Daily Home Renovation Tips

You are buying a new house and your realtor recommends that you put in a ’subject to inspection’ clause in your offer. Your offer was accepted.

Now what?

Who do you choose to perform the home inspection? Are the service providers all the same?

Or, you are thinking of selling your home but heard it might be a good idea to have an independent professional inspect your home so you know ahead of time what deficiencies may be identified if the buyer has a home inspection performed on your home. This would help you be in a better negotiation position.

But, who do you contact to have the inspection performed on your own home?

Or,  you have heard (or read about on our site ) the ecoENERGY Residiential Retrofit program  and want to participate to help make your home more energy efficient.

Who do you choose to perform the ecoENERGY Energy Efficiency Assessment (i.e. energy audit)?

Of course, you want to only use a professional firm who trains it’s inspectors to meet, preferably exceed, the Canadian Association of Home Inspector’s Standards of Practice.

To me, you should look to a company who also provides more than just home inspection and energy efficiency assessment services. Such a company is AmeriSpec Canada.

How does this company provide more? By actually doing more than just home inspections and energy efficiency assessments.

Home inspections can be a confusing. AmeriSpec provides a Guide to Home Inspections  that anyone can download for free to better understand what is involved.

Experience is invaluable. A firm who has experience in providing more than home inspections, even more than energy efficiency assessments can typically provide more useful information and feedback. In addition to home inspections and energy efficiency assessments, AmeriSpec has a plethora of specialty services  including  commercial building inspections, water analysis, indoor air quality surveys, septic testing and more.

What about free information for the home owner? One of the areas I like about the AmeriSpec Canada web site is the collection of information and tips for the home owner that are free for the asking. All you have to do is access the Ask The Inspector area of their web site where information is provided on a wide variety of topics of interest to home owners including:

• Environmental (Fire Safety, Mould, HRV, …)
• Industry Topics (Condominium purchase considerations, job costing, insurance issues, ….)
• Major Systems (Electrical, Furnace, Plumbing, Septic Tanks, …)
• Building Envelope (Air Sealing, Ventilation, Water Treatment, …)

Whether you are a new home owner or one who has owned for decades, knowledge is power and these resources can be very useful.

Yet, that is not all of the free information available 24 X 7 from the AmeriSpec Canada. In the Tools and Resources area of their web site you can download a:

• home improvement and repair cost guide
• moving checklist, and
• sample inspection report (very useful for someone who has never has a home inspection yet wants to better understand what it is all about)

In that same area you are provided with links to a variety of organizations related to home issues including the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors, Canadian Home Builders Association, and more.

So, the next time you need a home inspection or any of the speciality services they provide, or want to start participating in the ecoENERGY Retrofit program, consider AmeriSpec Canada.