There鈥檚 always a risk in buying a house 鈥� unexpected defects can cause you headaches and drain your bank account 鈥� but having the property thoroughly inspected before you close the deal reduces that risk.
If the home inspector knows what he or she is doing.
That underscores the importance of the move by the sa国际传媒 government to standardize the education and licensing of home inspectors.
In 2009, sa国际传媒 took a step in the right direction by becoming the first province to require that inspectors be licensed. But rather than set out detailed requirements for skills and training, Consumer Protection sa国际传媒 began granting licences to people who were certified by one of four organizations. The problem is that the four groups have different standards.
Consumer Protection sa国际传媒 advised prospective homebuyers to consult the standards and certification requirements of each organization to decide which one meets their needs, then hire an inspector certified by that organization. That was a heavy burden to place on consumers who had to wade through the four websites or call the four organizations in search of standards and compare them. Few have the time or the knowledge to make a comparison.
That鈥檚 changing for the better. By the end of next year, all home inspectors in sa国际传媒 will have to meet the same set of criteria to be licensed. Consumer Protection will set the education and training requirements, and will test and license inspectors.
For most people, buying a home is by far the biggest purchase they will ever make. It鈥檚 a decision that needs to be based on much more than curb appeal. Buyers are prone to being dazzled by granite counters and new flooring; a home inspector looks beyond the decor to ascertain the condition of a house.
A trained inspector can estimate the life remaining in a roof, the integrity of a foundation, the effectiveness of insulation. A house solid in every other aspect can have aging wiring or plumbing that needs replacing. These are details not always covered in a real estate listing.
That is not to disparage real estate agents 鈥� while most are knowledgeable about their properties, their expertise is in marketing and bringing buyers and sellers together. Most will strongly recommend home inspections before a deal is closed.
Standardizing education, testing and licensing of home inspectors is the right move for the province. This is the sort of regulation and protection consumers properly expect from governments.
It shouldn鈥檛 be inferred that home inspectors have been operating without standards to this point 鈥� inspectors must undergo regular testing to obtain and keep a licence, but that鈥檚 done by four associations, each with its own evaluation process. The inspectors themselves have been pushing for change 鈥� most inspectors think the licensing requirements have been too lax.
It is incumbent on the government to ensure the training and licensing is of the highest standard, and that enforcement is rigorous. Even the best law is no good if it doesn鈥檛 have teeth.
While the standardized system should give the public more confidence, homebuyers should not take anything for granted. They should ensure inspectors are properly licensed and should ask for (and verify) references.
It adds another cost in buying a home, but one that is well worth it. Buying a home is often as much an emotional decision as a business transaction, so it is wise to bring in someone who can look at a home from a technical standpoint.
Spending a few hundred dollars for an inspection is a pittance compared to many thousands of dollars in repairs or renovations.
