frequently asked questions

​If you have a question you'd like to see answered here please send us an email. Feel free to include any comments you may have about our company, our services or this website.  Of course if you need an answer right away, just pick up the phone and we'll be happy to speak with you!

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• What areas do you serve?
  In addition to the counties of Northumberland, Hastings and Prince Edward, including Brighton, Trent Hills, Quinte West, Belleville and Stirling, we also serve Port Hope, Cobourg and the Greater Napanee area.  Inspections in further outlying areas can be arranged, pending time and mileage considerations. Please call for details.

 

• How do I set up a home inspection?
  ​Call or sent text to (613) 391-8515 or call toll-free 1-888-394-6954 from anywhere in Canada or the Continental USA. Our friendly staff will be happy to confirm an inspection appointment for you.  Please ensure that you preferred date and time are acceptable to the other parties involved in the purchase and sale.
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• How much notice do you require?
  Anywhere from a day to a week, depending upon how busy the market is - so it's best to call a few days ahead if possible, to be better assured of the appointment time you prefer.
  
  
• How long will the home inspection take?
  About 2-3 hours on-site.
  
  
• What's involved... what's covered?
  Your inspector will perform a thorough visual inspection of the major systems and components of the home including the structure, roof, interior and exterior surfaces, and the plumbing, heating, cooling and electrical systems.  He or she will also examine the lot grading and storm drainage, and look for any evidence or likelihood of basement dampness.  Insulation and ventilation are also evaluated wherever possible.
  
  Your inspector will show you, and explain to you, the various parts of the home and answer any questions you may have. He or she will point out areas of concern, and offer suggestions for improvement. Where substantial costs may be involved, your inspector can offer rough estimates of what those costs may be.
  
  
• When will I receive my inspection report?
  Your inspector will create a report and post it on a secure web server. The web report includes color photos and illustrations, and links to relevant reference materials.  A link to the report is delivered by email, later the same day.
  
  Home inspection reports produced on the web are in PDF format. They can be downloaded and printed easily without a loss of quality. They can be stored on a hard drive or removable media and we commit as well, to keeping them available online for at least 12 months. As always, the inspection reports are your property - you can choose to share reports with friends and family, real estate agents, lenders, insurance companies and other interested parties. The duplication and transmittal of reports is effectively free, since the reports are available on a web page, and the link to the web page is simply e-mailed to the recipient.
  
  
• Why bother?  I've already had a good look around the house.
  Our inspections are like individual home seminars.  We spend approximately three hours with you in an interactive process during which you learn the status of the mechanical, structural and finish components of your new home - from an experienced person.
  
  Our inspectors examine hundreds and hundreds of houses every year.  This gives them the acquired ability to diagnose signs and symptoms which you may have overlooked. Our comprehensive report will distinguish between items that need to be repaired or replaced, areas that may need routine maintenance and components that may be suspect at the time of the inspection.
  
  
• So, your job is to find fault with houses?
  Well, yes to some extent... but we also like to think that our job is to help purchasers make informed decisions, and a home inspection can save money by showing people how to make only the necessary repairs, and in the most cost-effective manner.
  
  
• Do you inspect cottages and rural properties?
  Yes.
  
  
• Do you inspect wells?
  We perform a visual inspection of pump and pressure systems in use with private wells, in conjunction with the inspection of the plumbing and plumbing fixtures installed within the home - but we do not perform water potability, quality or well recovery rate testing. This work is usually performed by licensed pump and well technicians, sometimes by well-drillers.
  
  Find the right people listed under "Pumps" or "Wells."
  
  
• Do you inspect septic systems?
  We perform a visual inspection of readily accessible drainage components, and plumbing fixtures within the home - but we do not perform physical inspections of installed septic systems. This type of testing and inspection should be conducted by a licensed septic contractor.
  
  Find the right people listed under "Septic Tanks - Installation and Repair."
  
  
• Does Electrospec do environmental testing?
  No.  Environmental studies are performed by licensed environmental engineers and consulting firms who specialize in environmental issues. Although not generally required for private dwellings, it is recommended that at least a Phase 1 Environmental Study be obtained for commercial, industrical and agricultural properties.
  
  Find the right people listed under "Environmental Consultants."
  
  
• Do I need to have a newer home inspected?
  "Need" is a relative term.  And everyone's needs are different.   The important thing to note however, is that even if the likelihood of discovering a major flaw in a newer home is greatly reduced, the inspection can still serve you well. The opportunity exists to learn as much as you can about the house and how to look after it, before you buy it.  The inspector can point out known problem areas and suggest maintenance practices which will reduce or eliminate most problems before they can start.
  
  View a home inspection as a "seminar" on home ownership.  It can be a value-added, informative experience,giving you a better understanding of your new home...  and more security!
  
  
• How much do you charge for a home inspection?
  Our flat fee for a pre-purchase home inspection is currently $549- for all single-family dwellings regardless of age or value, up to 3000 sq.ft.   Dwellings over 3000 sq.ft. and multiple dwellings including apartment blocks and duplexes, are priced incrementally.  Please call our office at 613-391-8515 or toll-free USA/Canada 1-888-394-6954 for specialty quotes.
  
  Our flat fee for a pre-list inspection for Sellers is also $549-
  
  
• How much do your competitors charge?
  Fees vary within eastern Ontario, from about $450 to $600 plus HST, while fees in larger cities can exceed $600.  
  
  
• Why is your fee higher than some others?
  Because our service is better than many others!  We offer some of the most comprehensive, professional home inspection services available anywhere. Our inspections are considerably more detailed than average, and our reporting system and reference materials are widely accepted as the best in the business.  Our clients also enjoy free telephone consultation for as long as they own their homes!  Why settle for less?
  
  
• When do I pay, and how do you accept payment?
  We request payment at the end of the inspection, and gladly accept payment by cheque, cash, credit and debit cards, as well as Interac e-Money Transfer. 
  
  
• Who is Electrospec?
  Electrospec is an independent inspection and information services company, providing resale property inspections throughout east-central Ontario since 1994. Our staff are highly trained, experienced technicians and tradesmen with solid backgrounds in industry, construction, renovation, estimation and cost accounting - and with ever-present changes in construction practices, we are committed to on-going upgrading and education. Electrospec has performed thousands home inspections and in doing so, has become a leader in its field and a prime source of information for home buyers, sellers and real estate professionals.
  
  
• Do you guarantee your inspections?
  An inspection report is an opinion of the present condition of the property, based on a visual inspection of the readily accessible features of the building.  An inspection is not a guarantee, warrantee or insurance policy. Without dismantling a house or its systems, there are limitations. 
  
  We can substantially reduce one's risk, but we cannot eliminate it, nor do we assume it.
  
  
• Is Electrospec registered?
  Companies do not join professional associations - individuals do.  In the same sense that an individual lawyer, not the firm, joins the local Bar Association - a home inspector may join CAHPI (Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors), ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) or any number of other professional organizations.
  
  
• Must all home inspectors register?
  No.  There are different associations which individual inspectors may join, and membership is not mandatory at this time.  There are also no licenses or licensing requirements for professional home inspectors in Ontario, although this may change in time.
  
  
• Are Electrospec's inspectors registered?
  Gil Strachan is a member of ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) and CAHPI (Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors) and a NHICC National Certificate Holder.
  
  
• Do your inspections meet with NHICC and CAHPI Standards?
  ​Our inspections and our inspection reporting system meet or exceed the requirements of these and other organizations. Our reporting system is widely recognized as one of the best in the business!
  
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  NHICC  (National Home Inspector Certification Council)
  CAHPI   Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors