Home inspection, detached home in Vancouver
Buying a house is stressful, and the subject removal period is probably the most stressful time of all. Having a knowledgeable and trustworthy home inspector at your side is critical, at least if you are like us, and like to do your due diligence before buying. Ted has inspected three homes for us, and every time the experience has been amazing. Ted communicates clearly before the inspection, telling customer, real estate agent, and any other party that might be involved exactly what to expect, and how to prepare. On the day of the inspection, he likes to arrive early, take a tour of the outside, and then inspect the inside systematically from basement to attic. He prefers that customers are present throughout the inspection, and if you want to know how your house works this is highly recommended. Expect Ted to stick his head into every corner, pull back carpets and sniff for mold, and crawl into the attic (no matter how little space there is). This takes time, more time than the usual home inspection, but it's worth the investment. By the end of the inspection, you will have learned a lot about how your future house works, and what needs to be fixed before you can move in (or why you really shouldn't buy it). But the best part of all is Ted's report. Expect approx. 40 pages or more of high-resolution photos with detailed captions and descriptions. Importantly, Ted does not just focus on the flaws, he also points out what's good and new, and won't need your attention for years. He gives a detailed "how-to" guide to the home, ranging from where to shut off the main water to how to install a better lock on your front door. And that's not all. If you decide to buy the home, rest assured that Ted will be available to give you advice when it comes to repairs, whether you want to do them yourself, or hire someone to do them for you. We recommend Ted in the strongest possible terms to anyone interested in learning everything about their future home. He is an outstanding home inspector who takes his business very seriously, and provides the highest quality of report.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $1,050.00
- Company Response
My what a detailed account of your home inspection experience. Regarding real estate agents, your testimonial almost implies that real estate agents might be shadowing the inspection. As you know, I never allow agents to be in the same room if possible when I'm doing an inspection. Your inspection is your private business, privacy allows us all to speak freely and candidly. The last thing I would want would be for an agent to explain my report as is common in the industry. When I have finish the inspection process including the report review I try to make sure my client understands most everything I've told them and in the context of firsthand, tactile involvement. What happened and I'm sure that this is what you meant: when everyone arrives I explain the Home inspection process and what I expect or prefer from my clients and their agent. I simply ask the agent to give us privacy during the entire inspection, most of this is quite clear to real estate agents if they know their code of ethics and standards of practice they quietly slip into the background or leave. A home has many stories to tell, some interesting stories and some less critical, the details are so numerous that it's nearly impossible to report on all of them and that is why you are here with me; I identify everything I see in terms of: intended function, it's maintenance requirements, its degree of failing, cost and anticipated timeline. I can't do all that for every item in a report, it's often sufficient to explain at the time of discovery. There is a lot of information and I am always eager to review our findings when it comes time for you to deal with them. When it comes to serving the best interests of my clients I have found that the more I know the longer the inspection takes and generally involves more digging than average. When I compose the report it is not a boilerplate template, it's simply abbreviated plain language with enhanced photos. My time spent inspecting and composing a report are for the explicit benefit of your home buying process. If you do purchase the home, you will be very comfortable with all the things we discovered and needing your attention.
Thanks Miriam, I do appreciate feedback.
Happy trails...
Ted Gilmour