Thankfully, a thorough home inspection gave us the information we needed to avoid making the wrong purchase

We are two professionals, one a researcher and the other trained in investigation. We are, however, at least smart enough to know what we don’t know most of the time.

Through the media, we heard of some sad stories about people buying homes that appeared on the surface to be sound but in actual fact were not. So, we were concerned to make sure that we were basing our decision to purchase a home on the best possible information about its condition and soundness.

After talking with friends and conducting an exhaustive search on the web, we learned a fair bit about different forms of certification and training for home inspectors. It seemed important to us to choose someone who went through rigorous training at an accredited institution, had extensive experience in home inspection and could provide us with a detailed report.

The report is just the end product of Ted’s home inspection process. We spent the day with Ted learning about what was right and what was problematic with our potential new home. Arriving at 9:00 in the morning, we found Ted twenty feet up on a ladder inspecting the tile roof, binoculars in one hand and digital camera in the other. As the day unfolded, Ted worked his way through the entire house. We took extensive notes as he explained how the house as a system – its heating, ventilation, drainage and plumbing – worked and sometimes didn’t.

The following evening we met with Ted to review the report. It was thorough, detailed, and packed full of colour pictures and diagrams that were extremely helpful in determining the strengths and weaknesses of the house. As we’ve both said, part of what makes Ted exceptional is his ability to take prospective home buyers to a new state of awareness – beyond lovely crown moldings, elegant lighting and a floor plan that really works, there is another less visible world in every home.

In the end, we decided not to purchase the house. Our decision was based on our notes and observations from the day with Ted, and our assessment of Ted’s findings. Before coming to this decision, we investigated the costs of repairing two significant deficiencies with the house. Ted provided prompt responses to the questions that emerged as we spoke with City Hall, plumbing and drain tile contractors, and roof tile manufacturers. We weighed the likely costs of correcting the major deficiencies and associated damage to the house against the age of the house, purchase price and our fading excitement about having found a new home.

Thanks to Ted, we are confident that we’ve made the right decision in not buying the house and we’re happily house–hunting again, now equipped with a somewhat more critical shortlist of what to look for in assessing the soundness as well as the design and finish of a house.

Sue and Margaret