www.qualitexhomeinspection.ca
Tel:416-997-3466
Clients sometimes get upset when a Home Inspector misses something. This is understandable. After all you are paying for him or her to find defects that you are not aware of, or have the expertise to identify. You expect thoroughness and professionalism. However, even the best inspectors can miss things for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons are listed below:
1. Lack of experience (maybe in a specific area of the Home Inspection discipline)
2. Defect was hidden or somehow concealed
3. Conditions necessary for defect to be found was not present
4. Not having the correct tools required
5. Distraction at the time of inspection
Lack of experience:
The Home Inspection profession involves many fields. That is why Home Inspectors are considered Generalists and not Experts. He or she should or may have good knowledge of Plumbing, Electrical, Heating, Air Conditioning and more, but certainly he or she is not a plumber, or an electrician. Plumbers or electricians are specialists in those fields only respectively.
Defect hidden:
Rugs, mats, even pots and pans are often used for the deliberate concealment of defects. An item placed on a counter top may be placed there for a specific reason. The inspector may be able to look under these items given that is easy to do. However, consider a defect behind the drywall of a wall such an improper electrical termination, or a slowly leaking pipe. These maybe difficult to detect.
Conditions necessary for defect to manifest itself is absent:
- This could be a leak that occurs only during heavy rains.
- It could also manifest itself only when the number of occupants in the home increases, or increases to a certain level.
- A real hot or a real cold day are other possibilities.
There are many other scenarios or examples other than those identified above, that may apply.
Not having the correct tools:
The most basic tools for a home inspection are those most people including people who are not inspectors will most likely have. However, in order to be really good at the Home Inspection profession, certain specialized tools are often required: Moisture meter, IR camera, ability or equipment to examine roofs, etc. Without these, an inspectors chances of missing things increases significantly.
Distraction:
Often times clients will show up with a huge party: spouse , kids, Uncle Bob, friends, etc. The sellers along with their family may also be present. Even if they are not asking any questions, or if Uncle Bob is not challenging the inspector’s findings, the mere presence of so may people in the house or room at the same time can cause the inspector to make mistakes.
What we do at Qualitex Home Inspection
Experience matters. The inspectors of Qualitex Home Inspection are trained and seasoned. Our company culture is one of Continuous Learning, so we practice all the latest industry accepted techniques and norms. We equip our staff with the latest tools (hardware and software). This does not mean we cannot make mistakes. What it does mean though is that any mistake or omission made would most likely have happened using another inspection company if the conditions surrounding the mistake or omission remains or is the same.
In our next blog in this series we will detail a real world example of an issue we found and the story line behind it….
The End
Qualitex Home Inspection services the Greater Toronto Area: Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Milton, Oakville, Burlington, Vaughan.
