Canada Handyman

The 5 Best Options for Home Inspection in Canada

October 19, 2021
Best Home Inspection in Canada

So that you can be sure of buying or selling a safe and undamaged property, it’s always crucial to have it professionally inspected first.

We’ve listed the best options for home inspection in Canada here for that purpose. And to help you pick from them, we’ll also quickly go over the average cost of these services.

The Average Cost of Home Inspections in Canada

The average cost of home inspections in Canada is $300 to $500 depending on the size, location, and condition of the property.

This can include thermal imaging to detect issues that otherwise can’t be detected by traditional means, like weak insulation, roof leaks, electrical issues, and subtle foundational damages.

Adding specialty services or those that aren’t part of the normal inspection package can bring up the price too. Some examples are asbestos, mould, termite, well, shed, and sewer inspections.

For this reason, you have to know what you want about the potential property to be examined first before choosing an inspection firm—since others offer only certain additional services.

Plus, it’s a good idea to choose a company that offers a guarantee of some sort. This will save you from costly house repairs in case the inspector overlook or fail to mention the issue in the report.

The Best Home Inspection Options in Canada

Now that you have an idea of how much you have to spend, let’s go on to our very best home inspection options in Canada!

1) Carson Dunlop Home Inspections

Carson Dunlop Home Inspections' Homepage
SERVICESBuyer’s inspection
Seller’s inspection
Condo inspection
New home inspection
ADDRESS120 Carlton St, Suite 407, Toronto, ON M5A 4K2, Canada
CONTACT DETAILS+1 800-268-7070
[email protected]
WEBSITEhttps://www.carsondunlop.com/

Based in Toronto, Carson Dunlop Home Inspections specializes in inspecting houses and condominiums for both buyers and sellers. It’s been a leading name in the industry for over 40 years.

We start off the list with this company because of their expertise. Their house inspectors have undergone an extensive training program approved by recognized industry organizations.

Furthermore, according to clients, they are thorough, knowledgeable, and professional in detecting any issues relating to the house’s structure, insulation, appliances, roofing, and more.

Besides that, you can get them to do specialty inspection services. These include sewer video scans, asbestos inspections, and mould and mildew inspections.

They can walk through the house with the client and spot any problems, give feasible solutions, and even share maintenance tips, unlike lesser-known inspection firms.

Soon after that, they can promptly provide a detailed and coloured report filled with illustrations about the condition of the home, which ultimately can help you decide whether or not to go with the home.

However, very few clients wrote that they missed out on mentioning other issues about the house—causing them to pay more to repair or replace them.

Another of their weaknesses is they didn’t state anything about a warranty. Having this can help save you costs from house damages that aren’t included in the report.

Now, the booking process here is fast and easy. When you call them, they strive to come back to you in as fast as 24 hours, and they’re available the whole week to perform a home inspection for you.

With adept inspectors, a fast turnaround, and ongoing home support even well after the service, Carson Dunlop Home Inspections is indeed one of the top home inspection services in Canada!

Pros

  • Industry-qualified inspectors
  • Fast and simple to book with
  • Detailed and image-rich report
  • Ongoing home support
  • Available for the entire week
  • Offers specialty inspection services

Cons

  • No mention of any warranty
  • Complaints about report completeness  and customer service

Customer Reviews

Friendly and informative client service and detail-oriented inspector

“I dealt with Michael on the phone lines to book everything up, and he was AMAZING. Very hands-on, friendly, caring, and informative. Good customer service is very rare to find these days, so it was very nice and refreshing. Made me feel very positive about Carson Dunlop as a company. Our inspector (Walter) was also wonderful, detail-oriented, and a good guy. The house deal didn’t go through due to the inspection, and they really helped us through it. If the company is filled with people like Michael and Walter, will always use and highly recommend this company!” -Akanksha Bawa

Practical, honest, and solution-focused staff

“I have been priviliged to work with Julie Gates several times this year. Julie is really a wonderful asset: forthright, practical, intelligent, and solution oriented. She certainly knows what she’s doing. Carson & Dunlop are lucky to have her.” -Maurice Jay Nicholson

2) Inspect Canada

Inspect Canada's Homepage
SERVICESSeller inspection
Home inspection
Townhouse inspection
Condo inspection
ADDRESS7025 Stride Ave #303B, Burnaby, BC V3N 4Y2, Canada
CONTACT DETAILS+1 778-877-7540
[email protected]
WEBSITEhttps://inspect.ca/

Inspect Canada is a Vancouver-owned home inspection firm that provides home and commercial property inspections.

All of their contractors are InterNACHI-certified and have considerable experience in the field of construction, especially strata properties. 

Their goal is to ensure that the questioned property is safe for people to live in. Their process involves assessing all parts of the house and fully informing the client of the issues and their solutions.

The standard home inspection includes thermal image scanning to gauge the moisture level of the house, detect heat and ventilation inefficiencies, electrical parts problems, among others. Also included with the package are rodent inspection and visual mould inspection, which gives you more value.

In case you need someone to repair the plumbing, electricals, or roofing of the house, they have a wide network of tradesmen they can connect you with to get the problem fixed. 

Unlike other firms, they display their inspection package rates online for homes, condos, or townhouses. This reliably lets you know exactly how much you need to spend.

They don’t offer any special discounts for you to use but we think that their prices are already great and competitive.

A solid reason for choosing this company is they offer a house buy-back guarantee through InterNACHI. With this, they can pay you the full purchase price of the house if it has certain defects that the team didn’t report.

Also, they guarantee clients’ complete satisfaction. So if you aren’t happy with the work results, they can come back to inspect a missed area and add them to the report at no extra charge.

As clients can verify, booking with this company is fast and hassle-free being available 7 days a week. And they have quite a consistent track record of arriving on time to check on houses.

To get in touch with them, you can either fill in their inspection form online, request a callback, or simply phone them.

Pros

  • InterNACHI-certified inspectors
  • Same-day report turnaround
  • Transparent pricing
  • Open 7 days a week
  • Home buy-back guarantee
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee

Cons

  • No special discounts or offers
  • Relatively shorter operating hours

Customer Reviews

Quick booking, timely and efficient team

“Inspect Canada came highly recommended and William did a great job! Krystal got us booked very quickly and we couldn’t be happier. They were right on time and very efficient and thorough. During the walk through, we learned a lot and feel very comfortable making an offer on the home. Thank you for such friendly, professional service!” -Laurie Putnam

Detailed and easy-to-understand explanation

“Mike did an excellent job.  He gave us detail feedback on his inspection and even as a layman we understood him.  Thanks” -Sheeba Toora

3) Global Property Inspections

Global Property Inspections' Homepage
SERVICESResidential 

Homebuyer’s (pre-closing)
Homeseller’s (pre-listing)
New construction draw
Builder’s warranty
Employee relocation

Commercial

Apartment and multi-unit
Commercial draw
Warehouses and light industrial
Retail and office
Special purpose facilities
Hotels
Triple net lease inspections
Employee relocation
ADDRESS422 Walnut Crescent, Fort McMurray, AB T9K 0W3, Canada
CONTACT DETAILS587-919-6015
[email protected]
WEBSITEhttps://www.gpiweb.ca/downey

Whether you need a homebuyer, home seller, or builder’s warranty house inspection, Global Property Inspections should be your choice!

It’s a locally owned franchise that’s been in business for over 30 years. It has locations all over Alberta, namely Fort McMurray, Fort MacKay, Saprae Creek, Conklin, Wandering River, Anzac, and the nearby areas.

They have certified and insured inspectors you can depend on to give you essential information about your house that can help you make an informed decision about your investment.

As they walk you through your property, you can ask them any questions you may have. According to their clients, the team is knowledgeable and friendly and can inform you of its pros and cons, give insights, and share valuable tips on how to maintain your house, and the like. 

On their website alone, you can find many safety and maintenance tips to complement the info you got from the team, which might come in handy.

After the inspection, your report can be sent to you electronically on the same day. This is both simple and exhaustive, coming with assessment summaries and high-resolution photos. 

Along with that, each service comes with a limited 6-month warranty for your peace of mind. If an issue surfaces in the home within that time frame, they can pay for its repair cost.

It’s not as excellent as buy-back guarantees, but at least, you can rest easy knowing you’re covered for half a year.

And as a bonus, they offer a sweet home inspection discount when you book online. Though their prices aren’t shown online, you can inquire with them about it.

Pros

  • Same-day reports
  • Licensed & insured inspectors
  • Limited 6-month warranty
  • Offers a home inspection discount
  • Accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards
  • Open 7 days a week

Cons

  • Their warranty has some limitations
  • Prices aren’t shown online

Customer Reviews

Informative, humorous, and friendly inspector

“We are very impressed with the inspection. It helped us out greatly. We were worried that we would be spending the money and not getting what we paid for but we are extremely happy with the results. Thank you again and you will be our go to company from now on. And we will pass your name on to our friends. Van was great to deal with, very friendly and knowledgeable. He explained everything very well and had a great sense of humour.  Thank you again, we are very satisfied with your service.” -Sheldon

Clear reports, thorough and prompt service

“Prompt, detailed, and thorough through the entire process.  Clean and clear reports   Very professional while onsite, answering questions and demonstrated knowledge throughout the entire scope. recommend and will  use Van’s services again.” -GJ Tanis

4) Canadian Residential Inspection Services

Canadian Residential Inspection Services' Homepage
SERVICESHome inspection
Home maintenance
ADDRESSEdmonton Northeast, Alberta, Canada
CONTACT DETAILS1-800-550-1533
[email protected]
WEBSITEhttps://www.canadianresidential.com/

At Canadian Residential Inspection Services, Edgar Castillo is most likely the house inspector you will work with. They are dedicated to serving only residential inspection clients across the country.

Now Edgar is a member of the Alberta Professional Home Inspectors Society (APHIS), in which he works as a Professional Home Inspector—the highest accreditation in the group.

Additionally, he is a Certified Building Investigations Thermographer. This proves that he has the skill and knowledge to use thermal cameras to find hidden and complex building problems like drywall damage caused by moisture, as one example.

According to clients, he is always on time, friendly, and honest. More importantly, you can depend on him to thoroughly and efficiently inspect your home, while answering all your questions.

Except for one client, his report has helped many clients make the biggest decision in their lives and protect their finances as well. For them, the problem about the house, the things that need to be repaired, and other details are all included there.

So far, we find that most clients have been happy with the firm’s affordable prices. These are worth it as they get a comprehensive and simple report with the major and minor issues listed.

And for us, the cons of this company are that they don’t offer any satisfaction or service guarantee. They also have shorter regular working hours and are closed on Sundays.

Pros

  • Certified home inspectors
  • Full inspection report
  • Fast report turnaround
  • Ongoing client support

Cons

  • No satisfaction and/or service guarantee
  • No quote form
  • Closed on a Sunday

Customer Reviews

Seamless process, professional and efficient contractor

“Very friendly, professional and efficient. Bring located in a different province was less than ideal, but Edgar walked us through the entire thing and made the process seamless. Highly recommended.” -David Pike

Easy-to-read report, efficient and personable service

“First time buying a home. Edgar showed up early and had already started inspecting the outside of the house by the time I showed up. He was personable, honest, efficient and professional. He was quick and thorough with his inspection, while answering any questions or concerns I had. Afterword’s, we went over my report in detail. All problems and areas of concern with the house are highlighted making the report easy to read and understand. I rarely leave reviews but service really doesn’t get better then this.” -James Forde

5) Canadian Home Inspector

Canadian Home Inspector's Homepage
SERVICESHome inspection
Town inspection
Condo inspection
Commercial inspection
ADDRESS2233 McKenzie Rd, Unit 424, Abbotsford, BC V2S 4A1, Canada
CONTACT DETAILS+1 604-866-3342
[email protected]
WEBSITEhttps://cdnhomeinspector.com/

Grant Beeton owns and operates the Canadian Home Inspector. Being a graduate of the home inspection course at British Columbia Institute of Technology, you can trust him in inspecting your house from the ground to the tip of the roof.

He offers home, townhome, condominium, and commercial inspections. Having provided instant and thorough inspections, the company has emerged as one of the top home inspection services in Canada.

House inspection can be limited according to the technology that the company has. But this one utilizes infrared cameras, moisture testing, carbon monoxide testing, and gas leak testing equipment to give clients the best insight and data about the house.

The great thing about their home inspection service is that it can not only benefit sellers and buyers, but also those who intend to renovate or maintain their homes. As a result, it can help you negotiate for a better price and ensure a home is in perfect condition before buying it.

Their website is also cool, laid-back, and interesting with straightforward and fun videos that clearly show how Grant does his work for clients.

It’s different from the other ones we’ve seen with clunky web designs, faulty sections, or unusual quote forms. So, the online experience is a plus with this company, which includes their booking system.

What’s more, this company holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. 

Ironically, they never mentioned any satisfaction guarantees but we advise calling Grant and seeing whether he has some way of assuring clients about his services.

Canadian Home Inspector is based in Abbotsford, British Columbia and is open daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. It covers the Abbotsford, Mission, and Chilliwack areas.

Pros

  • Instant report after the service
  • Equipped with useful inspection tools
  • Neat booking system
  • A+ rating with the BBB
  • Open every day

Cons

  • No mention of a service guarantee
  • No special discounts or offers

Customer Reviews

Outstanding home inspector 

“Grant is the best! Hands down an outstanding home inspector we have ever worked with.  Knowledgeable, professional and trusted.  I do not hesitate to recommend him not only for home inspections when purchasing but also have him back every few years so he can lay out maintenance priorty plans to keep our home in top condition and find the issues before they become expensive problems.  6 🌟 service.” -Tami Haslam

Informative tradesmen and well-outlined report

“Will hire again, just had a property inspected by Grant from Canadian Home Inspectors. Grant was very informative even for me (7 years renovating). He outlined the minor and major things, and the report is very well outlined separating all major categories.” -Milad Tasaboti

FAQs about the Top Options for Home Inspection in Canada


And those were our best options for home inspection in Canada. If you have any questions at all about them, you can send us a message and we’ll reply to you as soon as we can.

Did we miss other Canadian inspection pros that should have been on this list? Share them with us and we will check to see if they can be added here.

Besides that, check out other articles in our home inspection series. For example, you may want to see the best home inspection groups in San Antonio too!

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