A home inspection follows a clear order: you book after your offer is accepted (or before you offer), the inspector walks the outside, the roof and the structure, then works through every system inside, talks you through the findings on site, and sends a written report with photos within 24 hours. Knowing the steps helps you use the time well and ask the right questions before your condition date. This walkthrough is for buyers in Oakville, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa and the rest of the GTA. Your inspector is Yama Nehan, a Certified and Registered Home Inspector with 15 years of home inspection experience. To book, call 647-704-7100 or book an inspection online.

Key takeaways

  • Book as soon as your offer is accepted. Most GTA conditional offers give you only a few business days to inspect and decide.
  • Plan to attend. The most useful part of the day is walking the house with the inspector and seeing issues in person.
  • The inspection is visual and non-invasive. We don’t open walls or move the seller’s furniture, and we say clearly when something needs a specialist.
  • You get a written report with photos within 24 hours, so you have time to get quotes before your condition date.
  • Home inspections start from $499 and condo inspections from $399. The final price depends on the property.

Step 1: Book the inspection and share the details

When you call or book online, have the basics ready: the city and type of home (detached, semi, townhouse or condo), the approximate age and size, whether there is a finished basement or a second unit, and the date your condition expires. These details change how long the inspection takes and what we prepare for. A 1960s bungalow in Oshawa, a 1990s two-storey in Oakville’s Glen Abbey and a new-build townhouse in north Ajax or Brooklin in Whitby each have different weak spots, and knowing which one we’re walking into lets us plan the day.

Your real estate agent normally arranges access with the listing agent. Ask them to confirm that the utilities are on, the electrical panel and attic hatch are reachable, and the furnace and water heater aren’t blocked by storage.

Step 2: Arrive and walk the outside of the house

The inspection starts outside, because water is the root of most problems inside. I walk the full perimeter and look at:

  • Grading and whether the soil slopes away from the foundation
  • Downspouts and where they discharge
  • Visible foundation walls for cracks, spalling and past repairs
  • Siding, brick, mortar and caulking around windows and doors
  • Decks, porches, railings and steps
  • Driveway and walkway slope toward the house or garage
  • Exterior vents, the gas meter and the air conditioner

Step 3: Inspect the roof, chimney and eavestroughs

Next comes the roof. Where it’s safe, I walk it or inspect it up close; if it’s too steep, wet, icy or high, I use other safe vantage points and say so in the report. I look at shingle condition and wear, flashing at walls, chimneys and skylights, vents, and the eavestroughs. If you want to go deeper on this part, read our questions to ask your home inspector about the roof.

Step 4: Go up into the attic

The attic often tells the story the ceilings don’t. I check insulation type and depth, ventilation, signs of past or active leaks on the roof sheathing, frost or mould-like staining on the underside of the roof deck in colder months, and whether bathroom and kitchen fans actually vent outside. In older homes I also note any loose-fill insulation that looks like vermiculite, which can contain asbestos. If you want it tested, we can arrange home hazard testing alongside your inspection.

Step 5: Work through the systems inside

Inside, I go system by system so nothing is skipped.

System What I check Common findings in GTA homes
Electrical Panel, breakers, wiring type where visible, grounding, GFCI outlets near water, a sample of outlets and switches Double-tapped breakers, amateur basement wiring, missing GFCI protection, older wiring types in older homes
Plumbing Supply pipe material, visible drains, water pressure and flow, fixtures, the water heater, signs of leaks Slow drains, older galvanized or cast iron pipe, leaks under sinks, water heaters near the end of their life
Heating and cooling Furnace or boiler operation, venting, filter, age, air conditioner operation when the outdoor temperature allows Overdue servicing, original equipment in 20+ year old homes, rusted venting
Interior Walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, stairs and railings Ceiling stains below bathrooms, sloped floors, failed window seals, loose railings
Kitchen and bathrooms Fixtures, exhaust fans, caulking, visible moisture and soft spots Worn caulking at tubs, fans not venting outside, minor leaks
Basement and structure Foundation walls, visible framing, signs of water, sump pit if present Efflorescence and damp patches, settlement cracks, finished basements hiding past water

If you’re buying a condo instead of a house, the inspection focuses on the unit itself. See our condo inspection page for how that differs.

Step 6: Walk through the findings together

At the end I walk you through what I found, room by room, starting with the items that matter most: safety concerns, water problems, and big-ticket systems near the end of their life. This is the time to ask questions. A situation we often see: a buyer worries about a long list of small items, such as a loose doorknob, a dripping tap or missing caulking, while the item that really deserves attention is a foundation crack with a damp patch beside it, or an older roof. I’ll tell you plainly which is which.

Good questions to ask on site:

  • Which of these findings should I deal with before my condition date?
  • Which items need a specialist, such as a roofer, electrician or a sewer camera scope?
  • Roughly how much life is left in the roof, furnace and water heater?
  • Is anything here a safety concern for my family right now?

Step 7: Read the written report

You receive a written report with photos within 24 hours. It explains each finding, where it is, and what we recommend: monitor, repair, or have a specialist evaluate. Our step-by-step guide to reading a home inspection report shows how to sort it into must-fix and can-wait items.

Step 8: Decide what to do before your condition date

With the report in hand, you and your agent decide whether to go firm, ask for a price adjustment or repairs, get specialist quotes, or walk away. If the inspection turned up something serious, read what to do if a home inspection finds problems.

Home inspection day checklist for buyers

  • Inspection booked as soon as the offer is accepted, with the condition date noted
  • Agent has confirmed access, utilities on, and the attic hatch and panel reachable
  • Seller disclosure, renovation records and any permits on hand if available
  • Questions about the roof age, furnace age and past basement water written down
  • Time set aside to attend the whole inspection, or at least the final walkthrough
  • Notebook or phone for photos of the items the inspector points out
  • Plan for specialist follow-ups (sewer scope, roofer, electrician) if they come up
  • Time blocked to read the report the day it arrives

How long does a home inspection take, and what does it cost?

Most home inspections take a few hours. Larger, older or more complex homes, and homes with a second unit, take longer. Condo inspections are usually shorter. Home inspections with Golden Home Inspections start from $499 and condo inspections from $399; the final price depends on the property, mainly its size, age and type, and any added services such as hazard testing. For the full breakdown, see home inspection cost in Toronto and the GTA and what a home inspection includes in Ontario.

Book your home inspection in Oakville, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa or anywhere in the GTA

We inspect homes in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa. For city details, see home inspection in Oakville, home inspection in Oshawa and home inspection in Toronto, or read about our full home inspection service.

Whoever you hire, choose your inspector carefully: ask about their certifications, their experience with homes like the one you’re buying, and to see a sample report. Call 647-704-7100, email contact@goldenhomeinspections.ca or book your inspection online. We’re open 9 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week.

Home inspection process FAQ

Should I attend my home inspection?

Yes, if you can. Seeing the findings in person and asking questions on site makes the report much easier to understand. If you can’t stay for the whole visit, come for the final walkthrough.

Does a home inspector move furniture or open walls?

No. A home inspection is visual and non-invasive. We inspect what is safely visible and accessible, and we note in the report where storage, finishes or weather limited what could be seen.

When will I get my home inspection report?

Within 24 hours of the inspection, as a written report with photos.

Can a home inspection be done before I make an offer?

Yes. In competitive GTA markets some buyers inspect before offering so they can go in without a condition. Our pre-offer home inspection guide explains how that works.