Rob Ferland inspected houses around Calgary until he retired. He walked through a lot of basements, crawlspaces and attics in every season this part of Alberta has, and he wrote a lot of reports that people skimmed. This guide is his attempt to say the useful parts before anyone needs a report.
Most of what I wrote up was slow. Water that had been finding the same corner for years. A furnace nobody had looked at since the last owner. Grading that sent melt toward the house instead of away from it. Almost none of it was dramatic and almost all of it was cheaper to catch early.
By season, because that is how the work actually arrives here, and by system, because water, heat, roof and foundation each behave in their own way. Where a number matters, such as a permit requirement or an assessment deadline, I send you to the City or the Province rather than printing a figure that will go stale.
Retired means retired. I do not inspect houses any more, I do not take referrals, and I am not selling anything on this site.
Chinook Home Guide is written by Rob Ferland, a retired home inspector near Calgary. Written near Calgary. No advertising and no paid placements on this guide.
This guide is general information for homeowners. It does not replace an inspection, a licensed trade, or the current rules published by your municipality.