At Done Right Home Inspections we strive to answer four critical questions for the buyer
While most home inspectors address the first two questions, most simply cannot answer the last two critical questions as they do not have the hands on practical experience. I spent forty years in building and renovation work myself and my partner inspector has more than ten years in foundations, forming, framing and roofing structural experience. In addition between us we have over 1200 hours of inspection specific education. Just like real estate professionals, our education is ongoing and an association requirement.
Inspectors without the decades of building background or the extensive home inspection education we at Done Right Home Inspections bring to the inspection process,do not understand that the last two questions are the most important to both the buyer and the Realtor. Most home inspectors think the job is just about finding defects and possibly the reason the defect exists. We at Done Right Home Inspections know that just as our reputation is on the line with every inspection so to is the Realtors. If it is a sale, what will the client be telling their friends in a years time? Did they buy the money pit or were they fully informed on the condition of the property? The answer makes all the difference to both our reputations and our futures.
Setting expectations and answering the four critical questions
In truth the perfect home does not exist. I believe that every Realtor wants to find the near perfect home for their buyer, and the right buyer for a clients home. But, every Realtor also knows there may be issues to be found in any home. Part of the sales process involves setting realistic expectations for clients. Whether buying in the million dollar plus or the starter home bracket, clients want and expect the most perfect home they can get for their money. Home inspectors simply listing the issues and possibly what caused the issue, send clients running for the proverbial hills. Very few inspection firms know or care if the clients actually buy the property and fewer follow up to keep track.
At Done Right Home Inspection we know we need to set client expectations as well. We do that by answering the four critical questions an explaining to our clients on site and / or in easily read and understood photo reports what the issues are, what caused the issue, what will it take to fix the issue, and lastly what is the importance of the issue in the overall picture of the home.
We deliver to clients the practical side of the emotional choice of a new home or cottage. Following up and keeping track of how many clients buy the home cottage or commercial property we inspect for them gives us a measure of how well we are doing at setting both inspection expectations and clearly explaining issues and the importance of them in the home buying decision process.
Just finding defects is not enough.
Many Realtors enter basements of all types on a regular basis and they may be experienced knowledgeable professionals but when a home inspector indicates in the report that the foundation has failed in one corner and needs repaired, well, as a Realtor while you are attempting to explain it can be fixed the client is hearing just throw money at it and it might go away.
Most Realtors are aware of the Mike Holmes inspection shows and they can be sure the clients have seen or heard of the show as well. Should an inspector find asbestos somewhere in the home Realtors can be sure of another client heading for the hills if they watched Mike Holmes tear apart and do about 80,000 dollars in renovation to a home because it had the dreaded asbestos wrapped heating ducts. Yet even so, in completing home cottage and commercial inspections in Orillia, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, and all Muskoka Done Right Home Inspections has come across these and dozens of other so called deal breaker issues where the client still closed on the sale.
Our clients close on close to 94% of the homes because we give them all the information they need to make an informed decision
After answering the last two questions thoroughly for our clients: What is involved in fixing the issue we find, and, what is the importance of the issue in the overall picture they have closed on 943 of our last 1000 homes, cottages, and commercial structures inspected.
In some homes we found asbestos issues with heating ducts, with insulation, with siding and with flooring. Clients still closed on those homes and commercial properties because we explained how the issue could be easily addressed. This included backing up our information with files from CMHC and scientific evaluation studies added to our report on the severity of the issue and the remedial action required.
In several of the homes with asbestos the clients decided to buy after finding out from us simply isolating the issue ( installing vinyl siding) would resolve any dangers. In some cases shielding the materials from damage ( covering flooring with 1/4 ply and new flooring on top) not disturbing the product at all, or having it removed at a relatively small cost was the recommend remedy from all studies including those from CMHC. Clients realized then, as most Realtors do, it really is only in the most extreme cases that issues like this should be a serious problem health and cost wise.
We take extre time to explain isssues for first time home buyers
Most Realtors know that the first time home buyer can be the most difficult of clients in setting realistic expectations. During an inspection we find that first time buyers are often unaware of the importance of the issues found. In nearly every older home with a stone foundation humidity can be an issue. Improper venting in crawls and bathroom vents that vent under soffiting contribute to humidity issues as well. Often when we find seepage or venting issues as we report them to clients on site you can see the fear of the mold word coming. I have heard a buyer tell the agent as the inspection progressed that if we found mould they were "out of here". Sure enough we found a mould like substance on the walls of the basement laundry area.
We were able to explain to our clients that without a lab confirmation we could not categorically state it was mould but in any case the permanent solution to any mould issue is control of humidity ie. proper ventilation. We could show and explain where the home lacked proper ventilation. Then we explained cleaning and killing all mould present ( if it was indeed mould ) could be easily, inexpensively, and safely done using a non toxic treatment. Most important to the client, I added the information that we would include all the specifics on how to do it and what to use in additional files along with the report the next day for the client.
After the client read through the report they called me with a couple of questions and then they called their Realtor to close on the home. They called us again several months later with another question regarding hand railings for the deck and mentioned that they had no reoccurrence of any mould like substance since the clean up and installing the recommended fan and switch. A project they proudly pointed out they had done themselves.
Our clients close on sales because we explain both how something is fixed and how important it is in the overall picture to deal with. We answer the last two critical questions what is it going to take to fix and how important is it overall.
I am pleased that 94% of our clients buy the home cottage or commercial building we inspect for them. Many of them have a great deal of emotion wrapped up in making the choice of property to buy. But, Realtors know there are structures out there with real problems. Some defects are in clear view and the prices reflect that, and I believe most sellers are usually unaware of some serious conditions found.
On several homes that were less than 12 years old we found seriously cracked worn and broken shingles and on two ocaisions there were two story homes where the home owners were unaware of the condition of the shingles. Both homes had defective shingles that were subject to a lawsuit and replacement court action. We had to explain to clients that due to the conditions of the warranty the company would not transfer warranty to new owners (same company then, although there are several more now) and the buyers could not come to an agreement on those homes.
In another case a young couple looking at a home in the Orillia rural area needed a home and septic inspection. The home inspection began with me on the roof which had about four to five years life left. I advised them on site that they would have to budget to replace it roughly within that time. When I started the septic I opened the tank lids and my associate began the flow and fixture testing. Within less than 10 minutes it became clear the system was failing as the level was rising past the top of the outflow.
The weeping lines were plugged. The field would have to be dug up, soil removed pipe removed, and a new field built. This was a ten thousand dollar plus issue and that is assuming the tank did not need replacing. An assumption I advised against. The clients did not buy that home but I received a call from the realtor to inspect a home for them within a few weeks and that one was the right one for them.
Here at Done Right Home Inspections we understand how important the buying decision is to both the buyer and to the Realtor.
94 % is pretty good but it isn't perfect. In all truth that may be as good as it ever gets and for me that is alright. It is that small 6% percent of clients who we as Inspectors and you as Realtors really want to protect with the proper information when making a buying decision. At done Right Home Inspections we give the clients the practical side of the emotional decision. Sometimes, fully informed they decide this is not the home, cottage, or commercial property for them.
Just like Realtors our company survives and thrives on referral business. Clients, after getting bad news on a site, not only come back to us for an inspection when they find another home, cottage, or commercial property in the Orillia, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge or Muskoka area, they also tell many other prospective buyers family and friends about their close encounter with the money pit. They will tell others how having a realtor who cared that they got the right kind of home inspector, one who answered all the critical questions about the home, cottage, or commercial property, saved them from making what could have been a very bad and costly decision. That kind of referral is the best kind for all concerned.