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Home
Inspectors – Buyers Beware
You’ve found the perfect home. It has the right number of bedrooms,
a kitchen large enough to prepare dinner for all the relatives, and
is situated on the street of your dreams. And best of all it’s in
your price range. It’s time to make an offer.
But
hold on…does this seem too perfect?
Don’t take on the seller’s headaches – get a home inspection.
Offers to purchase can be made on condition that you are satisfied
with the inspection – if the house fails to meet certain standards,
the deal’s off.
A
home inspector will examine the entire house from the foundation to
the roof, including the plumbing, electrical, and heating systems.
It may cost a few hundred dollars but it’s money spent wisely.
You’re better to know up front that your furnace won’t make it
through the winter or that the lack of insulation in the walls will
drive your heating dollars through the roof.
But
how do you find a competent home inspector?
Unfortunately, the home inspection industry is not governed or
regulated. Anyone can establish a home inspection business with
absolutely no training or credentials. It’s up to you to do your
homework in advance.
Before you hire a home inspector, ask your realtor for a referral or
check with family members or friends who have hired one in the
past. Then thoroughly check out his or her background and
expertise.
Ollie Hiemstra from London Home Inspectors says he’s often asked how
much he charges for a home inspection – but this should not be the
first question you ask. “The first question you should ask a home
inspector is ‘Are you a member of the Ontario Association of Home
Inspectors,’” said Hiemstra. “All members of OAHI must pass
required courses on building codes, heating, electrical, defect
recognition, etc. Home inspectors, who have passed the stringent
regulations, are then designated with R.H.I., and it is illegal for
anyone to use these initials without being a member of the
organization.
The
next thing to ask is if he or she carries Errors & Omissions
insurance to ensure liability coverage. If a mistake is made, such
as overlooking that hole in the roof, you want to know you’ll be
covered after the first downpour.
No
home is perfect. The inspector’s role is to identify any structural
problems that could affect the value of the home and to give an
estimate for repairs. Then it’s up to you to make the final
decision…refuse the offer, negotiate the price with evidence in
hand, or accept the fault as is and close the deal. It is, after
all, the perfect home.
Visit the Ontario Association of Home
Inspectors Web site for more information. |
