Free guide for Hamilton home buyers
Hamilton home inspection guide
Understand the inspection. Make a better decision.
A home inspection can reveal important information about a property you’re considering, but knowing what the inspector finds is only the beginning. This guide helps you understand what an inspection covers, how to read the report, and what to do next.
Download the Free GuideFree. No email required. No contact information required.
Why this guide matters
An inspection is information, not a pass-or-fail test
An inspection can’t tell you with certainty that everything in a home is perfect, or that nothing will fail after you move in. What it can do is help you understand the home’s condition, spot what needs a closer look, and ask better questions before you commit.
The goal isn’t
To find a perfect house.
The goal is
To understand the house you’re buying well enough to make a decision you can live with.
What’s inside
From the offer to your decision
Before you make an offer
- What a home inspection really tells youWhat an inspection can do for you, and what it can’t.
- When should you have an inspection?Why the time to think about it is before you write the offer.
- Inspecting before you offer, or going firmWhat each approach gives you and costs you in a competitive market.
Understanding the inspection
- What a home inspection coversA lot, but not everything.
- What a home inspection doesn’t coverPlus how an inspection differs from an appraisal.
- Choosing your home inspectorWhat to look for, questions worth asking, and typical Hamilton costs.
Inspection day and the report
- Inspection dayIf you can, be there. What to bring up and what to expect.
- Reading your inspection reportDon’t panic at a long list. Read for significance, not quantity.
- Findings worth a closer lookWater, structure, electrical, heating, plumbing and roofing.
- When you need a specialistA specialist recommendation isn’t a diagnosis.
- Hamilton homes: things worth looking atWhat to watch for in the city’s older housing.
Deciding what’s next
- After the inspection: your optionsProceed, get more information, renegotiate or walk away.
- A better way to decideFive questions to work through instead of “Is this house perfect?”
- Your home inspection checklistA printable list for before, during and after the inspection.
Take a look inside
Practical, printable and easy to follow
Buying in Hamilton
Common features in older Hamilton homes
Hamilton has everything from new construction to homes that are many decades old. Age doesn’t make a home bad. It tells you where to ask better questions.
Knob-and-tube wiring
Even when it still works, some insurers may restrict coverage or require replacement. Have an electrician evaluate it and check with your insurer before you commit.
Galvanized steel water pipes
Common before the 1960s. They can corrode from the inside and can also affect insurance, so a plumber’s opinion and a call to your insurer are both worth it.
Lead water service lines
Hamilton estimates about 20,000 homes may have a lead service pipe. The City offers a free inspection to check yours, and financial assistance for eligible replacements.
Learn more from the City of Hamilton →Older sewer lines
Clay or cast iron lines can crack, shift or fill with tree roots, and a standard inspection can’t see inside them. A sewer scope costs little compared with digging up the yard.
Oil tanks
An old tank may still be in the basement or buried in the yard, even if the home now uses gas. Look for fill or vent pipes outside, and ask for removal documentation.
Vermiculite insulation
Some may contain asbestos, which is mainly a concern if disturbed. If an inspector spots it, leave it alone and have it tested, especially if you plan renovations.
Ready to take a closer look?
A house doesn’t have to be perfect to be the right house. But you should understand what you’re buying.
Download the GuideFree. No email required. No registration. No sales pitch.
I’ll be there with you
I attend my clients’ inspections, go through the report with them afterward, and help them work out what, if anything, to do next. If you decide to renegotiate, I’ll handle that conversation with the seller’s side.
Mike McCarthy, REALTOR® · Real Broker Ontario Ltd.
Keep exploring