Home inspection standard now available from CSA Group

A man in a hard hat standing in front of an old rundown house holding a clipboard in his hand.

Buying a house is an important life decision, as it’s one of the most valuable assets a person will ever own. To help protect this investment, it’s critical to gather as much information as possible before making a decision. A proper home inspection can help buyers better understand the condition of a home, and whether there are any significant deficiencies that could result in unexpected, costly repairs.

Until now, there hasn’t been a consistent set of minimum requirements for home inspectors to follow or for consumers to compare services. Discrepancies in home inspection practices can lead to wide variations in the amount of risk taken on by home buyers and home inspectors alike.

A new standard

CSA Group is proud to introduce CSA A770 – Home Inspection, a first-of-its-kind standard developed through the collaboration of home inspectors, regulators, consumer agencies and various technical specialists, that provides guidance on the minimum requirements for a proper home inspection.

CSA A770 establishes key systems and components that need to be inspected in and around the home, and outlines general inspection methods and minimum reporting requirements for inspectors to follow.

The new standard:

• Promotes a consistent set of practices that can lead to increased consumer protection and better-defined home inspection services;
• Helps home inspectors provide the best possible service to clients on a level playing field;
• Covers a broad range of building systems and components in residential dwellings across Canada;
• Promotes improved safety through requirements for inspecting life safety systems, as well as the requirement to report items with health and safety concerns; and
• Supports policy development and regulatory requirements.

More details

CSA A770 is now available in PDF format in both English and French. For more information on this standard, visit the CSA Group website.

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