We get a lot of questions, here’s a few frequent ones

For most people buying a home is a big commitment that’s made after maybe an hour spent in that house total. A home inspection allows you to buy with confidence and avoid any surprise repairs or improvements that you didn’t expect saving you money, time and worry in the long run.

A home inspection is a thorough, non-invasive assessment of the condition of a house. A home inspection looks for any issues or repairs both structural or otherwise including:

• Construction (structural components)
• Foundation
• Basement
• Windows, doors, and walls
• Roofing
• Attic
• Radon
• Mould
• Energy efficiency
• HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning)
• Plumbing
• Electrical system

Once the inspection is complete, Bernard Home Inspections provides you with a full, detailed inspection report including photos and videos. These assets will be yours to keep and refer to throughout your home buying or selling process.

During a home inspection, the home inspector will do a visual check of the interior and exterior components of the home. The process is non-invasive. You can be there and it’s recommended that you are present, but not necessary.
The inspector will be looking for anything that can cause safety issues or affect the integrity of the home. They’re not looking into the aesthetics of the home.

Make yourself a home inspection checklist when prepping for a home inspection:

• Clear any clutter so the home inspector has easy access to your basement, attic, electrical panel, furnace, water heater or any other area you think they may need access to.
• Replace any HVAC filters in your ventilation system and put in fresh light bulbs if any are burnt out.
• Check that water taps are running smoothly, including the bathtub.
• Check that pilot lights are lit.
• Safely trim any trees that need trimming.
• Check the roof, clean the gutters: missing shingles and loose nails are simple fixes, but no matter what you find you want to be aware of what’s up there!
• Pests: have any pest issues (rodents, carpenter ants) been resolved?
• Keep pets crated or secured.

Most importantly, relax. A home inspection is a simple tool to help you along in the buying and selling process. It’s not a pass/fail exam.

Having a home pre-inspected is a great seller’s tool. A home inspection allows you to improve anything that’s needed prior to sale. It can help you accurately set your asking price and be a confidence-boosting negotiating tool. A home pre-inspection can also attract more buyers.

The buyer is generally responsible for a home inspection and in some cases, a home inspection is required for financing. A seller may also want to consider a pre-inspection for their home as it’s a great seller’s tool that will attract more buyers to your property.

Finding issues during an inspection is normal, and many are often minor. Here are some of the most common problems found during a home inspection:

• GFCI outlets: make sure all electrical outlets are functioning, up to code and you have GFCI outlets where needed.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors where needed and functioning.
• Caulking: an easy fix that works so hard on the interior and exterior of your home.
• Windows: foggy windows on the minor end but broken, damaged, and non-functioning windows are a common issue.
• Pests, like rodents or carpenter ants.

These are just some common issues that arise, but if any repairs or fixes show up on your report, don’t worry. That’s what the home inspection is there for. Finding some repairs is totally normal and most of the time very fixable.

Contact us to get started on your home inspection and quote today.