Century-old triplexes, new condos, Victorian homes — Montreal has a unique housing stock. We know it inside and out. Thousands of inspections completed in Greater Montreal.
Montreal is an island built on a limestone bedrock covered with post-glacial marine clay (Champlain Sea). This clay soil, characteristic of the St. Lawrence plain, is one of the main causes of foundation cracks, differential settlement and basement water infiltration in Montreal buildings. A thorough pre-purchase inspection is essential before any purchase in Montreal.
After thousands of inspections in the city, we have identified recurring problems specific to Montreal buildings. Use our free inspection checklist to prepare, and here is what we watch closely.
Each Montreal neighbourhood has its own building heritage and inspection challenges. Discover what to watch for in your area.
Century-old triplexes on the Plateau, recent condos in Griffintown, suburban bungalows in Saint-Léonard, prestige heritage homes in Westmount — Montreal has over 700,000 housing units across 19 boroughs. Each inspection is adapted to the building's era, type and neighbourhood.
The Island of Montreal has one of the most diverse housing stocks in Canada: century-old Victorian and Edwardian homes in Westmount and Outremont, pre-war brick triplexes and duplexes in the Plateau and Rosemont, 1950s-80s suburban bungalows in Saint-Léonard, Anjou and LaSalle, recent condo towers in Griffintown and Île-des-Sœurs, and converted industrial lofts in Le Sud-Ouest. Each borough has its typical pathologies.
Our pre-purchase inspection in Montreal covers over 400 points per InterNACHI standards: foundation, structure, roof, electrical, plumbing, ventilation, insulation, windows, cladding and grounds. We adapt verifications to the building profile — cracks tied to Champlain Sea clay, vermiculite in pre-1990 buildings, galvanized or lead plumbing in pre-1970 triplexes, knob-and-tube wiring in pre-1945 homes. Report delivered within 24h*.
Single-family homes in Montreal concentrate in the peripheral boroughs (Saint-Laurent, Anjou, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, LaSalle, Saint-Léonard, Pointe-aux-Trembles) with a majority of 1950s-80s bungalows and cottages. Westmount and Outremont preserve a heritage of prestige Victorian and Edwardian homes. Verdun, Mile End, Côte-des-Neiges and the Plateau offer a mix of row houses, semi-detached and plex conversions back to single-family.
A home inspection in Montreal takes 3 to 5 hours on site depending on size and age (more for heritage properties). We pay particular attention to foundations on clay soil, the widespread flat roofs typical of Montreal, Victorian masonry (lime mortar joints, original brick), and the partial modernizations typical of century-old buildings. Report within 24h*.
Montreal has over 250,000 co-ownership units, with major concentrations downtown, in Griffintown, the Plateau, Île-des-Sœurs (Verdun), and along converted commercial axes (Saint-Henri, Hochelaga). The market includes heritage buildings converted into boutique condos (Old Montreal, Plateau), recent towers (Griffintown, Île-des-Sœurs, downtown), and co-ownerships from divided multiplexes (Plateau, Rosemont, Verdun).
Our condo inspection in Montreal covers the unit interior (kitchen, bathrooms, windows, panel, plumbing, ventilation) as well as visible common areas. We recommend a detailed review of the contingency fund study, maintenance log (mandatory under Bill 16 since 2022) and syndicate minutes. For common-area inspections for condo syndicates, custom quote.
Montreal has the highest density of duplexes, triplexes and plexes in North America — an estimated 60,000+ units. Concentrated on the Plateau, in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, Villeray, Verdun, Le Sud-Ouest and Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, these buildings typically date from 1900-1960 and present a distinctive set of findings: exterior staircases in wood or wrought iron, multi-layer flat roofs, shared galvanized plumbing, partially modernized electrical, period stud structure.
Our plex and multi-unit inspection in Montreal examines each accessible unit, common areas, structure, roof, all mechanical systems, foundation and exterior. Buildings of 5+ units fall into the commercial-multi-unit category and require an adapted inspection approach. Custom quote within 24h.
Montreal hosts dense commercial activity downtown (office towers, mixed-use), on the Plateau and Mile End (neighbourhood shops, design studios, restaurants), in Saint-Henri and Griffintown (converted industrial lofts, coworking spaces), in Old Montreal (heritage commerce), and along local commercial streets in Rosemont, Hochelaga, Villeray and NDG. Typologies range from heritage 1900-1950 buildings to recent office complexes through converted former warehouses.
Our commercial inspection in Montreal covers structure, envelope, roof, three-phase electrical service (where applicable), mechanical systems (HVAC, plumbing, sprinklers if applicable), accessibility, code-compliance signals, parking and grounds. For hidden defect / legal expertise in commercial context, we offer specialized service. Custom quote.
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Each Greater Montreal area has a different building stock. The inspection documents the visible and accessible condition of the building, limitations based on access, and specialist verifications that may be recommended depending on age and property type.
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Everything you need to know about building inspection in Montreal.
Available 7 days a week. Report delivered within 24h*. InterNACHI certified · IBC Network.