Home inspector Rose Marie Moore examines the drains and roof of a home. CREDIT: Bill Keay, Vancouver Sun Files

Homebuyers in today’s hot market should consider hiring a building inspector to go through the house during an open house if they fear they can’t get an inspection as a subject condition for sale, says a spokesman for the B.C. branch of the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors.

“There’s a real danger of jumping the gun without knowing the true condition of the house,” says CAHPI public relations director Rose Marie Moore, herself a home inspector.

“Buyers know there will be multiple offers, so an inspector could go through the house during the open house. We can do a full inspection at that time.”

Moore says that a hot market means many buyers are forced to buy their home with no subjects, meaning that they often don’t have the luxury of getting a house inspection before making a decision to buy.

That’s bad for purchasers, she says. “There’s that danger of jumping the gun without knowing the true condition of the house.”

However, Moore recommends getting a home inspection even after the purchase. “It will still put the house condition into proper perspective for the buyer.”

Moore says more people are hiring inspectors to go through new houses as well as older homes.

“In the pre-occupancy walkthrough [for a new home], inspectors can find such things as damaged drywall, rugs or baseboards not installed properly, floors that are not level and damaged wood. It’s called the deficiency list. Builders used to do the walkthrough, but buyers are getting smarter.”

She recommends choosing an inspector who belongs to a professional association with standards of practice and a code of ethics in place.

She also recommends researching builders to ensure they have a good reputation. “There are a lot of good builders, but there are some who are just average.”

Meanwhile, the author of a new book on home inspection agrees that it’s important to not only know who’s doing the inspecting, but to go along on the inspection.

“If buyers get involved with choosing the right inspector and attending the inspection, they can really learn a lot and use what they learn to their advantage during the purchase process and once they move into the home,” says Mike Kuhn, co-author of the new Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Home Inspections (Alpha Books) and a 17-year veteran of residential home inspections.

Kuhn offers several tips for making your home inspection really count.

They include:

– Hire an insured inspector. Check with the inspection company to make sure their inspectors carry Errors & Omissions [E&O] insurance, which is a form of protection for the buyer and inspector in the event that the inspector misses something. If the inspector doesn’t carry this insurance, then the homebuyer can be left in the lurch — without financial recourse.

– Tag along on the inspection as your inspector goes through each element of the house. A good inspector will take the client along during the inspection and not only answer questions, but also point out important valves, circuit breakers, switches, pipes and so on, that you’ll need to know about once moved in. “It really can be a great education about the home’s systems, especially if you’ve never owned a home,” adds Kuhn.

– After a good home inspection, consumers receive a full report of all findings and can use this as a platform from which to negotiate if expensive repairs are needed. “Using the findings of the inspection report can help lower the price in order to accommodate costs of any needed repairs,” says Kuhn.

– During the inspection, you’ll find out what needs repair or replacement immediately, versus in a few years, so you can budget accordingly and know what repairs are in your future. “This takes some of the surprise out of home ownership and allows money to be put aside, particularly in hotter markets where sellers are unwilling to negotiate or make the repairs themselves.”

© The Vancouver Sun 2004