What You Need
to Know About
Inspections
Home
Inspections
have
been a part of the real estate
landscape for over 40 years. In
Ontario, the Ontario Association
of Home Inspectors [OAHI], was
established by Ontario law in 1994
in order to assure a professional
level of performance and conduct
in the industry. Registered Home
Inspectors, or RHIs were the first
inspectors required to have; a
minimum educational background,
James Buren, BA RHI
training in building inspection
Tel: 905-201-6001
thehomeinspector.ca and reporting techniques, and
professional liability insurance -
James has been a Home
also known as Errors and Omissions
Inspector since 1997. He
coverage.
is currently on the Board of
the OAHI & is the current
Chair of its Discipline &
Professional
Practices
Committee [DPPC]
This past Spring the Ontario
Government’s Consumer Ministry
passed Bill 59, a consumer
protection act that will require
Home Inspectors in this province to
be licensed. This is a result of over
a dozen organizations springing
up over the last 30 years, many of
which, “Certify” persons to function
or operate as building inspectors
even though they were not able to
attain the status of RHI and gain
admission into Ontario’s premier
inspection association. It will likely
take several years to establish all
the necessary administration and
reviews to remove unqualified
persons from practicing in this
province.
Consumers expect Home Inspectors
to protect their best interest,
however, the inspection is only as
good as the inspector you hire.
When looking for an inspector ensure
that the inspector is a member
of a professional organization
that includes a requirement for
building trades related background
and training, ongoing Continuing
Education, mandatory E and O
coverage - in case the inspector
makes an error in the course of their
duties - and choose someone who
has many years of experience in
the industry. The home inspection
itself will not be a guarantee or a
warranty against defects that may
be discovered after the inspection
and possibly months or years after
taking possession of the home.
A professional inspection is going to
cost anywhere from $450 to $600,
or more, depending on the age and
size of the building, as well as any
special features that may exist on
the property such as apartments,
detached garages, rooftop terraces,
etc. The standards of practice
typically require that the inspector
only observe and report on the