The Home Check System was designed to look at the five principle systems and general systems of a home. These are the systems that tend to have serious and/or expensive problems. The verbal on site “Walk-through Communication” model is informative and provides answers to questions that may arise from the client.

• Roof and upper structure
• Plumbing system
• Heating system
• Electrical system
• Foundation and lower structure
• General Comments – Anything that in the opinion of the inspector is a concern now or in the future.

We report the findings in a user friendly Written Category System that makes the report easy to understand and use.

The Home Check System doesn’t strive to duplicate what you can capably do your self and probably already have. These are things like painting and decorating etc., you know the things that have to do with taste and style and standards … all things that an inspector in a plaid shirt should probably steer clear of.

Our clients appreciate that we don’t “run up the bill” looking at secondary systems and tertiary items, or in the common vernacular “fluff and filler“. Things that cost more to check and report on, than you just fixing them when you find them … such as broken latches, sticky drawers and so on.

When doing Townhouse or Condo inspections, we can if requested, interpret and analyse the Depreciation Report. Our staff are Registered and Insured. Russell is the only Registered Reserve Fund Analysist with Applied Science and Technologists and Technicians of B.C. on the island and has Insurance Coverage under the Group Plan.

Three Reports

First, our walk through of the property can generally take anywhere between 20 and 60 minutes to introduce you to the process side of your new home. The analyst will show you what he has found, point out things of interest such as maintenance areas and of course answer your questions.

Second is the Home Check Report. This is a report that lays out the conditions discussed in the oral report. It is designed for ease of use. There is a section with photos for each of the five structural and mechanical areas reviewed as well as the General Comments. Each condition is categorized to help you make sense of the severity of each condition and indicate areas that may need further investigation by other professionals. Clients over the years have commented on how our reports have made understanding their house much easier, without all the needless complication of other systems.

SPUR report Is a separate raw data report intended for your Insurance Agent. As you may already know, Insurance Companies are taking a great interest in certain conditions in houses that they want dealt with. This is the ideal time to find out about them while you can still ask for help from the seller if one of these crops up. It is not intended to make any judgement on these conditions but it may assist your Agent with their job and save you from the 1001 insurance questions normally asked.

We know buying a home is a big deal, it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve done it. Feel free to ask any questions you feel we may be able to help answer. We can’t always guarantee we have the answer, but just about always we can point you in the right direction. Written replies or site visit requests may be billed separately.

“All questions are good questions if asked in earnest” quote from I forget who.

It is also important to remember that we are completely independent so we feel free to run your contractor questions by us. We can provide unbiased information about things tradesmen and contractors salespeople are telling you, you need to do. You will be surprised at how complicated and expensive (to their benefit) some can make things.

Asking questions by phone is a no cost service of Home Check Canada (Talesta Holdings) whether you're a client or not. Unfortunately site visits will require payment.

Condominium Units Condition Reports with available Home Service Warranty

Apartment and other multi-unit buildings are examined the same way as a house (above) with a couple of limitations. We do the same interior review of the plumbing, heating and electrical systems.

Unfortunately time and cost necessitates we can only perform a cursory review of the roof, foundation and common areas. If the Depreciation Report is available we will translate the complex document into simple language. This is generally enough to determine if there is cause for concern in terms of systems or impending financial needs highlighted in the Depreciation Report. Our Senior Analyst is a Registered Reserve Fund Analyst with ASTTBC.

This is the same for houses as it is for apartments and other multi-unit buildings, but it bears stating, The Home Check Review and Report can’t provide information about moisture infiltration into the building (the misnamed “leaky condo syndrome“). This is now an area of engineering speciality and should only be investigated and reported on by those engineers trained to do so. We suggest you not trust anyone else who may be making representations one way or another. Most Strata Councils (on request) can provide you with any documentation regarding the status of the building you are considering.