Are references worth checking for an Orleans home inspector?

References can tell you things that no credential or association membership will: whether the inspector communicated clearly, whether the report was readable, and whether anything was missed that showed up later. Ontario passed a Home Inspection Act in 2017, but it has not been brought into force, so there is no provincial licence today, so the checks are the ones you make.

Ontario.ca lists references as one of the questions to ask before booking: "Can you provide references?" The federal Office of Consumer Affairs adds that referrals from friends and family are a reasonable starting point for finding names in the first place. Neither source tells you how many references to ask for or what weight to give them, so treat them as one input alongside a sample report and a written contract.

What makes a reference more useful for your situation in Orleans:

• Ask whether the reference had a similar type of home inspected: a detached house, a townhouse or a condo.
• Ask whether the reference was present during the inspection, as ontario.ca suggests buyers should be.
• Ask whether the report matched what ontario.ca says a report should show: the condition of every major system and component, anything unsafe or needing repair, and evidence of past problems.
• Ask whether anything came up after possession that the report did not mention, and how the inspector responded.

A reference who had a different type of home, or who was not present, can still tell you something about communication and report quality, but less about whether the inspector covered what yours will need to cover.

The Office of Consumer Affairs also suggests asking whether the inspector will apply the voluntary national standard CSA A770, and asking for a sample report before you commit. Neither is a requirement, but both give you something concrete to compare across inspectors you are considering.

Ask each inspector for two or three references from homes like yours, and call them before you book.