Frank Loughrey says he’s living a nightmare spawned by a hot housing market that often leads prospective buyers to buy a home without an inspection.
He bought his Surrey home during the height of the housing boom and decided to forego an inspection.
“I know that if I had thrown in that clause or that subject of a building inspection, I was going to lose out,” he said.
Facing stiff competition, he opted for no inspection, since it was a new development by Flagship Projects that was covered by Pacific Home Warranty.
Loughrey now says it was a mistake.
According to Loughrey, the home has a deficiency list that outlines 132 problems, from sinks that don’t drain to sinking concrete in the garage.
The builder claims some of those issues have been deemed not covered under warranty, while others are being addressed.
When Global News contacted Flagship Projects Ltd. they guaranteed the issues would be resolved. Adding its work meets standard building codes. A request for comment Pacific Home Warranty was unanswered.
Loughrey said he’s seen the repairs done by the builder and believes a third party needs to be brought in to do it right.
He also says such headaches may have been avoided by a home inspection. But with multiple offers still common in Metro Vancouver, many continue to take the risk.
“Their backs are up against the wall to try and come up with a clean, very strong offer,” Royal LePage realtor Adil Dinani said. “Oftentimes that requires not including a subject to financing and a subject to inspection.”
Loughrey says there needs to be a law making home inspections mandatory, adding that if such a law already existed, “I wouldn’t be living here.”
— With files from John Hua