Buying a home is likely to be the biggest investment you’ll ever make. You need to be confident about making that decision. This is where we'd like to help. Our reports give you a true, unbiased opinion of the condition of the house (or condo) before you make the commitment to buy.
Our principal inspector, Lee Ottewell, undertakes building inspections for both residential and commercial clients, as well consulting services to Government organizations (including BC Housing, VIHA etc.). He is also a volunteer inspector for the Victoria Heritage Foundation. He teaches new inspectors through Ashton College in Vancouver and he is also on the HIABC errors and insurance committee. He has been inspecting since 1988 and over that period has inspected thousands of buildings.
Lee is a Licensed Home Inspector with Consumer Protection BC, an Accredited Home Inspector with Home Inspectors Association BC and a former Chartered Building Surveyor with Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Having worked in the UK providing inspection services, Lee also provided architectural, project management, facilities management services for commercial clients, including projects for the refurbishment of Grade II listed buildings.
Lee has numerous academic credentials, including an Honours degree in Building Surveying (Inspecting) obtained in the UK in 1988 (in the Canada the term “building surveying” is known as “building inspecting”), and a Diploma in Building Studies. He is also a graduate of the Carson Dunlop Home Inspection program and CDW Commercial Inspection program.
Our inspections are extremely detailed and follow the Home Inspectors Association BC’s Scope Of Inspection.
Our reports are not standard reports but specifically written for each property we inspect. They are typically 30 to 60 pages long and contain clear, concise information with diagrams and photographs. Reports are emailed after the inspection. Hardcopies are available if desired.
This depends on the size and the age of the property, however, typically 3 to 4½ hours is required for a thorough inspection of a house (less for a condo or modular house). Also, in addition to this, we allow an hour after the inspection to discuss the report with the client.
We do not assume you are familiar with building terminology. We will spend as long as required to clearly explain any issues found with the property.
It is not a problem if you are unable to attend the review at the end of the inspection. This happens frequently with clients who are buying from outside Victoria. We will email the report and then discuss it with you over the telephone, Zoom or FaceTime.
Prior to the inspection we are required to obtain a completed HIABC contract from you. This can either be scanned-in and emailed to us, faxed to us or even photographed and emailed back to us. Click here to download a blank contract.
We are more than happy to talk to clients after the inspection if they have further questions or need advice.