House Inspector

I hired a house inspector to come take a look at my house for things. Buying a house is such an overwhelming experience that I felt that I needed that extra level of comfort in looking over my house. Plus, it's not as if I know the building codes and all the things to look for. I had printed off the Tarion PDI checklist which was a good start during my PDI but still wanted an experts opinion.

I used Acker Home Inspection to do the house inspection. Phil, the owner, is an active member on buildinghomes.ca and seemed to be really knowledgeable. There were also numerous positive experiences posted on the forums there and my experience was no different. I scheduled the inspection for the day after I close and will put these items on my 30 day list. Having the inspection done before I move in is good in that they can see everything in the house.

The team, Phil and Randy, arrived on time at noon. They proceeded to tell me the whole process and what they were going to do today and what I will end up with. We started to walk around the house and Phil would make notes into a digital audio recorder. What I really liked was that Phil would take pictures of the deficiencies to document them. Once in a while, Phil would pass his recorder to Randy who would key in the notes onto the laptop while Phil and I continued the inspection with another recorder. This made the whole process very efficient. Phil also tested electrical plugs, water shutoff valves, hot water, ventilation fans and other things. The exterior was just a visual. He used binoculars to look at the roofing shingles.

Overall, the house was in pretty good shape. He had noted 25 items, some of which were ones that were on my PDI list which still needs to be fixed. I should note that he doesn't look for cosmetic items, more for functional and structural items. Some of the larger items he noted were:

- door frame in door to garage not sealed properly
- garage door does not park in all positions (i.e. closes by itself)
- insufficient insulation in attic (apparently, it was supposed to measure almost 14" (R40) worth but was only at 11" (R32). but it was sprayed evenly)
- incomplete caulking around master ensuite shower
- powder room toilet only flushes if handle is held
- water trapped in insulation (possible leak but could be condensation)

One item which I'm not sure about is the laundry room ventilation. There appears to be an external vent but there is no exhaust fan in my laundry room. I'm pretty sure I was supposed to get one but can't seem to see anything in the standard features list. I'll still note it on my 30 day list.

The final report would include a cover sheet for my 30 day list for Tarion and Mattamy, listing of defects found, a comprehensive report with more details, a cd of all of the forms and pictures taken. So, all in all, a very thorough report. Cost of the inspection was $370. I plan on having them come back just before my 1-year list is due to Tarion.