Margo Nichols
Sales Representative

e-mail: Margo@MargoNichols.com

Office: 905-634-7755

Royal LePage Burloak
Real Estate Services Brokerage
Independently Owned and Operated
4-2025 Maria Street
Burlington, Ontario L7R 0G6

What is a home inspection?
A home inspection is designed to provide a client with a thorough 
understanding of the condition of a property as of the date of inspection. 
It is important to remember that no house is perfect. 
Regardless of its age, every home requires regular maintenance.

Who does the home inspection and what do they do?
A qualified home inspector examines and evaluates various components 
of a residential building including but not limited to structural 
aspects, components, exterior coverings, roofing system, plumbing, 
electrical, heating, central air conditioning, insulation, ventilation 
and interior structure.  You should accompany the inspector and 
have everything explained as you go along.   The inspector helps 
by removing the ' unknowns ' so you have more confidence in 
making the right decisions. 

Who is a qualified person & how do I find them?
Check:
OAHI  (Ontario Association of Home Inspectors)
CAHPI  (Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors)
ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors)

For a list of local inspectors contact margo@margonichols.com

There are many important things to look for and know prior to hiring 
the services of an inspector. Don't be afraid to call around  and 
check out a few inspectors.  Ask them questions. Some things you 
may consider asking to help make your decision:

Professional  Memberships: Home inspectors within the Province of Ontario 
are not licensed or otherwise controlled by a specified statutory law.  
In 1995 the Provincial government passed the Ontario Home Inspectors Act 
allowing home inspectors to be self regulated and set standards 
concerning ethics, education and grant a designation of Registered 
Home Inspector (RHI).

Anybody can hang a shingle and call themselves an inspector. One way to 
ensure integrity is to ask for voluntary membership in a related regulated 
organization. This makes them more accountable for their actions by subjecting 
them to possible disciplinary measures as set out in their respective legislation. 
Depending on the inspector's education and experience, he may belong to a 
regulated organization such as The Association of Professional Engineers 
of Ontario, The Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario, or 
The Ontario Building Officials Association.  Note:  OAHI 
(Ontario Association of Home Inspectors) or CAHI 
(Canadian Association of Home Inspectors) are self regulated.

EDUCATION: Make sure that the inspector has had the proper formal training 
in building construction. A recognized technical diploma or degree is good benchmark. 
A valid construction trade license may also be acceptable. The inspector should 
also be a member of a related professional organization. 

EXPERIENCE: Find out how long the inspector has been in business and ask for 
references.  An honest inspector will gladly provide these things. House 
construction knowledge takes years of formal and practical experience, 
it's not something learned in only a few hours. 

INSURANCE: Ask the inspector for proof of their insurance coverage. 
Do they carry E&O insurance (Errors and Omissions); general liability 
insurance , which should cover the services for a building inspector and 
the contents of the house being inspected. This may give you financial 
recourse for any negligence of duties; and Workers Compensation Insurance 
to cover the inspector for injuries sustained while on the seller's 
property working on your behalf.  Without this insurance you could 
become liable as a buyer.

DEFINITION: Before the final decision, have the inspection fully defined. 
Ask what is to be inspected. A full price disclosure should be given. Make 
sure there are no hidden extra costs. Insist on accompanying the inspector 
and have everything explained as you go along.  inquire about the written 
confirmation of the inspection. It may be a checklist, a report or both.  
You do not want a verbal only inspection. There is little or no recourse 
in case of a problem later on.

When is the inspection done?
It can be done prior to putting in the offer - an appointment would be 
made indicating a home inspection was to be conducted.  Or it can be 
done after your offer to purchase has been accepted provided a provision 
and the appropriate clause has been inserted into the offer  indicating 
that the offer is conditional upon the purchaser obtaining a home 
inspection by a certain date and time.  Sometimes a homeowner may 
have an inspection done -  a pre listing inspection. This lets 
the homeowner know if there are any potential problems with the property 
and can choose to deal  with them, or allow for them prior to listing 
or accepting an offer.

How long does it take:
It's best to allow yourself  2 to 3 hours for the complete inspection, 
that is for the inspection itself and a full review of the written 
report with the inspector.

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