How Do I Choose a Building Inspector?
November 17th, 2020
Choosing a building inspector can be a challenging experience if you don’t know exactly what you need. And when it comes to hiring professionals and getting quotes, it’s natural for clients to feel reluctant about “showing their cards” and feeling vulnerable by disclosing that they aren’t fully informed about what they need and who they can hire to do the job.
- Are there different types of building inspectors?
- Can all inspectors perform every type of building inspection?
The team of building inspectors here at Qualitam have taken a few minutes to address these questions to enable you to begin your search for a building inspector with more confidence. And of course, if you have more questions that aren’t addressed here, don’t be shy about reaching out. We’re here to help!
Here are some Q + A about things to look for when choosing a building inspector.
Q: Are there different types of building inspectors?
A: Yes.
There are different types of building inspectors to suit different jobs. While they all fall under the same umbrella term of building inspector, professionals in the field specialize in residential building inspection (often called home inspectors), commercial building inspection, or industrial building inspection. Each of these 3 areas require specific training and knowledge in order to conduct a thorough and accurate analysis of the state of a building and specific components within, and while some inspectors may be qualified in multiple areas, one should never assume that the inspector who does the regular inspection of your condominium elevator could also be the right fit to inspect a single family home that you’re hoping to purchase, for example.
Q: Can all inspectors perform every type of building inspection?
A: No.
Even within the designation of residential, commercial and industrial building inspector, not all professionals are trained or qualified to inspect all types of structures and components within each building type.
When choosing a commercial building inspector, look for a company or professional with experience, training and qualifications to perform property condition assessments (PCA) for the type of structure in question, whether it is an apartment, multi-family building with more than 5 units, an office building, warehouse, multi-use building, strip mall, retail space, motel or industrial building. Further, confirm that the inspection will include the structure’s exterior, interior finish, site components, roof, electrical, heating, A/C and plumbing systems.
If you are having a home building inspection and have specific concerns such as mould or asbestos, for example, take the time to confirm that your inspector can indeed perform this inspection with authority and accuracy. Not all home inspectors are trained or equipped to provide specialty services such as infrared thermographic inspections, mold and asbestos testing, indoor air quality analysis, or to provide repair or replacement cost evaluations of single family homes, townhomes, row houses, semi-detached homes, duplexes, triplexes and 4-plexes.
Building Inspectors: No One-Size-Fits-All Solution
Building inspections are a complex operation and inspectors are not one-size-fits-all. Choosing the right inspector for your specific project will take some research and more probing to ascertain whether or not they have the training, equipment, certification and experience to serve your building inspection needs.When it’s time for you to hire a building inspector, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of building engineers and certified inspectors here at Qualitam. We provide expert residential and commercial building inspections in the greater Montreal area and would be happy to answer any questions you might have about choosing the right building inspector for your needs.
