Over the years, Boulevard has prepared a number of reports for real estate professionals on the subject of homes and home inspection. These reports are now being made available on-line. If you have any questions about these articles, or questions about other issues, please feel free to contact us at info@BoulevardInspection.com.

Our most recent reports are available in PDF format, which requires Acrobat Reader to view. If you do not have the free Reader, click on the icon on the right to download it.

Saving Money While You Save The Planet!	html
Saving energy now makes a lot more financial sense, because several levels of government and several utilities are participating.
Home Improvement Costs 2008	pdf
The following costs are intended as ball park estimates for repairs and/or improvements to a typical three bedroom home. The costs are based on information obtained in the Southern Ontario area.
Wet Basements	html / pdf
The words are all-too-familiar to many homeowners. It is said that more than ninety-eight percent of all houses have had, or will have, basement leakage at some point.
A Fall Furnace Primer - Part 1 Air Filters	html / pdf
Beautiful September weather does little to remind us that winter’s cold breath will soon be upon us. While you’re in the basement unpacking the Halloween costumes, take a moment to consider your furnace.
A Fall Furnace Primer - Part 2 Humidifiers	html / pdf
The outside winter air is cold and dry. The inside winter air is dry. Our chapped lips, dry skin and static zaps from doorknobs remind us of that all season long. Homes like the dry environment, but dry air makes people uncomfortable. While an ideal humidity for homes can be as low as 5%, people prefer about 60% humidity. And because people are more powerful than homes, we add humidifiers to have it our way.
Fireplaces - The Magic and the Mystery	html / pdf
Fireplaces are no longer used as the primary source for heating homes, but the magic of a fire stills makes a fireplace a valued part of any home. There are few things nicer than a cheery fire, especially on a cold winter night. By the same token, there are few things more distressing than a fireplace which doesn't draw - belching smoke into the home, chasing people out, setting off smoke detectors, and dirtying everything in sight. Why do some draw perfectly, and others so poorly?
No Guarantees	html / pdf
Since we opened our doors in 1978, Carson, Dunlop and Associates has taken a very liberal approach with clients who are unhappy with our service. But over the last few years, we have seen a steady shift in clients' expectations. Their demands are higher, which is fine, but the number of clients with unrealistic expectations has grown from maybe one in a thousand to one in fifty.
When Things Go Wrong	html / pdf
There may come a time that you discover something wrong with the house, and you may be upset or disappointed with your home inspection.
Brick Houses - Solid Masonry vs. Brick Veneer	html / pdf
While this issue is not at the centre of the unity debate, we in Ontario should realize that Canadians in the rest of this country think we're a little nuts because of our fixation with brick houses. Our theory is that people in Ontario were raised on stories like the "Three Little Pigs". We want a house that nobody can huff and puff and blow down. There's Brick and Then There's Brick.
Dating Houses - We’re not talking about dinner and a movie	html / pdf
The hardest house to date is a link home. They appear to be single, but if you do some digging they’re actually attached. As home inspectors, we have some tricks for figuring out the age of a house. In newer subdivisions we pick up dates from manhole covers, sidewalks, and curbs. This will give you an idea of when the subdivision was built. This obviously doesn’t work in older neighborhoods.
Grow Houses - "Mary Jane used to live here"	html / pdf
Have you ever wondered why your neighbours never surface from their home, rarely have any garbage to pick up, always have the blinds down or windows covered, come and go at unusual hours and never invite you over for a barbecue? If this is the case, there is a possibility you are living beside a grow house.
Household Glossary	html
Building technical terms explained
Structures 101 - That house isn't going anywhere... Is it?	html / pdf
Serious structural problems in houses are not very common, but when they occur they are never cheap to fix. Some can’t be fixed at all. This bulletin won’t turn you into a home inspector, but it will give you some of the common indicators.
In Search of the Perfect House - One day we'll find it	html / pdf
The inspectors of Boulevard Property Inspection have conducted over 8,000 home inspections and we haven’t found a perfect house yet. Since perfection is not an option, what should you expect?