Residential maintenance inspections are a by product of my company’s commercial inspection division. A large percentage of our commercial clients have us return on a monthly (or quarterly) basis to keep an eye on the condition of the building - sort of like having a regular checkup. This way they are able to be pro-active in their building maintenance efforts rather than dealing with problems as they occur. In the long run this saves the client money (finding a $5000 roof repair during an infrared scan versus a $50000 roof repair and mold remediation after an ongoing roof leak becomes evident).
Based on the success of the commercial program, I decided to offer it to residential clients. Naturally the situation is a bit different, so the program is a bit different too. Basically how it works is as follows:
- first the home is given a complete and thorough inspection. A report is generated and given to the client. Any maintenance recommendations are highlighted in the report. The cost for the initial inspection varies depending on the size, age and features of the home. A substantial discount is applied to clients signing up for a maintenance inspection plan.
- at regular intervals I or one of my assistant inspectors will visit your home. During these visits we will address any concerns you have with the home that may have arisen since our last visit. We will also look at the components of the home that are seasonally affected (we check your gutters and downspouts in spring and fall, check the roof in the spring, look at heating system in the fall, moisture scan of basement in spring, etc.)
- we will also do a walk through inspection during our regular visits. This is similar to a full inspection, but since we have already gone into detail with the initial inspection, these visits are much more brief.
- a supplementary report will be generated that outlines any recommended maintenance. This report will then be provided to you to be added as an addendum to your original report. (don’t worry if you misplace your report - a copy is kept here in my office as well as backed up electronically.)
- the cost for the regular visits varies on the frequency. For example monthly visits are $59+GST, quarterly (seasonal) visits are $89+GST and twice-a-year visits are 189+GST (these prices assume you have already had the initial full inspection or are an existing ManorHome client.)
I’ll be the first to admit that this service is not for everybody. Thus far my clientele for this service has been people with large upscale properties and busy professionals who have neither the time nor the inclination to stay on top of their home’s maintenance - however, this doesn’t mean that it may not be right for you. As always, if the packages outlined here aren’t right for you, please feel free to contact me and we can work out a package that suits both your needs and your budget.
As always, thanks for reading and a big THANKS for choosing me to be your Windsor Ontario Home Inspector.
Please contact me with any questions - either by phone (519-818-9701 / 1-877-37MANOR), email (brad@manorhome.ca) or via my website (www.manorhome.ca)
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
-Brad
