Home Inspection Blog

Are you planning to sell your home? Then you know that any interested buyer is going to have a home inspector look over your property before signing on the dotted line.

So, before you put your house on the market, you will want to take the necessary steps to ensure the review process goes smoothly to seal the deal. To make your house more appealing to buyers and boost your chance of a sale, here are some home inspection tips for sellers.

Declutter your home

This might seem like a given, but many homeowners neglect this important step when preparing for a home inspection. Be sure to clear away the clutter from HVAC units, furnaces, and utility closets. This is a good time to check your attic for mould as well.

You will also want to ensure that basements, attics, and the garage are free of debris to allow for easier maneuverability for the inspector and the potential buyer. While you are cleaning up, test the smoke and carbon detectors, and replace burned out bulbs.

Prepare a game plan for repairs

When it comes to preparing for a home inspection, it is always a good idea to know what inspectors look for. There are several items you should be prepared to fix or negotiate in the sale of the house, including structural integrity issues, roof damage, electrical system problems, plumbing concerns, and signs of water damage.

Knowing what needs to be repaired now will help you avoid being caught off guard later. Some potential buyers might bring their own home inspection checklist, something to keep in mind when you’re getting your own home ready.

Ensure the house is fully accessible

Home inspectors will need to conduct a thorough review of your entire property. So, it is important that your home is easily accessible for the inspector and the interested buyer.

If you won’t be there during the inspection process, provide the inspector with any necessary keys, garage door openers, or door codes for your home. You should also leave all the utilities on and provide remotes to lights or ceiling fans.

Provide all necessary documents to the inspector

Did you have any major repairs or upgrades done to your home? Before your home inspection, gather up any relevant documents like receipts and warranties for the inspector.

Having the precise information will help the inspector create an accurate report on repairs and renovations to provide to the potential buyer.

Make plans

As you might expect, the home inspection process can be a lengthy one, taking up to three hours or more to complete.

What’s more, the potential buyer will be present to go through the process with the inspector, learning about your home. If you are there during the inspection, the buyer may feel uncomfortable asking specific questions in your presence.

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Buying a home is one of the most important and expensive purchases of your life. So, it is easy to see why you might want to cut corners wherever you can. But if you are thinking about skipping a home inspection, think again. Without one, you could wind up stuck with a nightmare of a home, rife with problems and costly repairs. To help make the home buying process a successful one, here are some handy tips on how to find the right home inspector in West Vancouver.

Get referrals

Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure to get referrals to choose a reliable home inspector. Get feedback from your real estate agent, friends, family, and social networks. Once you have the name of a few home inspectors, do your homework and research them, reading reviews from Google, Yelp, and Angie’s List.

Ask about qualifications

You wouldn’t put the satisfaction of your future home in the hands of just anyone, would you? Always go with a pro who has the proper training and experience in the building trades. They need to be able to spot issues with foundations, doors, windows, roofs, and attics, as well as HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems. When it comes to choosing the right West Vancouver home inspector, they must be experts in every aspect of a property.

Join them for the home inspection

If a home inspector refuses to let you accompany them on a home inspection, that is a major red flag—and a sign for you to choose someone else. While you certainly don’t have to go along for the inspection, a reliable professional will always welcome you to do so. This is your chance to see the process firsthand. You will not only receive valuable insight into the condition of a home, but also get the chance to ask key questions about any potential problems that could crop up later.

Request a sample inspection report

Any reliable home inspector will provide you with a sample inspection report. This will give you a clear idea on what is covered in the process. A comprehensive report will document the condition of the property, along with any recommended repairs, replacements, or improvements that need to be done. The report will also include a summary of significant issues for quick reference.

Compare the costs of similar home inspection companies

It is true what they say—you really do get what you pay for. Although you should never let price alone determine which company you go with, you also don’t want to get gouged either. So, remember, a quality company is worth the extra money. Just make sure you are not getting overcharged.

Buying a new home can be exciting—but it can also be overwhelming. Choosing the right home inspector will go a long way to making the entire home buying process easier and stress-free.

Learn more about our home inspector services:

• The home inspection process
• Home inspection Squamish services
• Home inspection Whistler services
• Home inspection West Vancouver services

Call 604-389-9556 , or email for a home inspection now!

Contact House Sound Home Inspection to learn more about what a home inspector can do for you.

Routine Preventative Maintenance for Unfinished Basements and Crawlspaces

If your home has an unfinished basement or crawlspace, a good preventative maintenance activity after winter is to check it for water ingress and look at the systems visible therein (plumbing – waste and piping, heating ducts etc).  Houses that are built on hillside lots, or those built on flood plains or close to water sources, are particularly vulnerable.

If your downspouts discharge above grade, pay attention to inside the crawlspace or basement adjacent to where they discharge on the exterior.  To prevent water ingress, it is recommended that downspouts that discharge water above grade should do so 4 – 6 feet away from the house. Look for damp areas.  A building scientist once told me that 90% of wet basement and crawlspaces are caused by poor control of surface water.

The photograph above shows water ingress caused by a downspout that discharges above grade and too close to the house.  Due to a lack of preventative maintenance, this had caused the sill plate of the wood frame of the house to rot. Always remember, preventative maintenance will save you money in the long term.

In older houses, if they are fitted with a perimeter drainage tile, it is recommended that these are checked annually with a CCTV camera to ensure that they still functioning and are not broken or blocked.  Tree, plant and scrubs roots can invade drainage tiles in their search for water. Most plumbing contractors offer this service at reasonable cost. Black corrugated plastic and old cement drainage tiles can be prone to failure.

Cracks in foundation

Finally, check the foundation walls for cracks.  If you know your foundation walls already has these, check to ensure that they have not changed.  If they have been subject to repair, check that the repair is still good.

Most cracks in foundation walls are not serious, but if present, monitoring for changes is recommended.  The example below shows a typical minor crack. Anything else should be repaired.

The photograph above shows a typical minor crack.  The foundation is not on an exposed position and there is no evidence of water ingress or differential settlement.  The 12” rule is used for scale. The crack is below 1/8” wide. This type of crack should still be monitored in case it changes.

However, here is a summary of what to look out for with cracks that require further specialist evaluation (foundation repair specialist).  This list is not exhaustive.

• Any horizontal crack.
• Cracks that show differential settlement (see photographs below)

Foundation crack – ½” wide  

Same crack ¼” difference in vertical face

In the example shown above, the house was on a steep hillside lot with a watercourse below.  There was a similar crack on the diagonally opposite foundation wall. Combined factors suggested that the corner of the house had moved.  This is a good example where advice of a structural engineer and foundation repair specialist should be sought. It is likely that the foundation will require underpinning.  In a pre-purchase home inspection, this should be completed prior to subject removal so that you are aware of the cost of remediation before you commit to the deal. This crack was found in a crawlspace 16” high.   It’s a good example of why you should employ a professional licensed home inspector.  

• Cracks that are wider at the top than at the bottom
• Cracks wider than 1/8”

Other routine checks that can save you money

The basement and crawlspace areas also provide access to check the plumbing for leaks.

                       Waste pipe – evidence of leak

Rot to surrounding sub floor

The above example again shows the benefits of regular preventative maintenance. The leak could have been spotted earlier, before rot occurred.

So, get into your unfinished basement or crawlspace and have a look around.  In the vast majority of circumstances, nothing will have changed. But if you do notice anything unusual, the chances are that you will have caught the problem before it causes major problems.  That’s the whole purpose of preventative maintenance.

Contact House Sounds Home Inspections

If you are unsure about the state of your basement or crawlspace, click here to contact Mark or Gerrie Goodwin with House Sound for a thorough and professional home inspection.

Learn more about the home inspection services:

• The home inspection process
• Home inspection Squamish services
• Home inspection Whistler services
• Home inspection West Vancouver services

Call 604-389-9556 , or email for a home inspector now!

See What Customers Say about House Sound Home Inspections