Home Inspectors near you

The purpose of the inspection changes what you ask for and who the report is written for, so tell the inspector why you're booking and who else will read it.

A general home inspection is visual and non-invasive. The inspector walks the exterior, views the roof where that's safe, then the attic, each room and the basement, runs normal controls such as taps and the thermostat, and uses a moisture meter or thermal camera to follow up on clues. Be there for at least the end: seeing a problem in person makes the report much easier to understand.

Some risks can't be judged by eye. When the report or the house points to one, add a specialized test before your condition deadline if you can; some inspectors offer these services, others refer you to a specialist. For a house on a private well or septic system, water testing and a septic evaluation are separate jobs.

In older housing stock, a few findings come up again and again, and each points to a different trade. None automatically sinks a deal, but each deserves a quote or an expert opinion before your condition expires.

A report can be long and full of observations, and its length says little about the house. Most items are minor. Your job is to sort them: what's a safety hazard, what's a real defect that will cost money soon, what's aging normally and what's simply maintenance. Many reports already group findings this way; if yours doesn't, do it with the inspector's help.

Watch the wording. Phrases such as 'further evaluation recommended', 'beyond the scope' or 'not accessible' mean the inspector couldn't reach a conclusion, and that uncertainty is yours until a specialist takes a look.

In most provinces, a buyer can make an offer conditional on a satisfactory inspection. The condition sets a deadline, and until it passes you can accept the house as is, ask the seller to repair, lower the price or give a credit, or withdraw on the terms the condition sets out. Read that clause closely: its deadlines and steps to withdraw are strict.

Book the inspector as soon as the offer is accepted, so there's time for any specialist the report calls for. Focus negotiations on major defects and safety items, backed by written quotes. Waiving the condition to win a bidding war means accepting the house without knowing what the report would have said.

Regulation differs across the country. In British Columbia, anyone doing home inspections needs a licence from Consumer Protection BC under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act and the Home Inspector Licensing Regulation. In Alberta, home inspection businesses and the individual inspectors they employ must be licensed under the Consumer Protection Act and the Home Inspection Business Regulation, and the province's Find a Licensed Business tool lets you check one. Ontario's government says the province does not currently have mandatory requirements for home inspectors, who are also not required by law to carry insurance. Elsewhere, ask your province's consumer protection office.

In Quebec, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec is putting a certification system in place. Starting October 1, 2027, residential building inspectors who do pre-purchase inspections for a real estate transaction must hold an RBQ certificate, and the RBQ names standard BNQ 3009-500 as the reference for their inspection practices. Some inspectors also belong to a professional order, such as the Ordre des technologues professionnels du Québec, or are architects or engineers; you can confirm their membership in the order's public directory.