Cloverdale is the oldest neighbourhood in Surrey, and it offers a wonderful area to raise a family. Over the past 10 years, the area of Clayton Hills has opened up to include a mix of townhouse, condo and single home development.

Some of the unique things you might find in a Cloverdale Home Inspection.

• South Cloverdale, and a few rare lots in Clayton still have a few older homes in the area, built in the first half of the 20th Century - from 1911 to 1950.
• Items that might show up in a home inspection that are in need of repair or upgrade are:
• Cast Iron Drain Lines. Cast iron drain lines were standard then. These heavy, durable pipes were assumed to be nearly indestructible. However, they last only about 50 years depending on how they were installed.
• Asbestos (around heating components) Asbestos was used primarily as a fire retardant. It performed well as an insulating material too. So it was a common practice to use asbestos on the heating system to protect the surrounding wood and insulate ducts. It was also added to the “popcorn” ceiling texture to make it less flammable.
• Another compound that is no longer used is lead. Lead was used in virtually all house paint up until it was banned as an additive in 1978. Typically if the paint is in good condition and not peeling, you can simply paint over it and seal it. If, however, the paint is peeling or flaking, your inspector may recommend testing or at least a professional paint job to seal the paint and reduce the risk of exposure to lead.
• Damaged/deteriorated posts and piers.
• No insulation. This is a relatively easy fix for the ceiling, but a lot of work for the building envelope, if insulation is missing or not there. This is now a pretty rare find, unless the building has had little or no renovations in the past 30-40 years.

Just like a car, parts in a house wear out. You should expect that some items will be worn, and I may recommend repair or replacement. Many systems will not comply with today’s building codes and it is not the responsibility of the seller to bring them up to today’s standards. These can include roofing, plumbing fixtures, heating and cooling systems, windows, electrical, appliances, etc. So when buying an older house, take these things in stride.

The “hills” of Cloverdale are beautiful, and many afford a beautiful view of Mount Baker or the southern farmland. Most of the houses built there were built in the 1970s - 2000’s. One item I will definitely be looking at will be to ensure that there is proper grade clearance around the home.

Another item to check of course - especially if the house is one of the 1970s early 80’s is aluminum wiring. If I do find it, I’ll discuss with the potential purchaser the state of the system, and what needs to be remedied, if there are found to be problems.

Clayton Hills is one of the fastest growing areas in the Lower Mainland. The homes I find there are usually quite new. If I’m inspecting a home which has a coach house and/or basement suite, I’ll be looking specifically for renovations that appear to have amateur work. In that case, it might be a red-tag for the buyer to ensure that the proper permits were issued for the additional work.

More Posts

• The Hills (in Surrey, Langley and White Rock) are alive with improper grade clearances
• Home Inspections in White Rock - Uniquely found