Knowing that there was dampness, why would the seller have finished the basement and put his children down there to sleep and play. It did not make sense and the house had been there for over 100 years with no dampness problems. Sometimes “Shit happens”, the water table moves or the next door neighbors downspouts re rout.

Sadly the Buyer will always assume I was complicit and knew there was dampness. I did not.

1. Brick basements were never meant to be finished, Brick is porous and if you plan to finish one, call a specialist.
2. The City of Toronto  has all sorts of underground rivers and streams…construction up the block from you can cause a rerouting of dampness.
3. Millions of years ago St. Clair Avenue  was probably a beach head, South of St. Clair is very sandy, not clay and City water flows down from there to the lake.
4. Again, “shit happens”. I have had to replace all the drains under my house at a huge cost, but I chose to live on a street with huge trees that I love. Did I say “shit happens”?

Do not assume that the Realtor has been made aware of the issues. Yes, sometimes they are complicit or feel that it may not affect the value of the property and therefore is not pertinent. My rule has always been that you should disclose everything that you know about the property. Any personal or financial issues that the seller or Buyer may be going through are not part of any discussion to be had with either party however.

If you have proof that the listing Realtor was complicit or did not do their due diligence, please contact their Real Estate  Broker. If not successful, contact the Real Estate Council of Ontario , our regulator.

For More Information:

Toronto Real Estate: The Reality of Home Inspections Part 1

Toronto Real Estate: The Reality of Home Inspections Part 2

Toronto Real Estate: Home Inspections Part 3

No Home Inspection is perfect:

Even if you were to buy a brand new Home today, the Home Inspector would find some issues that need to be dealt with. That is their job.

Manage your expectations:

In reality, Houses are ongoing projects, costly and full of surprises. The job of the Home Inspector is to minimize some of those surprises and to educate you in helping to recognize issues where they may be or may appear.

If you are buying a Victorian Home (built in the late 1800′s), don’t expect that all the wiring, plumbing, insulation etc. will be of a 2009 standard. Building codes change constantly; what was “building code” five years ago, no longer is, what was great insulation 30 years ago, no longer is…that is reality.

Before you shop for a home, set out what your “deal-breakers” are. If you want new construction don’t look at renovated properties…if you want Victorian Communities you must accept that few will have parking or garages

Home Inspectors are People:

People make mistakes. They will miss things that may be costly. Again, manage your expectations.

Can you live with the Faults?

There are some issues that are routine maintenance and should not be feared, they are just a part of owning a home and of course, there are others that are “deal-breakers”. Those depend on your level of acceptance…there is nothing that cannot be fixed or dealt with…the big question to ask your self is this “at the end of the day will I get what I wanted and paid for”.

Fore More:

Toronto Real Estate: The Reality of Home Inspections Part 2

Toronto Real Estate: Home Inspections Part 3

Toronto Real Estate: A Home Inspection Story Part 4

Earth Day and The Green Energy Act: When the Best of Good Intentions Go Wrong.

“Richard, as mentioned, we are excited to share this IMPORTANT news for all home owners.   NRCan’s ecoENERGY Retrofit program now offers more ways to access valuable rebates.  NOW, 25% MORE GRANT MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR UPGRADES PLUS SEVERAL CRITICAL PROGRAM CHANGES. 

Some Highlights:

 25% increase in available grants – still maximum of $5000 federally (+ separate provincial programs)
 We can now do audits on mixed use buildings. i.e. store with apartment above (no industrial equipment) See attached for definitions
 Homeowners who have already received grants under this program will now be eligible to reenter the program should they have new upgrades and renovations they want to complete

The level of consumer awareness has risen given the recent media attention.  From your perspective, it is critical that you are aware of the many ways home owners can take advantage of this program and receive up to $10,000 in rebates for improving the energy efficiency of their homes.  The eligible grant money is instrumental in reducing the stigma attached to properties needing upgrades and replacements of major systems such as furnaces, air conditioners, insulation, windows etc… as it lowers the direct consumer costs and improves the quality of life.

The best way for you to understand the benefits of the program is to experience an ecoENERGY assessment yourself!  The best way for you to understand the benefits of the program is to experience an ecoENERGY assessment yourself! Currently, the province is rebating clients $150 towards the cost of this initial assessment.

To further understand the benefits of the program we have just gone live with our very informative ecoENERGY site including some excellent videos.

http://www.carsondunlop.com/ecoenergy/index.html

You can also access through our main site www.carsondunlop.com and click on the left topic: ABOUT ecoENERGY.

For more information or to book your personal energy evaluation, please call us at 416-964-9415 or 800-268-7070 and ask for Ryan or Stefani.”

More information is available by clicking here.

I must admit that I am confused as to who sets the standards that we should be hold as our goals, that’s why I was excited the other day to hear that Carson Dunlop, The Consulting Engineers are now doing ecoEnergy Assessments. Carson Dunlop are recognized as the leading Building Inspectors in the region and have prepared a document that you should read called “Saving Money While Saving The Planet“. It is an excellent update of Federal and Provincial rebates that you can access and there is information about the steps that you need to follow. These changes will not only save you money, but they can contribute to increasing the value of your home.

For more information follow the links above to the documents. If you need more clarity on their program contact them direct at 416-964-9415 or 800-268-7070.