Condo and Home Inspection Downtown Montréal and Ville-Marie

Buying a condo, a loft or a plex downtown? I'm Pantelis Ambatzis, a Certified Master Inspector (CMI®), and I inspect properties in downtown Montréal, Old Montréal, Griffintown, Centre-Sud and the rest of Ville-Marie, in English or French. You can come along for the whole inspection, and I explain every finding on site, in plain language.

Properties in Ville-Marie

Most purchases downtown are condos: units in towers and recent buildings, lofts in converted industrial and commercial buildings in Old Montréal and Griffintown, and condos in older greystones and brick plexes. In Centre-Sud and around the Village, there are also brick duplexes and triplexes with flat roofs and outside stairs. In a condo, what you own is only part of the building, so I look at your unit closely and at what the building's condition tells you about future costs.

What I look at closely downtown

• The unit: windows and patio doors, balconies, floors, signs of water around windows, under sinks and near the bath and shower, and the ventilation;
• Heating and air conditioning: heat pumps, fan coils and baseboards inside the unit, and the condensate drains;
• Older and converted buildings: brick, stone and mortar, signs of water through older walls, and how renovations were done where they are visible;
• Common parts: with the syndicate's permission, the accessible common areas such as the roof, garage and corridors; see condo inspection;
• Plexes: each unit, the flat roof, outside stairs and the basement; see duplex & plex inspection.

How the inspection works

The inspection follows the BNQ 3009-500 standard. I check everything that is visible and safely accessible, from the roof (with the drone when it isn't safely accessible) to the basement, with a moisture meter and a thermal camera. I don't open walls and I don't check code compliance; when something needs a closer look, I tell you clearly and recommend the right specialist. When I see signs of moisture, we can go further with a mold inspection and air sampling.

You receive a written report with photos, findings ranked by priority and maintenance advice, often delivered the same day. Rates are on the price list, and I confirm the exact price once I have the address. For the full process, see pre-purchase home inspection.

Frequently asked questions

What documents should I ask for when buying a condo downtown?

Ask the seller or the syndicate for the minutes of the last meetings, the financial statements and contingency fund balance, the maintenance log and any fund or building study. They tell you what work is planned and how it will be paid. I explain how my findings fit with those documents.

Can you go on the roof of a condo building?

Only with the syndicate's permission and when it is safe. When the roof is not accessible, I can often use the drone, if the building and the area allow it.

Can the inspection be in French or English?

Both. The inspection and the report can be in English or French, as you prefer.

Buying in downtown or in Ville-Marie? Call 514-924-8887 for a same-day quote, or reach us through the contact page.