Selling your property? Thinking about buying the home of your dreams? Going to be the owner of a new building soon? Whatever your circumstances, you will need to work with a building inspector. The inner workings of these real estate specialists, who play a fundamental role in all real estate transactions, are still poorly understood.
For this reason, we are taking the time today to explore the role of the building inspector. Let's delve deeper into the broad outlines of this role.
What is the role of a building inspector?
Quite simply, a building inspector, as the title suggests, is an expert in the field of property inspection. Meticulous, multidisciplinary, versatile, rigorous, honest and objective: these are just some of their many qualities.
More specifically, such individuals carry out a visual inspection of the property in question in order to analyze the overall condition of its various components. These include the building's structure, foundations, plumbing systems, roofing, electrical systems, etc. Are there any building defects, perhaps even hidden? Does the property meet the specifications of the Building Code? These are the questions that the building inspector will try to answer.
As allies of both the seller and the buyer, building inspectors are essential professionals in all real estate transactions. For example, if defects are found, the seller will have the necessary information to either fix the situation or to adjust the selling price before putting their property on the market. The buyer, on the other hand, will have all the information necessary to make an informed decision for the purchase of the property thanks to the inspection report.
Do you need your property inspected? Check out our article How to find a good building inspector
When should you hire a building inspector?
Of course, there are several types of home inspectors who work within various real estate fields such as: residential, commercial and industrial. In any case, there are three main reasons to consult with this expert: the sale of a property, the purchase of a property, or the handover of a new building. These three scenarios are better known by the following names:
- The pre-sale inspection;
- The pre-purchase inspection;
- The pre-acceptance inspection.
You can also carry out a preventive inspection at your property. Although less common, a homeowner can call in a home inspector, even if they are not planning to sell, in order to conduct a comprehensive assessment of their home.
In concrete terms, how does the pre- and post-inspection process work? For more information, check out the following article:
The two-step building inspection
As mentioned above, home inspectors are important real estate specialists. They play a crucial role in any real estate transaction. There are two distinct stages of their work: the inspection of the property and the writing of the inspection report. Let's find out more about both.
First step: visual inspection of the property
Firstly, before beginning the visual inspection of the property, the inspector will briefly go over some official documents relating to the property. This allows the inspector to prepare for the inspection and to get a feel for the property before their visit.
On the day of the inspection, the inspector will go to the property to conduct a thorough visual inspection of the various components of the building. This includes the flooring, ceilings, foundations, roofing, beams, siding, gutters, heating and air conditioning systems, plumbing, etc. They will inspect the property from top to bottom to assess its safety, integrity and quality.
However, it is also important to note that a lot of preparation work goes into this simple inspection. To be able to adequately conduct this type of inspection, the building inspector must have diversified and up-to-date knowledge of the field. This is why building inspection is a continuous learning process.
This expert must also have a thorough knowledge of the Building Code as well as the various safety standards in the field. To do this, they must be aware of the numerous changes that occur in the construction industry from time to time.
This allows them to take a comprehensive look at the various components of the property and to form an initial idea of its overall condition. With the wealth of information gathered during the inspection, the inspector will then be able to begin writing the inspection report.
Second step: drafting the inspection report
Once the visual inspection of the property is completed, the inspector must write up an inspection report to record their findings. To do this, they review their notes and the photos they took during the inspection. This allows them to write a fair and complete report.
It is important to note that this task is not easy. In a sense, the success of the sale, purchase or handover of the property rests largely on this report. When writing the report, the inspector must therefore be very thorough, applying their many skills and using their expertise and analytical mind.
The inspector must provide their client with a detailed report that will allow them to make an informed decision on what to do next. A great responsibility therefore rests on their shoulders. This makes the writing of the inspection report as important a step as the inspection itself.
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