By: Zoocasa
Darcy MacLeod, home inspector and owner of Brick House Home Inspection Services, once inspected a small cottage with lakefront access.
She smelled something funky and convinced the septic inspector to open the lid to the original cement tanks. They found that the first tank was split down the middle and raw waste had been draining to the property next door for years, likely.
Then, inside the crawlspace, she found a pregnant possum in the middle of labour. That’s a lucky break, as other rodents can cause terrible damage by chewing on wood framing and electrical wires. Like the time she opened an attic, for example, and found a four-foot high nest made by a raccoon — causing serious potential problem to the insulation. MacLeod sits on the board of directors of the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI).
And MacLeod’s experiences aren’t in any way unusual — cottage properties are very different than city properties and require an experienced home inspector to check them over.
Home inspectors are unlicensed in Ontario and some do not have formal training. Make sure to look for a professional in an association such as the OAHI. OAHI member home inspectors are regulated under Bill Pr158.
Without a proper home inspection, prospective buyers are leaving themselves open for potentially huge costs down the road to fix issues. It’s a problem that will likely increase in upcoming years as more and more millennials search MLS listings and choose to buy properties in cottage country while renting in the city.
It’s a trend that started with a whisper a few years ago when millennials became essentially priced out of Toronto, and grew until it became the norm.
But those coming from the city may be unprepared for the reality of properties in the country. Whether it’s Barrie real estate, London real estate or Toronto real estate, city homes simply operate differently than cottages.
In fact, millennials may be in such a rush to buy that they decide to skip out on home inspections all together.
But this would be a huge mistake.
A thorough home inspection can take several hours, plus time for a septic professional and a WETT inspection (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) if the property has a wood burning fireplace. An inspector will check the crawlspace, docks and boathouses, electrical and heating just to name a few.
Prospective buyers will feel more confident about the overall condition of the property once they perform this due diligence.
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Zoocasa is a full-service brokerage that offers advanced online search tools to empower Canadians with the data and expertise they need to make more successful real estate decisions. View real estate listings at zoocasa.com or download our free iOS app.
Through education and advocacy the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors cultivates a thriving home inspection industry based on the highest standards of professional development and ethical standards. In doing so, OAHI cultivates the ‘gold standard’ for home inspectors among consumers and the government. OAHI is the only provincially recognized body of home inspectors by The Ontario Association of Home Inspectors Act, 1994. OAHI is a not-for-profit association.
OAHI member inspectors see homes differently.
OAHI Blog - Ontario Association of Home Inspectors 