ENG Inspections Inc. Home Inspection Services

I get a lot clients and realtors asking me to help complete a cosmetic (green/blue tape) deficiency walkthrough with the builders representative. Most often I will decline helping with this type of inspection and here is why. The cosmetic deficiency inspection must be done by the buyer to ensure THEY are happy with the condition of the home at possession. New homes are filled with cosmetic defects, sometimes there can be hundreds and it’s very difficult to document them into a report when there are many other components to inspect. Also a cosmetic defect can be very subjective, what is defect to me may not be to someone else. My experience from actually working in new construction, these deficiency walkthroughs can get out of hand quickly and can just overwhelm the builder or workers trying to address the issues. Sometimes little dents, dings and missing paint are acceptable to some people. Definitely if an important cosmetic concern is found during my inspection it will be documented. Usually I like to focus on items that are expensive to fix or repair like flooring or cabinets and items that are covered by the Residential Construction Performance Guide. My recommendation is to always remember to be reasonable, new homes are not perfectly built or engineered like a brand new car that you buy from a dealership. There will be imperfections and concerns that need to be addressed.

When purchasing a home the perimeter drainage is one the most important and costly components of a home. This orange sludge material is found inside perimeter drainage and pump station systems, personally I have only seen it a handful of times over thousands of inspections. The material is due to iron bacteria feeding off of iron ochre and is typically referred to as iron oxide. This iron bacteria is naturally occurring which plugs drainage systems from homes/buildings of all ages. If this problem is present the drainage system will require significantly more maintenance and possibly even replacement of the system. Perimeter drainage is designed to help protect below grade basements or crawlspaces from moisture ingress and it is often difficult to determine the condition as the system is below grade and not visible. Failure of perimeter drainage could cause severe damage to the home/building and replacement is a significant expense, it was recommended to contact a licensed drainage contractor for more information.

Are you looking to buy or sell a home this year? Nigel Greenidge, a licensed home inspector, brings over a decade of experience having completed thousands of home inspections. Nigel is also a commercial inspector and a CPBC trainer/evaluator, helping to train new home inspectors and improve the industry. Nigel's company, ENG Inspections, is a professional, experienced, and independently operated company offering a range of inspection services throughout Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, and the Sea to Sky Corridor. ENG Inspections provides accurate, thorough, and trustworthy services to help clients make informed decisions.

ENG Inspections Inc. Home Inspection Services Professional & independent inspections throughout the Lower Mainland-Providing accurate, thorough and trustworthy service to help make informed decisions.