Home Inspection in Markham

Hey there! So you're looking at buying in Markham? Smart move, honestly. I've been doing home inspections across York Region for fifteen years now, and Markham keeps me pretty busy. Just this June 2026, I've probably crawled through more attics and basements in Markham than I care to count, but that's exactly why I love what I do. Let me tell you what I'm seeing out there right now. The Markham market is absolutely wild. We're looking at 610 active listings with an average price sitting at $1.39 million, and honestly, most of the homes I'm inspecting are pushing well over $1.3 million. What really gets me is how fast things are moving. The average days on market is only 20, which means you're competing hard and making decisions quickly. That's exactly when you need someone like me in your corner. The thing about Markham homes is that most of what I inspect was built in the 1990s and 2000s. These aren't your grandfather's post-war bungalows. We're talking about homes that are hitting that 25 to 35-year mark where major systems start showing their age. I was just in Unionville last week looking at a gorgeous executive home from 1998, and the owner was shocked when I found the original HVAC system was on its last legs. That's a $12,000 to $18,000 replacement right there. Here's what keeps coming up in my Markham inspections. First, those aging HVAC systems I mentioned. When you're looking at homes from the late 90s and early 2000s, the furnaces and air conditioning units are often original equipment. I'm finding units that are running but inefficient, and some that are actually safety concerns. Just last month, I found a cracked heat exchanger in a Thornhill home that could have been a carbon monoxide issue. That's not just a $15,000 furnace replacement, that's potentially life-threatening. Second issue I see constantly is plumbing. Those 1990s builds in Markham often have the original plumbing, and I'm finding a lot of homes where the main water line is starting to fail. Copper pipes from that era are developing pinhole leaks, and don't get me started on the plastic fittings that were popular then. I inspected a place in Wismer just two weeks ago where the seller had been dealing with slow leaks for months without realizing it. The buyers were looking at $8,000 to $12,000 for partial re-piping. Third, roofs. With homes hitting the 25-year mark, original asphalt shingles are at the end of their lifespan. The freeze-thaw cycles we get here in Ontario are brutal on roofing materials. I'm seeing everything from missing shingles to full granule loss, and some homes where the flashing around chimneys and vents is completely shot. A full roof replacement in Markham is running $18,000 to $25,000 depending on the size and complexity. Fourth, and this one surprises a lot of people, foundation settlement. Some of the older subdivisions in Markham were built on clay soil, and I'm finding minor settlement issues that can become major problems. Hairline cracks in basement walls, doors that don't close properly, small gaps where the foundation meets the house. Most of these aren't structural emergencies, but they need monitoring and sometimes intervention. Depending on what we find, you could be looking at $5,000 to $15,000 for proper remediation. Now, if you're looking at anything older in Markham, we get into the really fun stuff. Some of the heritage properties and older homes still have knob-and-tube electrical wiring, which is not just outdated, it's often a insurance nightmare. I still find plaster walls that look beautiful but hide all kinds of issues. Cast iron drain pipes that are corroded from the inside out. Stone foundations that have been patched and re-patched over the decades. And yes, lead paint, especially on any trim work or windows that haven't been updated. What's interesting about June 2026 is that this is prime inspection season. The weather's good, I can really see what's happening with drainage around properties, and any ice dam damage from last winter is obvious now. This time of year, I'm paying extra attention to grading around homes, checking that downspouts are directing water away from foundations, and looking for any signs that the spring melt caused problems. I'm also checking air conditioning systems hard right now because we're just getting into the season where they'll be working overtime. Nothing worse than moving into your dream home in July and finding out the AC can't keep up or worse, breaks down completely. You know what gets me about this market? With things moving so fast and prices so high, I'm seeing buyers who feel pressured to skip inspections or accept properties as-is. That's roughly 71% of properties in Markham that I'd consider higher risk just based on age and common issues. The risk factors I look at put the average Markham home at about 51 out of 100 on my risk scale. Look, I get it. When you're competing against multiple offers on a $1.4 million home, you want your offer to stand out. But think about it this way. Even a $500 inspection fee could save you thousands down the road, and more importantly, it gives you the knowledge to make a smart decision about the biggest purchase of your life. Trust me, I'd rather help you understand what you're buying than get a call from you six months later when something major goes wrong. That's just how I've always done business here in Markham.