Many home buyers purchase homes with problems they were not aware of in Metro Vancouver. Mold, moisture and former grow operations are all common issues. Unfortunately innocent families often get sick due to elevated levels of mold or other contaminants. A typical home inspection may not detect the full extent of the problem. ABM Environmental specializes in building investigations which detect mold, moisture and former marijuana grow operations in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. We can provide the necessary information for buyers and sellers.

For buyers

A standard home inspection is visual and general. It is not designed to detect hidden mold, measure moisture inside wall assemblies, or recognise the signs of a former marijuana grow operation — and in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley all three are common. An ABM Environmental pre-purchase building investigation adds what the home inspection leaves out: thermal imaging and moisture mapping of the building, a targeted search of the places mold hides, mold air testing where warranted, and an experienced eye for the electrical, structural and finishing tell-tales of a past grow op. In most cases we can attend the next business day, and the same day when a subject-removal deadline requires it. You receive a written report you can use to negotiate, to walk away, or to proceed with confidence.

For sellers

If a buyer’s home inspector reports mold, the deal is at risk — often over a problem that turns out to be minor. We verify the actual extent of the issue quickly, provide a written assessment, and where remediation is needed give you a clear plan so the sale can proceed. If a deal does fall through, addressing the problem before the next inspection avoids repeating the experience.

For realtors, lenders and lawyers

We work regularly with realtors who need a fast, credible answer for a client; with lenders and insurers who require testing and clearance documentation on former grow operations; and with lawyers who need an independent expert assessment. Our principal consultant has provided expert evidence in BC Provincial Court, the BC Human Rights Tribunal and the BC Residential Tenancy Branch, and our reports are prepared to that standard. All findings are 100% confidential. The cost of an investigation is based on the size of the building and the number of samples sent for laboratory analysis; call (604) 568-5177 or complete our online assessment form for a quote.