Haystack Home Inspections

My boyfriend and I have had the pleasure of working with Chris. We are both first-​time home buyers and Chris has given us a lot of knowledge on inspection points in a condo.
When I had initially called to book the appointment, it just so happened that Chris was out of town. He had taken the time to give me a call back just to set up an appointment! We were very appreciative of that and he had arranged an inspection and made sure we would have gotten our inspection report before our subject removal date.
Chris was very thorough to inspect the condo. He had tested everything in the condo including light switches, appliances, water pressure, faucets, etc… His inspection also includes inspection of the building as a whole and noted areas that we should be very cautious of as the cost of fixing could be costly.
We are very happy first-​time home buyers, and thanks to Chris’ insight and knowledge, we were able to buy our condo comfortably.

Chris did a very thorough home inspection on our home in Kits. He spent about 4 hours for a 1100 SqFt detached coach home.
He started with an inspection of the exterior which included even the walkway, stairs and porch :-)
Inside the home he tested everything; electrical including the panel, heating (he used an infrared thermometer to note start temp and how much temp went up in 15 min intervals). He heated water in the microwave and took the panel covers off everything including the gas fire place.
Chris was able to detect a leaky hot water tank and a small leak in the elbow of the HE Boiler pressure release drain. The seller promptly fixed these based on the report and the pics.
I highly recommend you hire Chris for you next home purchase!
The report uncovered a small leak in the HE Boiler pressure release pipe elbow which was pr

As a purchaser of many properties over the years in different cities across Canada, Chris is the best home inspector we have come across. He is thorough, precise and has extensive knowledge and has a real gift of able to explain everything clearly to everyone involved in the whole process. Chris is personable and delivers exceptional customer service. We would have no hesitation in recommending him to every one that is even thinking of purchasing .His report was clear and precise. We will definitely be using him again if we purchase!

As a first time home buyer I am still learning about the ins and outs making such a large and important purchase. I was hesitant to get a home inspection as I felt very comfortable with my decision to purchase, but decided to get one ‘just in case’. I did some calling around and found Chris to be the most personable, friendly and accommodating as I wanted to have it done before my subject removal date which was coming up quickly.
He gave me a very reasonable quote right on the phone and the email communication was seamless. On the day of inspection he was so thorough that the seller’s Realtor even asked for a his card! After the inspection we had a long discussion regarding the condo I was already convinced I was going to buy. Chris made me aware of many of the features of the condo, and without bias, let me know the main features of the building, both positive and not so positive. He was unsure about some features of the condo that were unique and said he would follow up with people who were experts in that area so that he gave me the complete overview of the place. He said the report would be emailed to me within 24 hours and if I had any questions to call him.
He called me later that same evening and updated me on some of the information that he had followed up on. I really appreciated that he took extra time because this was a big determining factor and something I hadn’t really considered to be a problem before buying. He also advised me that he had finished the report early and sent it to my email.
The report was beautiful and thorough with pictures and easy to read descriptions in regards to which areas were more problematic than others.
After much deliberation and even extending my subject removal I decided not to buy. This was a very hard decision for me, but I am so glad that I did not walk into something that would have ended up costing me more money than I had to give — especially as a first time buyer.
I will definitely, without question, be calling Chris when I find the next place that I am hoping to purchase. Investing in a home inspection is one of the most important aspects of buying a house, especially in regards to protection for the buyer. I will never overlook this step again!
Highly Recommended!

Chris Thompson was amazing to work with. We are first-​time home buyers and not very manually inclined, so feeling that we could trust his assessment and advice was priceless. Also, in the Vancouver market, where things move really fast, it was a relief to find out how responsive and flexible he was.
Chris was very thorough in his inspection and saw many things I would not have noticed myself. I followed him through most of the inspection and asked many questions, and he never made me feel silly for doing so. His findings led us to get the previous owners to do some repairs before concluding the sale, saving us some money and a lot of time and sweat. We also know what’s on our to-​do list once we move into the unit; his report, which was provided less than 24 hours after the inspection, is going to be a great resource in that regard. He was also very generous with post-​inspection support, answering many questions over the phone. Without the expert perspective he provided, I don’t think we would have felt as confident making our final decision to purchase the unit.
This guy loves his job and does it extremely well, providing excellent customer service throughout the process. I cannot recommend him enough. Don’t skimp on inspection just because you’re buying a condo! Having a professional take a thorough look at the building and unit is well worth the money.

I used Chris on a recent Condo purchase and could not have been more pleased with his service.
His website offered excellent advise to start the process and the actual inspection was thorough as was the report that followed shortly.
I highly recommend Chris and Haystack to do your home inspection!

Chris at Haystack Home Inspections did a home inspection for me for a condo I was considering purchasing. All the way through the process Chris provided excellent communication, excellent service and a very comprehensive report about the ‘health’ of my prospective condo at the end.
I am a first time home buyer and was looking at an older (1975) low rise condo building as I was wanting to avoid ‘leaky condo’ nightmares but was aware than an older building would likely have its own potential issues. Chris was very thorough — before doing the inspection he reviewed the strata minutes and plans. On the inspection day he arrived early so had already conducted a preliminary assessment of the exterior by the time I arrived. Chris went up on the roof and down into the basement, examined the car park and the utility rooms. In the suite (amongst many other things) he opened up the electrical panel, brought out his water meter, opened windows and ran the dishwasher. He took loads of pictures as I trailed after him and asked lots of questions. He easily answered all of my questions and asked me some of his own; what I was most concerned about and what was of less concern to me (ugly paint jobs lol).
After the inspection Chris provided me with a detailed report with photos, indicating objectively what was good, what was satisfactory (and why) and what would need to be addressed immediately. He also invited me to call him if I had any questions and in fact followed up with me a day or so after issuing his report in the event I had any more questions. That report helped me make an informed decision as to whether or not to remove subjects and ultimately I did decide to purchase!
Chris obviously loves doing home inspections and really cares about his clients. He provided great service to me and I happily recommend him to anyone who is looking for a home inspector.

Chris provided service and advice that was genuinely superlative. The report produced was fact based, easy to understand, and provided all of the information I needed to make an informed decision.
Chris showed up half an hour early to my townhouse inspection, carefully examining the site and common spaces for unusual wear and tear, poor workmanship, and design issues. He encouraged me to follow him throughout the site visit and made sure any questions I had were answered (even the dumb ones!). He inspected the mechanical room, electrical room, boilers, and all of the underground parking areas.
Within the townhouse itself, he examined all of the plumbing, appliances, radiant heating and electrical systems (wiring and electrical box). He looked for safety issues around railings, garage door operations, smoke alarms and exit points. Any issues noted were brought to my attention and remediation advice was given immediately. He even reviewed the strata minutes and documents, and noted that a set of AGM minutes were missing (which ended up containing important information).
But most off all — Chris provided an objective perspective and clear eyed advice. His goal was to provide me the most complete and accurate information that he could, so that I was comfortable with my decision on whether or not to purchase. As a CFO of a good sized software company, I was impressed that Chris was able to help frame the figures and potential costs that helped me understand the risks and rewards that I was stepping into with my purchase.
At the end of the day, Chris made be feel like I conducted the best due diligence process that I could. Given the huge price tag with Vancouver real estate — I can honestly say that the fee I paid Chris was the best money I spent during the entire purchase process.
Great work!

We had Chris from Haystack Home Inspections inspect our house before the purchase. He did a great job ! Chris is someone who truely loves his job and the quality of his work shows it. He was thorough and was happy to explain everything to me during the inspection. In addition, he provided me with ways to fix/​improve current problems. For example, after the inspection he followed up with me to see if I purchased the home, and he answered questions I had about the roof. He recommended I find a roofing company who can give a group discount to my neighbours and I if we had our roofs done together. In addition, he taught me how to maintain my roof and do spot repairs. I will definitely work with Chris again!