Published 19 September 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
A home inspection is a visual, non-invasive review. It does not cover anything behind walls, the sewer lateral, environmental testing, permit history, pools, septic systems or wells, and it is not an appraisal. Use it to build a fix-now list and get quotes before your condition expires.
A home inspection is a visual, non-invasive review of what can be seen on the day. It is genuinely useful and routinely misunderstood.
Typically not covered
- Anything behind walls, under floors or buried: wiring in the walls, plumbing in a slab, underground tanks, buried drains.
- The condition of the sewer lateral, which is the homeowner’s responsibility from the house to the City main. A camera scope is a separate service and is often worth it on an old house.
- Mould, asbestos, radon, lead and other environmental testing.
- Wood-destroying insects, unless the inspector offers it separately.
- Code compliance and whether work was permitted. That is a municipal records search.
- Pools, septic systems and wells, which usually need their own specialists.
- Appliance longevity, chimney interiors, and anything inaccessible or covered by storage.
- Value. An inspector is not an appraiser.
Who to call instead
- Drain camera scope for older houses, before you waive conditions.
- Electrical contractor where there is knob-and-tube, aluminum wiring or an old panel.
- HVAC technician for a furnace near the end of its life.
- Structural engineer where the inspector flags movement or previous underpinning.
- Environmental consultant for mould, asbestos or vermiculite.
- Municipal search for permits and open building or fire orders.
Know what your home is worth
Most of these decisions come back to a number. Get a free AI estimate of your home’s value in about a minute.
Free tool — AI home value estimator
Instant Home Valuation
What’s your home
worth today?
Answer six quick questions and get an instant value range built from current Toronto & GTA sale data — property type, size, condition, lot and location all weighted the way a real pricing conversation weighs them. Takes about ninety seconds.
Reading recent GTA sale data…
Building your estimate
Estimated market value
—
$0–$0
Most likely value $0 · roughly $0 per square foot
What moved the number
Starting from the area baseline for your property type, here’s what each answer added or subtracted.
Market context
Recent local averages for comparison.
—
A range is a starting point.
A strategy is what sells.
This model doesn’t know that your neighbour’s identical semi went $80,000 over asking last month, or which two upgrades actually pay back in your area. That conversation is free and takes twenty minutes.
How to use the report properly
Read the summary, then read the body. The most expensive items are often described in mild language in the middle of a section. Turn it into three lists: fix now, budget for within five years, and monitor. Get quotes for anything in the first list before your condition expires.
A note on offer nights
In competitive situations, buyers often waive inspections. The safer compromise is a pre-offer inspection, or a pre-listing inspection provided by the seller, with the caveat that a report commissioned by the seller was written for them. You can usually pay the inspector to re-certify it to you.
The takeaway
Treat the report as a starting point: scope the drain on an older house, get specialists for what was flagged, and check permits separately.
Talk it through with me
Get a first-time buyer plan
Tell me your savings, income range and target area. I will send a realistic price range and next steps.
I will come back to you personally, usually the same day. If it is urgent, call or text 833-330-1925.
Frequently asked questions
Does a home inspection check the sewer line?
No. A camera scope of the drain is a separate service and is often worth it on older homes.
Will an inspector tell me if work was permitted?
No. Permit history comes from a municipal records search.
Is a home inspection worth it if I can’t have a condition?
Yes; a pre-offer inspection gives you the same information before you commit.
Does the inspector guarantee the house?
No. It is an opinion on visible condition on the day, not a warranty.
Sources
- Government of Ontario — home inspections — what an inspection covers and how to choose an inspector
- City of Toronto — drains and basement flooding — homeowner responsibility for the sewer lateral
Related reading
- Home Appraisal vs Home Inspection in Ontario: What Is the Difference?
- Mould in a Home in Ontario: Buyer Checks, Seller Duties and Real Fixes
- Builder Delays and Cancelled Pre-Construction Projects in Ontario
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Etobicoke. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA, with deep local knowledge of the west end. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume. Every market figure here comes from TRREB’s published tables and every rule from RECO or Ontario legislation, so you can check all of it without asking me.
Reach me at connect@jatindua.com or 833-330-1925, or book a call.