|
Frequently Asked Questions
 If you have a question you'd like answered or presented here, please
send us an email including any comments you may have about our company, our services or this website.
Of course if you need an answer right away, just
pick up the phone and we'll be
more than happy to talk with you!
What areas do you serve?
We serve primarily the
Quinte Region of east-central Ontario, including
Cobourg,
Brighton,
Campbellford,
Hastings,
Stirling,
Marmora,
Madoc,
Tweed,
Trenton,
Belleville,
Picton,
Tyendinaga,
Napanee
and surrounding areas.
Also in the local area:
Port Hope,
Quinte West,
Trent Hills,
Hamilton,
Alnwick/Haldimand,
Cramahe,
Northumberland,
Prince Edward County,
Castleton, Colborne, Warkworth, Foxboro
Click here to view maps of our service area.
How do I set up a home inspection?
Call us at (613) 394-6954 or toll-free (888) 394-6954 from anywhere in Canada or
the continental USA. Our friendly staff will be happy to confirm an inspection
appointment for you. Please ensure that the date and time are acceptable to the
other parties involved in the purchase & sale.
How much notice do you require?
Unless we're fully booked, there's always an inspector
ready to go. But, it's best to call a few days ahead if possible, so you can
be better assured of the appointment time you prefer.
How long will the inspection take?
About 2.5 to 3 hours.
What's involved... what's covered?
Your inspector will perform a thorough visual inspection of the major systems and
components of the home including the structure, roof, interior/exterior surfaces, and the
plumbing, heating, cooling & electrical systems. He or she will also examine the
lot grading, and any evidence or likelihood of basement dampness. Insulation and
ventilation will also be evaluated.
Your inspector will show you, and explain to you, the various parts of the home
and answer any questions you may have. He or she will point out areas of concern,
and offer suggestions for improvement. Where substantial costs may be involved, your
inspector can offer reasonable estimates of what those costs may be.
Your
inspector will create a written report on site, and present it
to you with the Home Reference Book©.
Why bother? I've already had a good look around the house.
Our inspections are like individual home seminars. We spend approximately
three hours with you in an interactive process during which you learn the status of the
mechanical, structural and finish components of your new home - from an experienced
person.
Our inspectors examine hundreds and hundreds of houses every year. This
gives them the acquired ability to diagnose signs and symptoms which you may have
overlooked.
Our comprehensive report will distinguish between items that need to be repaired
or replaced, areas that may need routine maintenance and components that may be suspect at
the time of the inspection. The Home Reference Book©
allows us to create your report right at the house. You'll have it at the end of the
inspection.
So, your job is to find fault with houses?
Well, yes to an extent... but we also like to think that our job is to help
purchasers make informed decisions... and a home inspection can save money by showing
people how to make only the necessary repairs, and in the most cost-effective manner.
Do you inspect cottages and rural properties?
Yes.
Do you inspect woodstoves and
fireplaces?
Wood-heating (WETT) inspection and certification is included with your
home inspection.
Do you inspect wells?
We perform a visual inspection of pump and pressure systems in use with private
wells, in conjunction with the inspection of the plumbing and
plumbing fixtures installed within the
home - but we do not perform water potability, quality
or well recovery testing. This work is
usually performed by licensed pump and well technicians,
sometimes by well-drillers.
Do you inspect septic systems?
We perform a visual inspection of readily accessible drainage components, and
plumbing fixtures within the home - but we do not perform physical inspections of
installed septic systems.
Without excavating or obtaining core samples for laboratory testing,
there are no conclusive methods for septic performance testing. Some home inspection
companies offer septic testing, using the "dye & flood" method, but the
results may not be readily discernable and
are often not accurate.
Any form of septic testing should be conducted by licensed individuals,
typically hydro-geological engineers or engineering
technicians who specialize in this field
Does Electrospec do environmental testing?
No. Environmental studies are provided by
government-licensed environmental firms, and are most often performed by environmental engineers or
engineering technicians who specialize in environmental issues.
Do I need to have a newer home inspected?
"Need" is a relative term. And everyone's needs are different.
The important thing to note however, is that even if the likelihood of discovering
a major flaw in a newer home is greatly reduced, the inspection can still serve you well.
The opportunity exists to learn as much as you can about the house and how to look
after it, before you buy it. The inspector can point out known problem areas and
suggest maintenance practices which will reduce or eliminate most problems before they can
start.
View a home inspection as a "seminar" on home ownership. It can
be a value-added, informative experience, giving you a better understanding of your new
home... and more security!
How much do you charge for a home inspection?
Our flat fee for a pre-purchase home inspection is $400-
for all single-family dwellings regardless of age or value, up to 3000 sq.ft.
Dwellings over 3000 sq.ft. and multiple dwellings including apartment blocks and
duplexes, are priced incrementally. Please call our office at 613-394-6954 or
toll-free USA/Canada 1-888-394-6954 for exact quotes.
Our flat fee for a pre-list inspection (for vendors only) is
also $400-
How much do your competitors charge?
Fees vary within eastern Ontario, from about $350- to $450, while fees in larger
cities may exceed $500.
Why is your fee higher than some others?
Because our service is much better than most
others! We offer the most comprehensive, professional home inspection available
anywhere.
Our inspections are considerably more detailed than average,
and the Home
Reference Book© is widely accepted as the
best reporting system in the business. Our
clients also enjoy free telephone consultation for as long as they own their
homes!
Why settle for less?
When do I pay, and how do you accept payment?
The report will be finished and inserted in your Home Reference Book, ready for you
to take away, at the end of the inspection... so we would appreciate payment at that
time.
We accept payment by cheque, cash, VISA, MasterCard or American Express.
Who is Electrospec?
Electrospec is an independent inspection and information services company,
providing resale property inspections throughout east-central
Ontario since 1994.
Our staff are highly trained, experienced technicians and tradesmen with solid
backgrounds in industry, construction, renovation, estimation and cost accounting.
Everyone has completed the Electrospec training syllabus and/or similar training
programs. With constant changes in residential construction practices, everyone is also
committed to on-going upgrading and education.
Electrospec has conducted thousands of pre-purchase and pre-listing home
inspections; and in doing so, has become a leader in it's field
and a prime source of information for home buyers, sellers and real estate professionals.
Do you guarantee your inspections?
An inspection report is an opinion of the present condition of the property, based
on a visual inspection of the readily accessible features of the building. An
inspection is not a guarantee, warrantee or insurance policy.
Without dismantling a house or its systems, there are limitations. We can
substantially reduce one's risk, but we cannot eliminate it, nor do we assume it.
Is Electrospec registered?
Companies do not join professional associations - individuals do. In
the same sense that an individual lawyer, not the firm, joins the local Bar Association -
a home inspector may join
CAHPI
(Canadian Association of
Home and Property Inspectors),
ASHI (American Society of Home
Inspectors), or any number of other professional organizations.
Must all home inspectors register?
No. There are different associations which individual inspectors may join,
and membership is not mandatory at this time. There are also no licenses or
licensing requirements for professional home inspectors in
Canada, although this may change in time.
Are Electrospec's inspectors registered?
Gil Strachan is a member of
ASHI
(American Society of Home Inspectors) and a Canadian
National Certificate
Holder.
Do your inspections meet with CAHPI or ASHI Standards?
Our inspections and our inspection reporting system meet or exceed the requirements
of these organizations.
Our reporting systems are widely recognized as
some of the best in the business!
Got a question that's not answered here?
Phone us, or
send email.
(613) 394-6954 or toll-free 1-888-394-6954
 | 
All
Around The
House™
