Legally, no — a home inspection is not required to purchase a property in Ontario. Practically, skipping one on most properties is a decision that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Here's what the inspection actually does and doesn't do, so you can make an informed call.

What a home inspection covers

A qualified home inspector evaluates the visible, accessible components of the property and reports on their current condition. This includes:

  • Roof: Shingle condition, flashing, gutters, visible structure from the attic
  • Foundation and structure: Visible cracks, water infiltration evidence, structural movement indicators
  • Basement: Moisture, water staining, grading issues visible from inside
  • Mechanical systems: Furnace age and condition, central air, water heater
  • Electrical: Panel type and condition, visible wiring, outlets and switches
  • Plumbing: Pipe material and condition, water pressure, drainage
  • Attic: Insulation type and depth, ventilation, evidence of roof leaks
  • Interior: Windows, doors, floors, ceilings, walls — visible condition
  • Exterior: Siding, grading, walkways, deck or porch condition

What a home inspection doesn't cover

An inspection is visual and non-invasive. The inspector cannot open walls, lift concrete, or access inaccessible areas. It does not include:

  • Behind-wall plumbing or electrical
  • Sewer lateral condition (requires a separate camera scope)
  • Asbestos, lead paint, or mould testing (requires specialized testing)
  • Underground oil tanks
  • Structural engineering analysis

The inspector can flag suspicion of these issues and recommend specialist follow-up, but cannot confirm or deny what's hidden.

What a home inspection costs

$400–$600 for a standard single-family home in the GTA. Larger homes, homes with crawl spaces, or properties requiring extra time may run higher. The fee is paid to the inspector directly and is not refundable if the deal falls through — but it's among the best $500 you'll spend in a real estate transaction.

When buyers waive the inspection

In competitive GTA markets, buyers sometimes waive the home inspection condition to make their offer more attractive to sellers. A firm offer beats a conditional one, all else being equal, and removing the inspection condition is one way to firm up.

The middle path is a pre-offer inspection: arranging a walk-through with a qualified inspector before submitting your offer. Not all sellers permit this, and it typically has to be arranged quickly (sometimes within 24 hours of the listing going live). If permitted, it gives you most of the value of a full inspection while allowing a firm offer. The inspector can't produce a full written report in this timeframe, but they can give you a verbal assessment of major concerns.

When not to skip it

For older homes (pre-1980), properties that have been tenanted and may have deferred maintenance, estate sales where the sellers don't have full knowledge of the property's history, and any home where the visible condition raises questions — inspect before you firm up. The expected cost of major unknown issues in an un-inspected older property exceeds the inspection fee by a significant margin.

For newer construction (2000s and later) with standard construction and no visible concerns, waiving the inspection carries less risk. The systems are newer, the construction standards are better documented, and the likelihood of major hidden problems is lower. Still not zero — but the risk profile is different.

The bottom line

If you can include a home inspection condition, include it. If the market requires going firm, exhaust the pre-offer inspection option first. Going firm without any inspection is a calculated risk — appropriate in some situations, worth thinking through carefully in others. A $500 inspection has prevented far more than $500 in unexpected costs for most buyers who've done them.