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All Around The House™
The Newsletter of Electrospec Home Inspection Services
Volume 1 Issue 2, November 1997mation Services

1. When things go wrong…
2. What if the contractor disagrees with the inspector?
3. * Excerpts from the Home Reference Book©

When things go wrong…

There may come a time when purchasers discover something wrong with the house, and may be upset or disappointed with the home inspection.  * Some problems can only be discovered by living in a house. For example, some shower stalls leak when people are in the shower, but do not leak when you simply turn on the tap.

If there are no clues of a past problem, one cannot presume that the inspector should forsee a future problem.

Some say we are inconsistent because our reports identify some minor problems but not others. The minor details that are identified were discovered while looking for more significant items. We note them simply as a courtesy. The intent of the inspection is not to find the $100 details; it is to find the $1000 items.

The main source of dissatisfaction often comes from comments made by contractors. Contractors' opinions often differ from ours. Don't be surprised when three roofers all say the roof needs replacement when we said that, with some minor repairs, the roof will last a few more years.

While our advice might represent the most prudent thing to do, many contractors are reluctant to undertake these repairs. This is because of the "Last Man In Theory". The contractor fears that if he is the last person to work on the roof, he will get blamed if the roof leaks, regardless of whether the leak is his fault or not. He might not want to do a minor repair with high liability when he could re-roof the entire house for more money and reduce the likelihood of a call-back. This is understandable.

There is more to the "Last Man In Theory". It suggests that it is human nature for homeowners to believe the last bit of "expert" advice they receive, even if it is contrary to previous advice. As home inspectors, we unfortunately find ourselves in the position of "first man in" and consequently it is our advice that is often disbelieved.

"I can't believe you had this house inspected, and they didn't find this problem."

There are several reasons for apparent oversights:

1. We are generalists, not specialists. The heating contractor may have more heating expertise than we do. This is because we are also expected to have cooling, plumbing, roofing, structural and electrical expertise.
2. When a problem manifests itself, it is very easy to have 20/20 hindsight. Anybody can say that the basement is wet when there's 2 inches of water on the floor. Predicting the occurance is a different story.
3. If we spent half an hour under the kitchen sink or 45 minutes disassembling the furnace, we'd find more problems too… but the inspection might take a few days, and would cost considerably more.

Food For Thought:

A home inspection is designed to better one's odds. It is not designed to totally eliminate all risk. A home inspection should not be considered an insurance policy.

The premium than an insurance company would have to charge for a policy with no deductable, no limit and an indefinate policy period would be considerably more than the fee we charge. It would also not include the value added by the inspection.

We hope this is food for thought.

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You Asked Us...

Q: Who is Gil Strachan?
A: Gil is an experienced, professional home inspector and as Certified Technician, brings over 17 years experience to the company. He has several years experience in renovation and renovation estimation, and is a member of OACETT, OAHI, ASHI¹ and WETT²; and is the owner of Electrospec.  

1 American Society of Home Inspectors     2 Wood Energy Technology Transfer Inc.

Q: What is Electrospec?
A: Electrospec is an inspection and information services company which has been in operation from Peterborough to Kingston since 1991. In addition to resale property inspections, Electrospec also provides inspection and damage assessment services for major moving and storage facilities. The company employs 3 full-time staff and several part-time, seasonal and contract technicians. Electrospec has conducted over 5000 inspections, including 1200 pre-purchase home inspections; and in doing so, has become a leader in it's field and a prime source of information for both home owners and relocation professionals.

January 1998 will witness the launching of Electrospec's interesting and informative site on the world-wide web. www.allaroundthehouse.com will provide quick and easy access to inspection information, and literally hundreds of related topics of interest!

Beginning also in January, Electrospec will be extending services to the Oshawa/Durham region.

Q: Do you guarantee your inspections?
A:   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 the risk involved in buying a home, but we cannot eliminate it, nor do we assume it.

Q: Do you have insurance?
A: Yes.  Electrospec carries professional and commercial liability insurance, as do all legitimate consulting firms, and as should virtually every business concern.

All Around The House is distributed monthly by Electrospec Home Inspection Services, in southeastern Ontario. Call (613) 394-6954 or toll free 1-888-394-6954 for information or bookings.

ELECTROSPEC®

Oshawa - Peterborough - Cobourg - Quinte Region - Prince Edward - Kingston

(613/888) 394-6954

 
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