Covering all of Ontario for Log and Timberframe Home Inspections
A Specialty
Call 705 205 4663 Anytime

doneright1@live.ca

   Inspections  are available 8 am till 6 pm, 7 days a week
Mail at 170-1 Memorial Ave
Suite 109 Orillia on
L3V7M9

Home, Cottage and Commercial Inspection Done Right in Orillia, Midland, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Port Carling, Bala, and all of Muskoka

Home

The Home Inspector's background

 

This classic Victorian style home is very like the ones along Lakeshore Bvd I started my journey in construction on back in the 70s. I was lucky to work with and learn from some true craftsmen. Occasionally I will see a strong Victorian influence on the older cottages in Orillia, Gravenhurst, Muskoka. Port Carling, Bala, Midland and Bracebridge with there wrap around decks and the octagon or round corner towers overlooking the lakes.Even some of the older commercial buildings I inspect show signs of this influence in their construction style.  I started working in the construction and building industry in 1970 with a restoration crew working on restoring early Victorian homes in Toronto. Since then I have worked on many successful projects, both full and part time, involving every aspect of home building, repair, and renovation.

  Even while operating a custom kitchen and woodwork business full time throughout the 80s, I had my hand in several renovation and building projects including both log and timberframe home projects.
Since selling that company I have continued on in the home building and renovation field.




Timberframe bent showing gable end, wall structure and floor beams almost ready for ssp, stress skin panels, or this builder may use sip, structural insulated panels . This is very similar construction to the ones I worked onand have inspected as a home inspector in Orillia, Gravenhurst, Muskoka. Port Carling, Bala, Midland.. There are a few commercial buildings I have inspected in the Orillia area made with elements of this style. Iif not a timberframe exactly they would be classed as a hybrid of conventional and timberframe construction. There are several large builders in the Orilla, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge area incorporating more and more elements of log and timberframe construction into all types of new construction. For buyers in the Orillia, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Muskoka areas, an inspector that has experience and real hands on knowledge about how these systems are built and fail can be invaluableThat's forty years of practical hands on training and experience


Many of those years I worked in the Muskoka, Gravenhurst, and Orillia areas where I now do home inspections on a full time basis.

I bet my money to get hard won experience

 

  Many of my projects were homes in the Orillia and Muskoka area where I bet my money and my experience that after I inspected the home I had a good, informed evaluation of the homes condition.
  I bought the properties, did the renovations myself, and made some money on each one. Did I make mistakes, you bet, and they cost me time and money.
  But, I learned from them each time, and I didn't make the same mistakes again. Still, that's learning the hard way, and that's why you need my experience for your home inspection

  You don’t have to learn the hard way.


When inspecting a home near Orillia and just south of Gravenhurst the home inspection reveals bad eletcrical, bad joist cross bracing, and mould from water intrusion behind the vapour barrier. Investors and homeowners alike in Orillia, Gravenhurst, Muskoka. Port Carling, Bala, Midland, in fact wherever I perform a home cottage or commercial inspection can rest assured they will know the truth about a homes condition once they get my report. This was the first Muskoka home I inspected for a customer back in 2005 Although the home buyers thought this was a good start on a finished basement I had to advise them otherwise.
  The dark staining near the floor on the far right below the electrical outlet was evidence of water intrusion. I traced it to improper grading leading to water entering at the lower edge of the windowsill. I also had to report that the dark line just at the top of the foundation edge and behind the vapour barrier was caused by mould on the sill plate.
  Mould grew behind the insulation from moisture trapped within the insulation from the same moisture source.
  The "new" electrical installed in this section would not have passed an electrical inspection and fully half of the joist cross bracing throughout the home was nailed at the top only! I found that out while looking for a reason the upstairs kitchen floor tiles and grout showed cracking and deterioration.
  This could have been a multi thousand dollar disaster if not caught. Luckily, the buyer was a handy do it yourselfer and with some help he redid the grading, stripped out the basement, cleaned and finished it right.
  He also got a very nice price reduction to help in replacing the flooring upstairs and the electrical and insulation in the "nearly finished basement".


My Education Pertinent to Home Inspection

InterNACHI, Inter National Association of Certified Home Inspectors
128 Academic hours to date and ongoing. Courses covering the full range of home inspection best practices, procedures, and defect recognition, for every part of the home.

 
Carson Dunlop Home Inspection Training Program.
Carson Dunlop, & Associates Ltd. is a Toronto based consulting engineering firm which has been devoted exclusively to building inspections since 1978.  Carson Dunlop provides home inspection course content to the colleges, and in some cases provides technical support for their students via e-mail.  I elected to receive my training directly through the firm itself rather than a secondary party and I am a Graduate with 420 Academic hours. www.carsondunlop.com


The Carson Dunlop Home Inspection Training Program is also recognized as the full academic requirement towards the NATIONAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.

Whose standards of inspection do I inspect to?

The standards I inspect to are those set by InterNACHI  the InterNational Association of Certified Home Inspectors

These standards meet or exceed those of
CAHPI  the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors 
OAHI   the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors 
ASHI   the American Society of Home Inspectors.