Especially for an older home, and even for a newer one, a home inspection is a valuable service to a home buyer. A home inspector will walk you through a 1 ½ to 2-hour visual inspection of the home to determine its condition and that of its systems. Inspectors will assess which components are not performing properly as well as inform the prospective buyer of areas where repairs may be needed in the future. Inspections are also a good way to get a better understanding of the upkeep required on a variety of systems such as furnaces, plumbing and roofs.

Following the inspection, the buyer should be given a written home inspection report of the details of the inspection, plus a maintenance schedule and an estimate of the lifespan and replacement cost of the home's systems. Home inspectors typically go over this report with the home buyer.

Your real estate agent can assist you by supplying names of home inspection companies and their contact info. When selecting from this list it is important that you enquire about the reputation, number of years in the business with experience in residential construction, and if they are a member of an association that will investigate consumer complaints. Note there is no formal licensing of home inspectors, but many home inspection companies adhere to the standards of practice established by the Canadian Association of Home Inspectors.

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