BC Home Inspection Checklist — What Inspectors Check, What It Costs, and What to Do Next

Visible foundation walls and slab, crawlspace, floor framing, posts and beams, and any evidence of settlement or movement. The inspector distinguishes hairline shrinkage cracks from active structural ones, probes for moisture in basements and crawlspaces, and checks that past renovations haven’t cut or notched framing. On sloped Tri-Cities lots, retaining and drainage carry extra load — so movement evidence gets extra attention.

Covering material and stage of wear, flashings at every penetration, chimneys, skylights, gutters and downspouts — plus the underside of the sheathing from inside the attic. The report gives an estimated stage of life, not a certified lifespan. Many 1990s-built Tri-Cities homes are on original or second roofs at or near replacement age; the cost table below is your budgeting anchor.

Siding, stucco or brick, trim and caulking, windows and doors from the outside, decks, balconies, stairs, railings, soffits and fascia. On strata townhomes the envelope is partly common property — the inspector notes unit-level issues and defers the rest to the strata’s depreciation report. Rot at deck ledgers and window sills is a frequent find on shaded, north-facing exposures.

Supply piping material — copper, PEX, or polybutylene, common in homes built from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s — plus drains, functional flow at every fixture, water heater age, venting and relief valve, main shutoff location, and leak evidence under every sink. Poly-B is one of the most common insurance conversations in Tri-Cities homes of that era, and hot water tanks past the 10–12-year mark are commonly flagged as near the end of service life.

Service size and entry, panel condition, breaker or fuse type, visible wiring — copper, aluminum, or knob-and-tube in pre-1950s homes — grounding, GFCI protection near water, a sampling of outlets and switches, and smoke and CO alarms. Older 60-amp services and knob-and-tube commonly trigger insurance questions or conditions; aluminum branch wiring from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s needs its connections checked.

Furnace or boiler age and operation, heat pump or air conditioning, venting, filters, visible ductwork, fireplaces and chimneys, thermostat response. A 20-year furnace is not a walk-away — it’s a budget line. Unserviced gas fireplaces are one of the most common operational failures in the report.

Floors, walls and ceilings read for stains and movement, door and window operation, stairs and railings, bathroom ventilation, and moisture readings wherever staining suggests a story. Inspectors also note the tells of unpermitted work or past grow operations — findings your REALTOR® then cross-checks against title and municipal permit records.

Attic insulation depth and type, vapour barrier where visible, roof and attic venting, kitchen and bathroom exhaust terminations, and crawlspace insulation. A bathroom fan venting into the attic instead of outside is a very common find — and one of the cheapest fixes on the whole list, preventing genuinely expensive mould problems later.

Dishwasher, range and hood fan, built-in ovens, and the garage door opener including its auto-reverse safety test. The point is safety and function, not cosmetic age — a dated but working appliance is a note, not a finding.

Grading direction at the foundation, driveways and walkways, retaining walls, downspout discharge, vegetation against the envelope. On Tri-Cities slopes, perimeter drainage is the system that decides whether a basement stays dry — and it’s one an inspector cannot see underground. On older homes, a separate camera scope of the perimeter drains and sewer line is often money well spent.

For a detached home, expect $500–$850 depending on square footage and age. Larger homes (4,000+ sqft) or homes with detached structures (shops, coach houses) run $800–$1,200. Condos and townhomes typically run $400–$600.

Detached homes typically take 2.5–4 hours on site, plus 3–8 hours for the inspector to write the report. Condos and townhomes are usually 1.5–2 hours on site.

Yes — and you should. The verbal walk-through at the end of an inspection is where inspectors share the context that never fits in the written report. Plan to be there for the full duration if possible, or at minimum the final hour.

Inspectors do not open walls, dig foundations, certify roofs, test water quality, test for mould (without a separate air sample), estimate repair costs in writing, or provide any warranty. They examine visible and accessible areas only and give a written opinion.

Yes. The condo inspection covers the unit itself — plumbing under sinks, electrical panels, windows, appliances, balcony drainage. The strata building envelope is covered by the strata's depreciation report, which your realtor should request alongside the inspection.

No. They are an optional buyer protection used as a subject clause in the offer. That said, 80%+ of BC resale transactions include a subject-to-inspection clause and a written inspection report.

BC's mandatory warranty on new homes built by a licensed residential builder: 2 years on labour and materials, 5 years on building envelope, and 10 years on major structural. It is registered with the builder's warranty provider (usually National Home Warranty or Travelers Canada).

Yes — that's exactly what the subject-to-inspection clause is for. If the report reveals material issues that were not disclosed, you can non-remove the inspection subject without penalty, and the deposit returns.

In competitive offer-date situations, yes — a pre-offer inspection is the price of admission for going subject-free. On a $1.2M home, $700 for a clean pre-offer inspection that lets you go subject-free is often the difference between winning and losing.

The buyer pays, paid directly to the inspector at time of inspection or by e-transfer same-day. The seller is never obligated to pay for a buyer's inspection.

Any licensed inspector you trust — the choice is always yours. Three established local options to start a shortlist: Ridgeview Home Inspections (thermal imaging on every inspection, same-day reports), Core Property Inspections — “Inspector Aaron” (thousands of inspections completed), and Will Inspect — Will Soldat (strata and heritage-home depth). All three serve Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam, and every BC inspector’s licence can be verified with Consumer Protection BC.

Yes. On new construction, an inspection timed to the 2-5-10 warranty milestones documents deficiencies while the builder’s warranty still covers them. On a newer resale, the inspection either finds what the fresh paint covered — or comes back clean and buys you certainty. Either result is worth the fee: worst case, you’ve purchased peace of mind and a maintenance roadmap for your first five years in the home.