Carson Dunlop Reports
15 Questions That You Should Ask When Shopping for a Home Inspector
Q:
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?
A: Home inspectors come and go. The long time firms are here to stay.
They'll be here if you have a question or a problem down the road. Carson,
Dunlop has been in business since 1978. We are one of the oldest and largest
home inspection companies in Canada.
Q: WHAT
ARE YOUR INSPECTORS' QUALIFICATIONS?
A: The industry is essentially unregulated. Anyone can call themselves
a home inspector. Our inspectors are actually engineers. They have all
graduated from engineering programs at Canadian universities. Most have
earned their designation as Professional Engineers.
Q: CAN
I FOLLOW ALONG AT THE INSPECTION?
A: If they won't let you go to the inspection, don't use them. We actually
encourage you to attend. This is a valuable learning experience for most
home buyers. It is the perfect opportunity to ask specific questions about
the condition of the home. Also, where defects are identified, the engineer
can discuss these so that you understand what repairs are required, when
and at roughly what cost.
Q:
ARE YOU MEMBERS OF OAHI AND ASHI?
A: Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop were actually founding members of the Ontario
Association of Home Inspectors. Alan Carson was the 1993 President of
OAHI. Bob Dunlop was the first Canadian member of the American Society
of Home Inspectors in 1984. Alan Carson was the 1994 President of ASHI.
Q: DO
YOU DO REPAIRS OR RECOMMEND CONTRACTORS?
A: No. We are a consulting engineering firm specializing in building inspections.
We consider it a conflict of interest for a home inspector to recommend
or refer a contractor to perform repairs. We offer an unbiased opinion
on the condition of the home. We accept no referral fees from anyone.
Q: HOW
MUCH DOES AN INSPECTION COST?
A: Our typical fee for an inspection is $419. However, some factors will
affect the fee. If you are comparing home inspection firms, the fee
charged
should not be the sole deciding factor, unless of course the level of
service offered is identical.
We suspect the house you are buying is not the cheapest house, but rather a house that you feel represents good value. We urge you to choose your home inspector the same way.
Q :
HOW LONG DOES AN INSPECTION TAKE?
A: A typical home inspection takes between 2 and 3 hours. Some older and/or
larger homes can take longer. As a courtesy to the vendor, they should
be informed of the time involved once the inspection is arranged.
Q: DO
YOU PROVIDE A WRITTEN REPORT?
A: Yes. Our report is ready for you upon completion of the inspection
itself. No delay. We have developed a comprehensive report writing system,
The Home Reference Book, that our clients have found to be essential in
assisting them in their decision to purchase. It is also a valuable reference
during your ownership of the property. It includes a one page summary
of the condition of the home, nine reports dealing with the major systems
of your home, and 400 pages of reference material corresponding to our
recommendations. It's such a comprehensive system that dozens of our competitors
and colleagues buy it from us to use as their reporting system.
Q:
CAN WE CONTACT YOU WITH QUESTIONS AFTER THE INSPECTION?
A: Certainly. We would be glad to answer any questions you might have
after the inspection or even after you move into your new home.
Q:
WHAT DO YOU LOOK AT?
A: We inspect the major systems of the house. These include the Roof,
Exterior, Structure, Electrical, Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, Insulation
and Interior. Our goal is to identify any existing major problems that
would affect a typical purchasers buying decision.
We will add significantly to your knowledge of the home, but still cannot tell you everything about the house. All home inspections are entirely visual. No destructive testing is performed. The inspection and report will put you in a much better position to make your decision.
Q: CAN
YOU PROVIDE ME WITH ANY REFERENCES?
A: Certainly. We can fax you a few questionnaires from previous clients.
If you wish to come to our office we can show you hundreds of questionnaires.
Q: DO
YOU DO TERMITE INSPECTIONS?
A: We inspect the accessible structural components of the house for visible
termite damage, but would suggest hiring a pest control specialist if
you are concerned about termites.
Q: DO
YOU LOOK FOR UFFI?
A: The only way to guarantee that UFFI is not present somewhere in the
house is to remove all of the interior finishes. Obviously, this is not
possible. Looking for application holes, or drilling the odd hole is not
enough. If we should see evidence of a UFFI installation or uncover a
material we suspect to be UFFI, we will inform you.
If you are interested, we can send you our very well researched article on UFFI. Please be wary of companies who offer to guarantee that no UFFI is present in a home.
Q: DO
YOU DO RADON INSPECTIONS?
A: No, this is beyond the scope of a typical home inspection as it involves
laboratory work. We would be happy to refer you to a specialist, if you
desire.
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