Condo Inspection

Common Condo Inspection Issues

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Condos are becoming more and more popular in the Fraser Valley. From Vancouver, Surrey, Langley, and Abbotsford, condo construction continues at a high pace. Condos are a great way for a young family to start a new home or those who don’t need the space of detached unit. But even if the condo is a brand new construction, there can still be issues creeping behind the walls that should be inspected and addressed.

Faulty Electrical Wiring

Even if a condo has been newly constructed, it can lend itself to a number of electrical problems. Often times during construction, if the electrician was not taking care or keeping their work up to code, there can be a number of electrical hazards throughout the structure of the unit. This can include unconnected live wires, overloaded circuits and broken, cracked or damaged wires. These can occur either through negligence of the electrician or during the construction phase of the unit. If the condo is older, these problems may arise over years of use or during renovations that were not done. It is incredibly important to identify these problem sources; otherwise you may find yourself at a greater risk of an electrical fire when you least expect it.

Poor Plumbing

Poor pluming is another issue many condo owners and renters can encounter. Poor plumbing is not only an issue in itself, but can be the cause of much greater and more expensive repairs down the road. If the plumbing is not up to code you can find yourself with weak water pressure, which could be a nuisance in your everyday activities from showering to cleaning. The real issues begin show up when pipes behind the wall start to leak. If these leaks are not dealt with promptly it can lead to water damage in your roofs and walls. Even worse, you may find yourself with mold in these areas from persistent contact with leaky pipes that can have adverse affects on your family’s health. If a condo inspection is not performed and a plumbing issue is missed, you could end up with a financial and time-consuming headache while dealing with a problem that not only could affect you, but your neighbors as well.

Exterior Issues

Another important area to have inspected is the exterior of the condominium building and its surroundings. Inspectors will review the proximity of trees to the building, which if are too close could cause damage in the event of a severe weather event. Other exterior problems can include:

  • Stucco or exterior siding not properly sealed.
  • Sliding doors that don’t shut entirely.
  • Windows with faulty seals

Each one of these problems can lead to damage to the exterior of the condo that will eventually affect the interior as well.

Our condo inspectors have years of experience and know exactly what to look for when performing our inspections. Along with this, we perform thermal camera imaging, which helps us identify those hidden issues behind the wall. If you are looking to buy a condo and have questions before you sign off on it, call us at 1-877-837-3603 and we can put your mind at ease.