Pre-Purchase Assessment · Ottawa & Region
Before you buy it,
know what it costs.
An inspector tells you what is broken. Phil tells you what it costs to fix, what it costs to change, and whether the building can take what you have planned. Residential or commercial, Ottawa and region.
What you get
A
On-site walkthrough
Phil walks the property with you. Foundation, structure, envelope, mechanical, and what previous work was actually done.
B
Builder's read
Not a checklist. What it costs to fix, what it costs to change, and whether the building can carry what you have planned.
C
Written cost range
A summary you can take into the negotiation, before your conditions come off.
What it is not
Not a home inspection
We do not issue an inspection report and we do not replace one. An inspector documents condition. Phil prices consequence.
Not an appraisal
We do not value the property. We tell you what the building will cost you after you own it.
Not a sales call
You are paying for the read, not a pitch. If the answer is walk away, that is the answer you get.
What the report looks like
Six sections. Every line is a number.
Below is a sample report on an invented property — a 1974 Ottawa semi — so you can see the format before you book. Nothing here is a recommendation. It is what we observed and what it costs.
Section 01 — Structure
Foundation, framing, load paths
Poured foundation, original
Two vertical shrinkage cracks on the east wall, no displacement, no active moisture at the base. Consistent with age rather than movement.
Interior injection, both: $900 – 1,400
Main beam and posts
Steel beam on three posts. One post sits on a slab pad rather than a footing — visible where the finished basement wall stops short.
Cut in a proper footing: $2,200 – 3,000
Prior kitchen wall removal
A bearing wall was opened at some point. Header is present and sized, but no permit record was found for the work.
Engineer letter to close the record: $600 – 900
Structure — estimated range
Sample · Illustrative format · Not a property-specific opinion
Scope and limitations
What this report is, and what it is not
Read this before you book. We would rather you know the limits up front than be surprised by them later.
- It is a construction cost opinion
- Phil gives you a builder's read on what work the property is likely to need and what that work costs. That is the entire product.
- It is not a home inspection
- We do not issue an inspection report and we do not replace one. If your agreement requires an inspection, hire a licensed home inspector.
- It is not an engineer's report or an appraisal
- We do not stamp drawings, certify structures, or assign a value to the property. Where a stamp is required, we say so and you retain an engineer directly.
- It is not real estate, legal, or investment advice
- We do not tell you whether to buy, what to offer, or how to structure your conditions. Those decisions are yours, with your agent and your lawyer.
- Figures are estimates from a visual review
- No destructive testing, no opening of walls, no excavation. Prices reflect current regional labour and material costs and move with the market.
- Hidden and latent conditions are excluded
- We cannot see behind finishes or below grade. Anything concealed at the time of the walkthrough is outside the scope and outside the estimate.
Questions buyers ask
- Is this a home inspection?
- No. A home inspector documents condition and issues an inspection report. Phil prices consequence — what the work costs and what it triggers. We do not issue an inspection report and we do not replace one. If your agreement requires an inspection, hire a licensed home inspector as well.
- Will you tell me whether to buy the property?
- No. We give you numbers, not a verdict. Whether to buy, what to offer, and how to handle your conditions are decisions for you, your agent and your lawyer. We are builders, not real estate or legal advisors.
- How accurate are the cost numbers?
- They are estimates from a visual walkthrough — no destructive testing, no opening walls, no excavation. Ranges reflect current regional labour and material pricing and move with the market. Anything concealed at the time of the walkthrough is outside the estimate, and we list those as open questions in the report rather than guessing.
- Can I use the report in my negotiation or with my lender?
- You own the report and can share it with anyone you like, including your agent. It is a contractor's cost opinion, not an appraisal or an engineer's report, so a lender or insurer may still require one of those. Nothing in it is a warranty or guarantee of cost.
Fees
Fee by property size
- Under 1,500 sqftCondo, townhouse, small bungalow$450
- 1,500 – 3,000 sqftMost single-family homes$650
- 3,000 – 6,000 sqftLarge residential, small commercial$950
- 6,000+ sqft / commercialMulti-unit, industrial, mixed-useQuoted
For agents and brokers
A deal dies on the unknown, not on the number.
Send Phil through before conditions come off and your buyer stops negotiating against their imagination. They get a real cost range, you get a client who can commit — or walk early, before anyone burns two weeks. Send this page directly. There is a field on the form for your name and brokerage, and we keep you in the loop on scheduling.