Home Inspection

A home inspection before you buy is your chance to see the house the way a trained eye sees it, from the shingles down to the footings. Jim Ward of Complete Home Inspections has done pre-purchase inspections from Delhi, Ontario since 2009, for buyers across Norfolk, Haldimand, Brant, Oxford, Elgin and Middlesex counties.

His approach is a very detailed inspection, the report the same day, and a buyer who actually understands what’s in it. As he says on his certification page:

My job isn’t finished until you understand everything in your report.

What Jim inspects

The standard inspection covers the main systems of the house:

• Roofs
• Electrical systems
• Plumbing
• Appliances
• Structure and foundation
• Basement and crawlspace
• Heating and air conditioning
• Attic, insulation and ventilation
• Doors, floors, walls and ceilings

Outside, that means the roofing, exterior cladding, porch and deck, any attached garage, the driveway and the visible foundation. Inside, it takes in the structural components, the basement and crawlspace, the fireplace, windows and doors, and every ceiling, floor and wall he can reach, plus the attic with its insulation and ventilation. For a walk through each system and what inspectors usually look for, read what a home inspection covers.

A visual inspection, and its limits

Every inspection is a visual, non-invasive evaluation of the visible and accessible structure, systems and components, inside and out. Nothing gets opened up: no holes in drywall, no lifted flooring. That keeps expectations honest. The inspection describes the condition of the house on the day Jim is there. It isn’t a forecast of what will wear out next year, and no visual inspection can reveal every concern hidden behind a finished surface.

Some checks are specialist work across the industry, such as a WETT inspection of a wood stove, a radon test or a septic system inspection. If one of them matters for the house you’re buying, ask Jim whether he covers it or whether you should book a specialist.

The report

You get a full-colour inspection report by email, with all the images from your inspection. It lays out any material defects in an easy-to-read format, each with a recommendation to monitor, repair or replace. Before you book, you can look at a sample report to see the format for yourself.

Having the report the same day matters most when your offer is conditional on an inspection and the clock is running. You can read it that evening, call Jim with questions, and talk it over with your lawyer or agent while there’s still time to act.

Newer homes need it too

Buyers of a house only a couple of years old often ask Jim whether an inspection is worth it. In his experience, 99% of the time they have not checked the foundation or been up into the attic. Two of the photos on his site come from four-year-old homes: one shows a foundation crack, the other R-12 attic insulation where R-40 was expected. Doing a house properly, he says, takes at least three hours.

Ridge vents are a good example of what only shows from inside. Jim checks from the attic for ridge vents installed where the roof sheathing underneath was never cut out, or wasn’t cut properly. From the driveway the roof looks vented. From the attic, you can see it can’t breathe.

Every kind of house

Jim has inspected new homes, older homes, mobile homes, cottages and multi-residential buildings. Rural buyers often need a water sample and water flow test on top of the inspection, and our guide to buying a rural home with a well and septic explains what else to plan for.

Who’s doing the inspecting

Jim started in construction at a young age, on residential and commercial work. In 2008 he spent a year working with a Registered Home Inspector, completed the Carson Dunlop Home Inspection Training Program in early 2009, and opened his own business that year. He is an InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector (CPI) and has earned his Certified Master certification. You can verify his certification any time on his InterNACHI profile.

Working for you, and only you

Jim follows the InterNACHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. He takes no commissions, rebates or referral payments to or from real estate agents, and he won’t offer to repair anything on a home he has inspected for 12 months afterwards. You sign a written contract that sets out the services, the limitations and the fees, and nothing about your inspection goes to anyone else without your written consent.

Prices

A house up to 1,800 square feet is $500 including HST. Larger houses are priced by size, so call for a quote. Police, fire and EMS get a discount; mention it when you call. Jim keeps his overhead low to keep the price competitive, and our guide to home inspection costs in Ontario shows how prices are usually set.

Other inspections

• Pre-listing inspection, for sellers who want to find problems before a buyer does.
• Condo inspection, $450 including HST.
• Commercial inspection, for stores, offices and multi-unit buildings.
• Rental and maintenance inspections, for landlords and long-time owners.
• Water sample and water flow tests, for homes on a private well.

Booking

Jim is available 7 days a week. Call 519-550-4998, email chi-1@bell.net, or send the address and square footage through the quote form. Comparing inspectors first? Take our questions to ask a home inspector with you. Local pages cover Norfolk County, Tillsonburg and Oxford, Brantford, London and Middlesex, Haldimand and St. Thomas and Elgin.