Home Information Guide

Each week we share an important guide about caring for your home.

See this week's guide

CAN-AM Home Inspection Services
Pacific Rim Drift Charters
Alpha Home Inspections is a Canadian Company

Weekly Home Information Guide

HOME OWNER PRE-DELIVERY INSPECTION

Your new home may represent your largest lifetime investment. To help you protect your investment an independent inspection will help identify most defects. We advise the wise purchaser to include as a condition of sale an in-depth inspection prior to your possession date. The time taken to perform this important phase will aid your fuller understanding of all the systems and components. The inspection will take at least five hours to perform and your participation is 100% encouraged. This highly individualized personal home seminar will give you, the purchaser, peace of mind knowing that your new home maybe be relatively problem free.

A new home will settle into itself over a two to four year timeframe typically. There will be cracks, nail pops, squeaky door hinges, foundation settlement, drawers that may or may not be just right, cold spots, hot spots, noises, smells, and odors just to name a few of the adjustments required for all the various materials to settle into each other. This is the natural progression of a new home.

Ongoing home maintenance is an opportunity to keep your family and home safe, healthy and happy. All homes need to be maintained in good repair to last many lifetimes. Pride of ownership will shine even through the darkest days and nights. A home kept in good repair has a higher selling price and is far easier to sell than a house that exhibits lack of maintenance.

We offer to advise, to recommend, visually observe, test and report to you in writing the normal homeowner controls and the like where applicable:

  • The roof/attic/insulation values/gutters/downspouts/ penetrations and their condition,
  • The exterior cladding/decks/stairs/balconies/doors/weather stripping and their condition,
  • The cupboards/walls/floors/ceilings/railings/ other interior areas and their condition,
  • The kitchen/bathrooms/hot tubs/Jacuzzis/showers and their condition,
  • The basement/crawl areas/ventilation/insulation values and their condition,
  • The plumbing system/ faucets/ drain/waste/vents that are visible/water heater and their condition,
  • The heating appliances/ductworks/oil tanks/gas lines/fireplaces/wood storage areas, chimneys, fresh air intakes and their condition,
  • The electrical system/service panel/sub panel/masthead/all outlets/ G.F.C.I’s/A.F.C.I’s, groundings,
  • The smoke alarms/carbon monoxide detectors and their condition,
  • The grounds/driveways/slopes/fences/sidewalks and their condition, and
  • The attached/semi/detached garages/carports and their condition.

We do no destructive testing. There are further limitations and exclusions as stated in our "Contract for Services".

Our features include:

  • An in-depth comment on safety issues,
  • A comprehensive detailed evaluation on all visible areas of the systems and components,
  • A list of preventative upgrades/repairs/replacements to do's,
  • A comprehensive 5-hour minimum highly personalized home seminar tailored to you and your new home. This gives you the chance to ask all those important questions Remember, all questions are important and none are insignificant.
  • Also, included is the CMHC 112 page Home Care book as another source of reference,
  • Many of the CMHC, B.C. Hydro Power Smart and Terasen pamphlets are included.

Our benefits include:

  • Our free one-month follow-up after move in inspection at a convenient time for you,
  • Our report both verbal and written is presented to you and expressed in easily understandable terms about the current state and condition of your new home,
  • We identify the areas of immediate concern and their remedies especially for health and safety issues as required,
  • A modified quick summary page of all areas of the new home check-up is offered,
  • All our findings covering some 1,500 items are presented to you in a 3-ringed binder report containing 45 pages of the systems and components and a further 65 pages of information pamphlets and brochures for deferred maintenance.

The size of the home is not what matters but what goes on about it that counts.

Our fees:

  • Full detailed inspection - $500.00 plus G.S.T. (same day onsite delivery)
  • With pictures - $600.00 plus G.S.T. (next day hand delivery)
  • 11 month follow-up - $350.00 plus G.S.T. (same day onsite delivery)
  • With pictures - $425.00 plus G.S.T. (next day hand delivery)

FOR PEACE OF MIND... CALL TERRY @ 250-720-9633 or Toll-free 1-866-720-9633 anytime.

We serve central Vancouver Island including Ladysmith to Qualicum Bay on the east coast and from Bamfield to Tofino on the west coast. Home base is Port Alberni, B.C.

Owning a home is probably the largest single investment a person may make in their lifetime and to ensure that the home does not prematurely deteriorate the homeowner is urged to have a yearly maintenance schedule. Simple tasks undertaken on a regular basis will help prolong the health of the home and its occupants year after year.

We recommend that qualified trades persons perform all tasks as they offer quality materials, proper installation requirements and a written guarantee.

Know that, for peace of mind, the care and attention you give your home will serve you well year after year and in comfort.