Top Five Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Home And Building Inspector

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I’m Ronnie McDougall, the proud owner of Lanron Inspections . I have been a full-time home inspector for close to thirteen years, but my career began in a different industry. Although my journey to becoming a home inspector has a shade of chance, my success is down to my dedication and desire to succeed. Here’s the story of Lanron Inspections. I hope that you will enjoy getting to know me better. Many years ago, I had a co-worker that was interested in becoming a home inspector and after much research decided that his knowledge of construction was lacking. However, he was convinced that I had all the requisites to be an excellent home inspector. My co-workers at the time shared his views. I was skeptical at first as I knew it would take a few years of training and wouldn’t be able to do what I had to while working for someone else. Nonetheless, I took the plunge along with my wife and started Lanron Services Inc. It was meant to be a handyman service but soon turned into a concrete and excavating business with equipment and staff, and we got overly busy. As inspection requests began coming in, I found that I was away from the site we were working at many times. We decided the time was right to focus solely on inspections, so we sold off the concrete side of the business. When Lanron Inspections came into being, there was no government regulation, and anyone could put their flag out and inspect homes. I did not want to start my career that way, so I joined CAHPI (Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors) that had the highest standards and best training available. I later became a board member, and as there was a need for public protection against untrained inspectors, we approached the Alberta Government and helped bring in licensing, thereby raising the standards of inspection services. Through Lanron Inspections, I bring more to the table than most others in the business. I was one of the first in my association to obtain a thermal imaging camera and get trained on how to use it. We started thermal imaging in 2008 and became a Level 1 Thermologist in 2008 and a Level 2 Thermologist in 2009. We were also the first to use drones in 2017, to inspect roofs that are difficult to inspect without all the safety harnesses. Over the past thirteen years, I have come to enjoy client interactions, and during an inspection, I always recommend that the buyer is present for the entire inspection. Being there allows us to discuss every issue we find. I cover as much about maintenance and why it is vital so that by the end of the inspection, my client is educated about their purchase and can make the correct decision whether or not to proceed with the purchase. If my client is thoroughly informed about their house and has peace of mind with their decision, then I feel like I have done my job. However, my job doesn’t end with an inspection. I will always be there to answer any questions my clients have. For me, value for my client is the first priority. My clients have recognized this, which is why a majority of my business comes from referrals. We have inspected many homes for past client’s family members and their friends. Many past clients still keep in touch, and I would say that we have become friends. I derive immense satisfaction from my line of work. The best moments are when people are purchasing their dream home and are anxious during the inspection, but the house turns out to be in excellent condition. It is incredibly gratifying to see their happiness. On the other hand, it is also gratifying when people feel relieved that they did not buy the house due to major defects found during the inspection which would lead to severe hardships in the future. When I’m not helping clients with a home inspection, I enjoy the outdoors. Many family members and friends have quads and side by sides so we can explore the backwoods. We also do lots of camping. I also like construction projects like my four season deck in the back yard and building live edge furniture in the garage. I have enjoyed sharing my story about the things which matter to me and how they influence the way I do business. If you or someone you know could benefit from our expertise in home inspections in Calgary, Alberta, I invite you to get in touch. Please visit our website at www.lanron.ca . Sincerely, Ronnie

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The sheer joy of landing your dream home invites reason to shout it from the rooftops. After all, a home should not only be where you hang your hat but a place to create beautiful memories with your family. However, nightmares such as structural defects, electrical issues, leaks, and mold can wreak havoc in your picture-perfect abode. An inspection conducted by a home inspector can avoid such disasters. An inspection should ideally be carried out before you purchase the property or if it is too late for that, while the warranty period is still valid. Drones and thermal imaging are just some of the tricks of the trade a home inspector uses to ensure your residence is in the pink of health. Once you’ve decided you want to safeguard your most prized asset with a home inspection, there are still a few vital factors to consider before you hire an inspector. To help you enlist the services of a reliable professional, here’s a list of the top five things to look for when hiring a home inspector. 1. Experience. The first thing to look for in a home inspector is the experience. Find out how many years the inspector has been assessing homes and if they were in a related field such as working as a contractor before they got into the inspection arena. Also, research if they are affiliated with a credible association and stay up to date with regular training. 2. Specialist Services. Check which specialist services are on offer as part of the inspection. For example, during a thermal imaging inspection, the inspector would need to be trained in using the infrared camera. You will be surprised to know how many inspectors do not have the thermologist certification or charge extra for providing this service. 3. Trustworthy. Trust and transparency go hand in hand when hiring a home inspector. Many inspectors want the client to be present only after the inspection is complete. You should construe this request as being fishy. As a homeowner, insist on being present for the entire examination to understand what is under investigation. 4. Reporting. Once the inspection is complete, an inspector should submit a comprehensive report in a timely fashion. The inspector should also be available to answer your questions after the analysis is complete. A diligent inspector allows contact even a few years after the inspection, to justify any recommendations. 5. Valid Licenses. A home inspector should have various licenses in place to conduct home Inspections, mold inspections, and remediation work. It will ensure you do not have unnecessary work done and will save you dollars. An inspector should also have insurance in place, as mistakes can occur which could prove costly. While we hope these tips have helped refine your search for a home inspector, if you’re looking for a top home inspector in Calgary, Alberta, reach out to Lanron Inspections. Since 2007, we have completed over 6000 inspections. Our services include pre-purchase home inspections, commercial inspections, new home warranty inspections, thermal imaging infrared inspections, and pre-listing home inspections. We offer accurate home inspection services across Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks, Strathmore, and Cochrane, Alberta. To learn more about the services we offer, please click here . To get in touch with us, please click here . 

Buying a home is both a financial and emotional investment made by an individual. Unfortunately, sometimes, buyers get carried away with emotions and end up making a bad investment. Moreover, they overlook the importance of a home inspection and the value it adds to the house being purchased and fail to find the flaws associated with it. To help you steer clear of errors like these that can fill you with regret after a purchase, Lanron Inspections has put together a list of the most common mistakes people make when buying a home and how you should avoid them. 1. Buying a home beyond their maintenance capacity. The most common mistake people make when purchasing a home for the first time is buying a home that is beyond their capacity to repair and maintain. Often enough, when a buyer has set their mind upon a property, they refuse to let the findings of a home inspection or the advice from the realtor dissuade them from going ahead with the purchase. Your realtor and home inspector have more experience in the real estate market, and sometimes you need to listen to them and walk away from a purchase. 2. Buying character homes without getting a home inspection. Buyers are often attracted to the beauty and grandeur of character homes, as they are built in the early 1900s and reflect the architectural designs of the time. However, they lack a full understanding of the structural issues that they’ll have to face in the future. In the Canadian winters, the freeze-thaw cycle deteriorates concrete at an accelerated rate, and with time, the full concrete foundation that these homes are built on becomes weak and porous. The wiring is usually an issue unless it has been correctly updated in the past by a qualified electrician. The plumbing may need replacing as well. The chances of finding asbestos are also high. We suggest that you must only purchase a character home if you have the budget to renovate it and have already consulted a home inspector regarding your plans. It would be wise if you prepare for the renovation expenses to be double your real expectations so that you don’t end up with a poorly renovated home. 3. Lacking the patience to wait and find a suitable house. Sometimes buyers are in a hurry to purchase a house, and when they receive non-conditional offers during economy boosts, they grab them. And in their hurry, they sometimes even skip getting a home inspection. However, once the market is corrected and the value of the house decreases, they are finally confronted with the downfall of such a purchase. They are then stuck with the ownership of a property that they overpaid for and are probably still spending money on for repairs. When it comes to investing in real estate, it’s best if you take some time to plan ahead and watch the market. The amount of cash you can lose paying rent for a small time may be much less painful than what you can lose on the wrong home purchase. Remember, “Patience is a virtue.” 4. Dismissing the findings of home inspection. As home inspectors, we take great pride in educating our clients about their home and the maintenance that is recommended to keep it in excellent condition. However, one common problem that we face is that our clients often dismiss the findings of a home inspection report instead of fixing the problem areas. When these clients later face issues and call me, the first thing we do is look at the report, and more often than not, it is a defect that was in the report but had been left untreated. For example, we once inspected a house with three leaking wax seals under three toilets. These were not bad leaks but problematic enough that the moisture meter picked up wetness in the sub-flooring. Six months after the purchase, we received a call from the buyers to come to look at the stained ceilings. When we visited them, we saw that these stains weren’t small stains but rather spread in an area of five feet in diameter, all because of not replacing a $5.00 wax seal. If you hired a home inspector to inspect your house for defects, then you must rectify the problems that are communicated in the inspection report. If you don’t fix the problems, then you’re just biding your time till the small issues become big problems. To avoid these and other mistakes, reach out to the experts at Lanron Inspections . We are a company of professional home inspectors in Calgary, Alberta, and have been in the home inspection business since 2007. We have conducted over 6000 inspections to date and serve clients across Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks, Strathmore, and Cochrane, Alberta. Other than inspecting a client’s house and finding hidden issues, we also try to educate them about the maintenance and upkeep of their house. For a complete list of our services, please click here . If you have any questions about home inspections, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here .

While moving to a new home stirs an overwhelming emotion in you, it’s essential not to forget to get your home inspected by a professional. A home and building inspector can list out all the current and potential structural defects, electrical issues, leaks, and mold, and help you fix these issues and keep your abode at its finest. However, with so many inspectors available in the market, it can be daunting to pick a reliable one and be certain of their services. To make this selection procedure easier for you and make the right choice, here’s a list of the top five questions to ask before hiring a home and building inspector. 1. What are their credentials? Ask about your prospective home inspector’s credentials. Has your home inspector been certified through an accredited association? APHIS is one of the top Associations in Alberta and has the highest standards. A good association should direct perspective inspectors to get the best training possible and who to get this training from. 2. What are the tools that they use? What tools does the inspector show up with? And is the inspector trained in how to use these tools to their full potential correctly? If an inspector shows up with a thermal imaging camera, do they have a level 1-2 thermography certification? Besides, do they carry moisture meters, borescopes, electrical testers, and a ladder with them? It’s essential to ask these questions before enlisting their services. 3. Do you have to be present during the inspection? Does the inspector recommend that you be present when the inspection is taking place? Some inspectors do not like the client present until the end or at all during the investigation. I recommend the client remain present throughout the inspection so that the inspector can talk about their findings and maintenance of the building. I consider myself a teacher due to the extra time I take to ensure that my client is comfortable with whether to purchase the place and also with the maintenance. 4. When will they deliver the report? The report should be delivered within twenty-four hours at the latest. At Lanron Inspections , we take great pride in delivering the report as soon as possible. Most reports are sent to our client and their realtor within three hours of completing the inspection. Our reports are computer generated with comprehensive explanations and pictures. Besides, we also provide our clients with approximately 500 pages of extra information on the workings of a home. 5. Will the inspector be available after the completion of the inspection process? Will the inspector be available for the clients after the inspection process is completed? It’s essential that your home and building inspector answers affirmatively to this question. We have many clients that contact us even a few years later with questions about the home or who to call for contractors. We also can recommend the best products and services. If you’re looking for a reliable home and building inspector in Calgary, Alberta, reach out to Lanron Inspections . As an experienced company of professional home inspectors, we have been in the home inspection business for over thirteen years and have inspected over 6000 homes and buildings. We serve clients across Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks, Strathmore, and Cochrane, Alberta. Besides, we also help our clients by educating them about the maintenance of their homes. To get in touch with us, please click here . 

Season’s Greetings from Lanron Inspections . It is my hope that everyone has a Very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year 2023. I would like to inform my clients that we are now living at SunBreakers Cove at Sylvan Lake, and I am putting lots of effort into making the old house into our retirement home on the lake. We will still be performing inspections in that area but not the numbers we were doing in Calgary. My phone number will remain the same, so if anyone has questions or needs any information, please feel free to contact me . Again I really hope your holiday season is filled with joy and happiness, enjoy and embrace your family, friends, and loved ones!

At Lanron Inspections we know how important a Pre-Purchase Home Inspection is. It is to make sure the investment that you are about to make will be a sound investment. Let’s face it, purchasing a home is usually one of the biggest investments that one will make in their lifetime. It is for this reason that a Pre-Purchase Home Inspection is so important. Our Home Inspectors recommend that you are present for the entire Pre-Purchase Home Inspection for you will LEARN A LOT about your new home and how to maintain it. Once a buyer accepts an offer usually a Pre-Purchase Home Inspection gets completed. Our highly-qualified Home Inspectors will then complete a very in-depth Pre-Purchase Inspection of your house. Moreover, we will then provide you with a detailed Home Inspection Report to make sure that you know exactly what you are purchasing.