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The Choice is Yours!

You just made the decision to invent in a new home. With all the choices that need to be made in the housing market today, you have chosen:

  • a financial institution you can trust
  • a lawyer for your legal matters
  • a professional realtor
  • a certified appraiser

Now it is time to choose a professional home inspector, who can present an expert opinion on the condition of the home and property before you invest. This inspection will give you a clearer understanding of what it is you are about to purchase. So you will be able to make your decision confidently.

What is a "Home Inspection"?

A home inspection is a professional, objective visual examination of the physical construction and systems of a home, from the roof to the foundation. Home buyers now entering the marketplace view inspections as a way to gain valuable information about the most important purchase of their lifetime. It helps them to determine whether there are any major defects or system inadequacies before the sale goes through, so that there will be no unpleasant surprises or insurmountable financial burdens later on.

Home inspections are not intended to point out every small problem or any non-visible defects in a home. Most minor or cosmetic flaws, for example, should be apparent without the aid of a professional.

Home inspections also highlight the positive aspects of a home. In fact, many of the home inspector's observations or recommendations help to dispel home buyer anxieties, and provide useful repair and maintenance suggestions.

The home inspection should not be confused with an appraisal, a municipal code inspection, or a guarantee of any kind.

Code of Ethics

Members of the Canadian Association of Home Inspectors must subscribe to an important set of principles contained in the society’s Cod of Ethics.

These principals require a high degree of professionalism and integrity, and that a member act fairly and impartially toward his or her clients. Any conflict of interest activity must be avoided in order to assure the consumer a completely objective inspection.

Specifically, CAHI members may NOT:

  1. reveal the contents of an inspection report to anyone but the client without the client’s prior consent;
  2. be involved in any real estate activity from which they might benefit financially as a result of their inspection work;
  3. use the inspection as a vehicle to obtain repair or related work on the house;
  4. offer an opinion of evaluation on any subject with which they are not sufficiently familiar and experienced.

It is by its members’ strict adherence to this Code of Ethics that CAHI has been able to develop and maintain the high standard of excellence which has come to be associated with membership in CAHI.

Why Do I Need a Home Inspection?

Even the most experienced home owner lacks the knowledge and expertise of a professional home inspector who has inspected hundreds, perhaps thousands, of homes in his or her career. An inspector is familiar with the many elements of home construction, their proper installation, and maintenance. They are also familiar with the home’s systems and components that are intended to function together, as well as possible causes for failures.