Before buying a property, you must make an offer. This offer is usually conditional on doing a home inspection before signing the sale agreement. This inspection is meant to protect you by identifying anything wrong with the home.
Why do a home inspection before buying a property?
You aren’t required by law to hire a residential building inspector. But the law does say that you need to be careful. This means that you are responsible for noticing any visible issues with the property.
So, what can you do if you don’t know a lot about construction or real estate? Or you’re buying an old house? A professional home inspection can bring to your attention visible issues that you might have missed during your visit.
Also, you might be able to re-negotiate the sale price or cancel your offer to purchase if the inspection report reveals serious issues.
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Important! Doing a home inspection doesn’t guarantee that there’s nothing wrong with the property! Even a qualified professional might not catch hidden defects. |
What is the residential building inspector’s role?
Residential building inspectors do a visual inspection of the home. So, it’s not their role to drill a hole in the wall to check for mould or humidity problems, for example. However, inspectors must point out anything they find questionable, potentially problematic, or requiring further inspection. They must explain everything in a written report.
Who can be a residential building inspector?
Residential building inspectors aren’t regulated by a professional order. However, they must have a certificate in residential building inspection from Quebec’s building regulation board, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec. Here are the two types of certificates:
- A class 1 certificate allows someone to inspect houses, condos, and buildings with six apartments or less.
- A class 2 certificate allows someone to inspect any type of residential building.
To get a residential building inspection certificate, inspectors must meet certain requirements. Here are some examples:
- They must complete a program that provides them with an Attestation of College Studies in Building Inspection and that is at least 600 hours long.
- They must have general civil liability and professional liability insurance that covers at least $1,000,000 for a class 1 certificate and $2,000,000 for a class 2 certificate.
- They must complete the continuing education hours required by law.
The importance of having a contract for services
Your residential building inspector must sign a contract for services with you. You must receive a copy of this contract. It must include the inspector’s contact information, their inspection certificate number, the contact information for their insurance, and the complete address for the home they’re inspecting.
This contract allows you to know in advance what the inspector will include in their inspection report and avoid unpleasant surprises. It may also list certain aspects of the home that the inspector won’t be looking at. That being said, inspectors can’t use a contract to limit their liability.