Buying a home is one of the biggest investments most people make, and a standard real estate home inspection isn’t built to catch every mold, moisture or air quality problem — or to screen for a former grow operation. The equipment, laboratory analysis, and reporting quality behind a building investigation vary widely between companies. Here’s what to look for in a building investigation company.
| What to check | What to ask | ABM Environmental |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Does it go beyond a standard home inspection? | Sophisticated equipment and lab analysis for mold, moisture, air quality, and former grow-op issues |
| Who investigates | Senior consultant, or a junior technician? | Senior Project Consultant, 18+ years of experience |
| Lab analysis | Full-trace, through a local lab? | Full-trace analysis through a local BC laboratory |
| Report acceptance | Will your bank or lender accept it? | CMHC, Genworth, banks, insurance companies, and municipalities |
| Insurance | Professional liability (E&O) coverage? | Yes — general liability, professional liability, and WorkSafeBC coverage |
What a building investigation includes beyond a standard home inspection
ABM Environmental uses sophisticated equipment and laboratory analysis to detect and locate potential air quality, mold, moisture, and former grow-op issues that a standard real estate inspection may not find — providing information useful to both buyers and sellers.
Who is actually doing the investigation
Every building investigation at ABM Environmental is performed by a Senior Project Consultant with over 18 years of experience, not a junior technician.
Lab analysis, where samples are taken
Where air or surface samples are needed, ABM Environmental uses full-trace analysis through a local BC laboratory rather than shipping samples out of the country. Full-trace analysis examines the complete sample, making it more sensitive to picking up problems and more accurate than partial-trace methods.
Whether the report will actually be accepted by your bank or lender
This matters more for a real estate investigation than almost any other service — a report a bank or lender won’t accept can hold up financing. ABM Environmental’s reports have been accepted by CMHC, Genworth, banks, insurance companies, and municipalities.
Insurance coverage
A building investigation company should carry professional liability (errors & omissions) insurance — insurers only issue this after a qualification process, so a company that carries it has effectively already been vetted. ABM Environmental carries general liability and professional liability insurance, along with WorkSafeBC coverage. See our full breakdown of ABM Environmental’s insurance coverage.
Red flags to watch for
Two things are worth checking before you hire anyone, because they’re the easiest way to tell a properly qualified company apart from one that isn’t: insurance and specifics.
If a company’s website doesn’t mention insurance at all, that’s worth asking about directly — not every company is willing or able to carry professional liability (errors & omissions) coverage for the work, and a company that qualifies for it usually says so, because it’s a real differentiator.
Be equally cautious of vague qualification language like “trained and certified technicians” with no further detail. That phrase says nothing about which certification, from which organization, or how much experience the specific person coming to your property actually has. Ask directly: what certification does this person hold, and how many years have they been doing this work? A company confident in its qualifications will give you a straight answer — name, credential, and years of experience — not a general reassurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a building investigation different from a standard home inspection?
A standard home inspection is a general visual review. A building investigation from ABM Environmental adds targeted equipment and lab analysis to detect mold, moisture, air quality issues, and former grow-op contamination that a general inspection isn’t built to find.
Will the report be accepted by my bank or lender?
ABM Environmental’s reports have been accepted by CMHC, Genworth, banks, insurance companies, and municipalities.
How can I tell if a building investigation company is properly qualified?
One reliable check is whether the company carries professional liability (errors & omissions) insurance for its assessments — insurers only issue this coverage after their own qualification process, so a company that has obtained it has effectively already been vetted.
What insurance should a building investigation company have?
At minimum, general liability and professional liability (errors & omissions) insurance, plus WorkSafeBC coverage.
What should I be cautious of when choosing a real estate building investigation company?
Two things in particular: whether the company discloses its insurance coverage, and how specific it is about who’s actually doing the work. A company that doesn’t mention insurance on its website, or that only offers vague language like “trained and certified technicians” without naming the certification or the person’s experience, may not have much to say if you ask for specifics. ABM Environmental states its coverage and credentials plainly, and every investigation is performed by a named Senior Project Consultant with over 18 years of experience.
Call (604) 568-5177 for a free phone consultation, or fill out our online assessment form for a quote or to book.
Written by Brian Mackenzie, Senior Project Consultant at ABM Environmental, with over 18 years of experience in indoor environmental consulting.