The first thing you need to know is that in Saskatchewan there is no regulations that cover the home inspection industry.
No qualifications needed, No licence, No insurance and not even any knowledge. Yes anyone can call themselves a home inspector.
To help you choose a home inspector here are the questions you should be asking.

1. How long have you been working as a home inspector?
Hopefully the answer will be years.

2. What professional organizations do you belong to?
Here are some , Internachi, Cannachi, Cahpi, Srar and Sboa. There is no requirement to belong to any of these organisations.

3. What was your training?
There are various levels of training programmes ranging from very light to very in depth all giving a certification at the end.
All of us at Prairie building inspection went through the Carson Dunlop Training program and It is my personal opinion
that this is the best one.
4. How long does the inspection take?
It should be a minimum of 2 hrs.

5. Are you insured?
They should carry general liability and errors and omission insurance.

6. Should I be there for the inspection?
Most definitely YES or at least for the last hour as you gain a better understanding of what you a buying.

7. How much do you charge?
Wrong question, but it is always at the top of peoples list. NEVER hire a home inspector on price. Your about to make the
biggest investment of your life and you need someone who knows what they are doing. They may be $50 more expensive but they
can save you from buying a money pit.

8. When will you do the inspection?
Not at night after his day job.

9. Do you have a list of References?
The home inspector should have at least 3.
Ask around your friends who have purchased a home, who did they use for their home inspection.

10. Should I use the Home inspector my realtor recommends?
This is a decision only you can make, but do due diligence as not all home inspectors are the same.

This List is not exhaustive and you will have some questions of your own. Our inspection reports are all photograph based,
we include an appliance recall, a 90 day warranty and free ongoing telephone consultancy and support.

Why have a home inspection?

The obvious reason is to avoid purchasing a home that requires repairs larger than your budget. Fixing foundation or grading issues can quickly escalate into the tens of thousands of dollars with Saskatoon’s hot labour market. Ideally a home inspection will allow you to enter a purchase agreement with your eyes open, and allow you to pass on a property that you couldn’t afford.

After you’ve purchased your house though, that inspection report can become a road map. A qualified inspector should ask that you be present during the inspection so that he can explain the severity of the issues he finds (and guess what, every house has some kind of issue), and let you prioritize the repairs over the first few years of ownership.

Limitations of a home inspection

We’ve all watched the home shows on the cable networks and know that an inspection can’t identify everything. The very best home inspections in Saskatoon can offer a limited warranty (typically 90 days) to give you peace of mind. Also, a qualified inspector can also refer you to other professionals, such as structural engineers, who can provide even more advice after the initial issue was discovered by your inspector.

Other Benefits

At Prairie Building Inspections we also offer a appliance recall check. If the manufacturer of one of your appliances issues a recall after our home inspection, you’ll be notified.

If you are moveing to or within Saskatchewan give us a call for a great inspection,a easy to understand home inspection report and the applances checked. Call us today on 306 380 3786

Watch more at Alberta prime time

Unless you work in the building or inspections industries you probably don’t know exactly what thermal imaging is and why you should want it on a property inspections. lets begin by clarifying what thermal imaging wont do.

1. Thermal imaging isn’t x ray. it wont see through walls, floors etc.

2. It will not see through water or glass.

All objects with a temperature above absolute zero emit infrared radiation. The hotter an object gets, the more infrared radiation it emits. These emissions cannot be seen with the naked eye. However, a thermal imager can detect infrared radiation emitted from an object,

So with that in mind what will it find?

1. cold spots in walls, ceiling or floors (which may be conducive to mold, decay, plumbing leaks or general moisture penetrations)

2. Hot spots in walls, ceiling or floors (which may be conducive to electrical issues , heat or a/c or deficient insulation.

Thermal imaging isn’t perfect and rely’s heavily on the operator’s interpretation of what they are seeing and understanding of the system or area they are looking at with the thermal camera.

if you wish to learn more about thermal imaging please feel free to visit our site which has a video about thermal imaging. or click the link below

http://www.prairiebuildinginspections.com/services/thermal-imaging/