Every morning you jump in the shower. Without thinking, you call upon an essential element of our modern comfort: the water heater. Often neglected by homeowners, the water heater is responsible for most water-related damages in our basements. And you, can you tell the age of yours? Do you know its condition? Do you know…
"My brother will help me with these renovations. He knows what he’s doing; after all, he built his house himself!" Far from us the idea to contradict you or to question your brother’s skills, but too often in our profession do we see building problems arising directly from renovations made by relatives of the owners…
In March, a fire broke out in a building in Pierrefonds, causing damage estimated at more than $100,000. In May, another fire forced the evacuation of 68 families while yet another in Sainte-Adèle threw forty residents on the street. More recently in Laval, twenty people were left homeless after a fire burned their apartment complex…
The BBQ season is fast approaching and many of us are planning to review the layout of our backyards. The Quebec Construction Code gives us rules to follow to ensure the safety of all, but have you ever consulted it? If so, were you able to understand it all? What is a handrail, a guardrail? Our…
The sun rises on your home, its rays warming you through the window. You admire the squirrels as they rummage through your garden while thinking back with obvious pleasure to the day you purchased your home. Little do you know that, as you’re taking a sip from your cup of coffee, the infamous dry rot…
As all of us can see by surveying the countless streets that crisscross the province, concrete balconies are present in Quebec because they offer a sustainable surface. However, some products such as de-icing salts and tools such as metal shovels can contribute to their deterioration. It is not uncommon during our inspections to find rusty…
It is surprising how often our inspectors, during their pre-purchase inspections in particular, notice inadequate outlets in bathrooms and kitchens. Why inadequate? Well, given the presence of water in these two rooms, the electrical outlets must be of a specific type in order to ensure the safety of the occupants.