I think it is a process that should be done.

Although it can only be a 'non-invasive inspection' they are trained to spot indicators that something bigger could be wrong. A lot of bigger problems leave clues that are visible to an inspector, but could easily be missed by others.

They also map out the more obvious items that are wrong which helps define a to do list. This is great when determining a price for your offer.

That said, I have come across some useless inspectors who dont stand behind their work and seem to lack basic skills.

There is nothing more frustrating than reading a report that only suggests you should call in experts to find out more.

I think it really depends on the inspector, their skills and their equipment.

www.sagerealestate.ca

Are they held to any accountability? For instance, after their inspection, if anything goes wrong, are they liable?

Not at all.

The only thing they have at risk is their reputation.

That is why it is important to find someone that you trust and knows what they are doing.

Awesome. Thanks @Evan. Very helpful and insightful.

Yes.
I’d always recommend a home inspection from a skilled home inspector. Utilizing a realtor, or other professional, to refer someone is valuable and will educate a purchaser on what to expect from the home in upcoming years.
Although they can’t see through walls or cut holes, they are trained to look for signs / clues of deficiencies. They are aware of common problems and can detect the warning signs or early stages of upcoming repairs.
I agree with Evan completely, their list of action items, timelines and costs are important when considering an offer.
Although they have limited to no liability, the $300 - $600 to hire them is money well spent.

When I sold my home, I decided to hire (referred via my RE agent) a home inspector. I think by doing so, it definitely helped in selling my home. The home inspector did a thorough job and the buyer of the home was then shown the report. Hiring the home inspector was well worth the $500. It saved the home buyer money and it showed the home buyer that I had nothing to hide.

I always recommend it but remember the massive problems that people often encounter are rarely discovered in a 3-4 hour home inspections but these guys/gals are great at looking for signs of things that could cost a new home owner major money.
But they just "Scratch the surface" vs. really digging in there

Watch any episode of "Holmes Inspection"; mind you, alot of the problems faced in these episodes are pretty blatant and should have been noticed by the purchasers in the first place, but I think it's definitely worth the money to hire a good one. Might save you thousands down the line on top of a whole lot of stress.

@Ryan... It's a show and they exaggerate everything too and they pick the cream of the crop and paint all with the same brush...
I just came back from a home inspection and we found that there was a leak in the basement that we didn't know.. Also, the second and third floor aren't grounded which would be an issue for all the computer equipment my client needs to do his work. We didn't see any knob and tube in the house when we went through it but the inspector found some in the house during his search.
There is no direct ROI of inspection other than having someone go through the home with a fine tooth comb to make sure you haven't missed anything...
I like having them done for my clients...

The inspection process is to ensure that there is no current or previous concerns with a home. That is not to say Inspectors can foretell the future, but most major issues can be detected at the time of the inspection.
I could give you countless examples of problems that either the buyer, and on some occasions, even the seller, had no idea that a problem existed. And to respond to Evan...Yes inspectors are held accountable for their inspections. I don't know what province you live in, but in BC inspectors have to go to a recognized college, join a Association (which requires Errors & Omissions Insurance), and be licensed by Consumer Protection BC.
Most Inspectors (regardless of Province) will either be licensed, or belong to an Association. Each Association has specific requirements and standards to join. These are some simple questions you can ask potential Inspectors:
- Are you licensed
- Are you insured
- Do you belong to a Assocation
For more information, please feel free to log onto brightonhi.com

Cary said:
I always recommend it but remember the massive problems that people often encounter are rarely discovered in a 3-4 hour home inspections but these guys/gals are great at looking for signs of things that could cost a new home owner major money.
But they just "Scratch the surface" vs. really digging in there

Agreed Cary.
I've never used a home inspector when purchasing my homes - I've always bought new not resale - but I have helped countless purchase resale with home inspection and I'm always frustrated by the fact that inpections do not include access behind walls and ceilings. It doesn't make sense. So:
This is I how I feel all homes should be sold, in the interest of full disclosure of all parties:
A law should be passed that states when you list your home, you as a seller must open up standard location cutouts in drywall and ceilings that must be exposed for the duration of the listing in order for inspectors to see inside the walls. Once the house is sold the BUYER then pays for the cost of patching the openings and repainting(which most buyers would be doing anyway).
This way everyone knows what they are selling, what they are buying and nobody is left holding a bomb.
Opening up the walls won't reveal 100% of all possible problems but 90-95% is a lot better than the 60-70% without seeing beyond walls and ceilings.
There are laws for parking, for trees, for decks, why not for full disclosure when selling a home...

I went into a bidding war two weeks ago. We were thinking about doing a bully offer, and had a home inspection done prior to bullying.
It was a brand new renovation, so didn't expect much. Turns out that the house still had about $15-$25,000 in immediate repairs. We did not bully offer, and knew our limits in the actual bidding war.
Pretty sure that the inspector saved us a big headache.