Inspecting Farms

[csteele]

Anyone heard of inspectors requiring some "Environmental Certification" or something like that to inspect a farm?

[Vern Mitchinson]

Originally Posted by csteele

Anyone heard of inspectors requiring some "Environmental Certification" or something like that to inspect a farm?

I've done a number of houses on farms. I do the house and garage but do not do barns etc.

Could you expand your question? What environmental certificate are you talking about?

[csteele]

Originally Posted by vmitchinson

I've done a number of houses on farms. I do the house and garage but do not do barns etc.

Could you expand your question? What environmental certificate are you talking about?

Honestly I don't know,.... someone was telling my Mother this,.... I tell the short story,... A friend of my mother is selling their farm and the people purchasing the place told my Mothers friend that they needed an inspector that also has the "environmental" something!?!? So I have no idea what they are talking about,... it sort of sounds like BS to me.

[rwand1]

Yes you may have to take precautions to enter some farms particularly the barns, such as pigs and some chicken farms for health reasons.

Agriculture Canada may provide more info. I will do a search and see what hits come up.

[csteele]

Originally Posted by rwand1

Yes you may have to take precautions to enter some farms particularly the barns, such as pigs and some chicken farms for health reasons.

Agriculture Canada may provide more info. I will do a search and see what hits come up.

Thanks Ray,... I'm curious about Home inspector that also does environmetal inspections.

[phinsperger]

I have also done inspections on farms and I also own a 50 acre farm my self. They likely have concerns regarding spills from fuels, manure containment, pesticides and other chemicals. This is not something you as a home inspector want to get involved in.

Note: Many farmers (not me of course) like to bury stuff they don't want - construction rubble, burn pits, wives, etc.

The purchasers can ask if the seller has participated in the Environmental Farm Plan and although it won't disclose any kind of spill it is a small indication of the sellers commitment to clean farming practices.

[csteele]

Originally Posted by phinsperger

I have also done inspections on farms and I also own a 50 acre farm my self. They likely have concerns regarding spills from fuels, manure containment, pesticides and other chemicals. This is not something you as a home inspector want to get involved in.

Note: Many farmers (not me of course) like to bury stuff they don't want - construction rubble, burn pits, wives, etc.

The purchasers can ask if the seller has participated in the Environmental Farm Plan and although it won't disclose any kind of spill it is a small indication of the sellers commitment to clean farming practices.

I'm from a rural area outside of Ottawa and I've been around farms most of my life, and actually own over a hundred acres of property too and I've never heard of this so I find it interesting.

I'll venture a guess and say that I've almost never been to an older farm that doesn't have some old engine oil spilled somewhere or an old car rusting away in the bush near by, or just old equipment that the farmer didn't need anymore laying around somewhere. As a HI I would not want to get involved in Environmental assessments.

[rwand1]

If someone is buying a property that is questionable in regards to unkown tanks, spills, stored items, et cetera the purchaser would most certainly be advised to have an environmental assessment done. In many cases with farms there may be no history because its tenanted or the vendor has died.

[csteele]

Originally Posted by rwand1

If someone is buying a property that is questionable in regards to unkown tanks, spills, stored items, et cetera the purchaser would most certainly be advised to have an environmental assessment done. In many cases with farms there may be no history because its tenanted or the vendor has died.

I agree,... I've had three inspections this summer where exterior oil tanks leaked on the ground so I advised a environmental assessment. But first contact the fuel company to evaluate the spill and the leak.

[edavis1]

So i am thinking...a new HI company in a rural area should become familar with the area farm bureuo ancency or other enviromental agency?You then will be able to perform the home inspection asspects and arrange for the enviromental inspections thru appropriate office's?Could that be marketed as an additional service available?No...then liability issues come up..man.I am finding it hard to get this ball rolling!Maybe this would be a good seminar for NACHI to host??? There are many farmers in this area.Many farmers are selling out to developers.I bet realtors in my kneck of the woods would pay to get the low down on this issue.As would our local insurance folks...humm

[George A. H. Luck]

"it sort of sounds like BS to me." - Now that is FUNNY! I'll bet it sort of smells the same way too.

My Lawyer ( he's the one driving the big Benz around town while lighting cigars with $50 bills) suggested that inspecting farms was one of the things that I would probably not want to get involved in without quintupling my E+O insurance. ( I can just hear my FREA man's heart rate jumping) Like garage sites and other auto repair sites, you just don't know what has been dumped / spilled otherwise left on the ground. A discovery of contamination at some later date could become a pressing reason for you to leave town quickly!