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October 24, 1985
"Inspection service can help home purchase" By John Brook There may be some people who will buy a newly built home rather than an older home because they don’t feel able to judge what might be getting into and are afraid of repair bills. But usually an existing home in an older neighborhood will give more floor area for the price, and there are other advantages of a settled neighborhood: landscape maturity and proximity to shopping and other amenities. Getting professional help in evaluating the old house may aid in your decision. There are a number of companies in Calgary which will make a thorough inspection and advise what it will take to correct the problems. Peter Salmon of Home-Alyze Ltd. (295-3000) has been providing this kind of service in Calgary since 1978. He says they “inspect everything starting with the basement…. with particular emphasis on the envelope of the building.” An aspect inspectors check carefully is the tracing of bearing walls from top floor to basement. This is important today because of waterbeds which place an unusual weight on construction. It’s a problem not foreseen years ago. A check is made of the plumbing, heating and electrical systems, noting condition and capacity. Salmon says inspectors identify the R Value of the insulation and frequently find older homes have none. These homes usually have problems with condensation in the walls and are also costly to heat. In some cases, it is necessary to strip plaster to see if there is an adequate vapor barrier in place. You are encouraged to go along during the inspection. Salmon says the report consists of eight to 20 pages, including recommendations. His firm can usually make an inspection the day after it receives a call but prefers to have 48 hours’ notice. The report will be available the following day. I asked Salmon to tell me some of the things his inspectors had uncovered. “In Mount Royal we found an electrical system that was ready to ignite………….
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