still better than nothing.

It is important to check the level of experience a home inspector has, the number of inspections done yearly (this is not the time to use a part timer or a relative), any complaints or lawsuits against them, and whether they carry errors and omissions insurance.    

If you are a seller, you may want to consider having a home inspection done before listing your home…this is a selling feature to buyers, and will hopefully uncover the unexpected that may affect price.

A home inspection on an average sized home will take 2 to 4 hours, depending on what they find.  Plan for around $600 to $1000 plus HST (again, depending on the size of the home and distance on the Island).  The home inspector will give you an exact quote prior to doing the work.