Should I get quotes from more than one inspector in Kanata?

Yes. Ontario.ca suggests getting quotes from more than one inspector, and the federal Office of Consumer Affairs suggests a written contract before the work starts.

Kanata is in the City of Ottawa service area, so the same Ontario rules apply as anywhere else in the city. Published Ottawa-area inspector pricing gives you a sense of the range to expect: a condo apartment runs roughly $350 to $470 plus HST, a townhouse roughly $400 to $515, and a detached or semi-detached home up to about 2,000 sq ft roughly $450 to $640. Ontario.ca puts the broader range at $350 to $600, and notes fees may be higher depending on the size and condition of the home. A larger home should come with a written quote specific to that property.

Comparing quotes also gives you a reason to ask each inspector the questions ontario.ca and the Office of Consumer Affairs suggest:

• May I see a sample inspection report?
• Do you have experience inspecting this type of home?
• Do you have insurance, and can you give me the details in writing?
• Can you show me accreditation or training that reflects your experience?
• Can you provide references?

The Office of Consumer Affairs also suggests asking whether the inspector will apply the CSA A770 voluntary standard for home inspections, and asking for a written contract that sets out what will be inspected, the report deadline, and the total cost before any work begins.

One thing worth knowing: Ontario passed a Home Inspection Act in 2017, but it has not been brought into force, so there is no provincial licence today. So a provincial licence is not something you can compare across quotes. The written contract, the sample report, and the answers to those questions are the practical tools you have for comparing inspectors.

The most useful question to put to each inspector before you decide: ask them to walk you through their sample report and explain what they would and would not be able to see in the specific type of home you are buying.