Building Inspection

Building Inspector in
Chomedey, Laval

The largest district in Laval, Chomedey presents a vast real estate landscape: 1960s bungalows, 1970s split-levels, and high-rise condo towers near the Carrefour Laval shopping centre. Beneath this diversity lie inspection challenges tied to Laval's distinctive limestone and clay geology.

Housing Profile

Chomedey: three decades of
suburban expansion.

Chomedey experienced its major growth between the 1960s and 1980s, during the great suburban expansion of Laval. Its housing stock includes bungalows and split-level homes from that era, alongside more recent condo developments and apartment towers around the Carrefour Laval mall. This diversity of types and construction periods creates a unique range of inspection challenges.

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Bungalows & Split-Levels

Homes from the 1960s-1980s dominate Chomedey's residential landscape. Poured concrete foundations, asphalt shingle roofing, often aluminum wiring, and insulation well below current standards are the norm. Semi-finished basements from this era frequently conceal moisture problems behind finished walls.

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Condo Towers

High-rise buildings near the Carrefour Laval date from the 1980s-2000s. Underground parking garages often show concrete deterioration from road salt exposure. Centralized ventilation, sealed windows and shared mechanical systems all require careful evaluation during inspection.

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1970s-Era Systems

Aluminum wiring (1965-1975), Federal Pioneer or Sylvania electrical panels, original gas or oil furnaces, and copper or cast-iron plumbing are typical of Chomedey properties. Many of these components have reached or exceeded their useful service life.

Soil & Foundations

Limestone beneath
Chomedey.

Laval sits on a limestone bedrock overlaid with marine clay deposited by the ancient Champlain Sea. In Chomedey, this limestone substrate can exhibit karst features — natural cavities and irregularities in the rock caused by dissolution over millennia. This distinctive geology directly influences foundation behaviour and property drainage.

✓ Karst limestone substrate — The limestone beneath Chomedey can contain natural cavities that affect the stability of the bearing soil. Localized and uneven settlement can result, causing cracks in residential foundations.

✓ Champlain Sea clay — The marine clay layer above the limestone shrinks during dry periods and swells in spring. This seasonal cycle creates soil movement that stresses foundations year after year.

✓ Poured concrete foundations (1960s-80s) — Foundations from this era are generally poured concrete, but with sometimes inconsistent mix ratios. Shrinkage cracks and structural cracks are common after 40 to 60 years of freeze-thaw cycles.

✓ Aging perimeter drainage — Original French drains, often rigid pipe, are approaching end of life. Iron ochre, particularly prevalent in Laval's soils, can clog drains and cause basement water infiltration.

Common Findings

What we find
in Chomedey.

After numerous inspections in this district of Laval, here are the issues we identify most frequently in Chomedey properties.

✓ Aluminum wiring — Extremely common in 1965-1975 construction in Chomedey. Aluminum connections oxidize and loosen over time, creating potentially dangerous hot spots at outlets and switches.

✓ Aging flat roofs — Flat roofs on apartment buildings and bungalow extensions often show membranes at end of life, inadequate drainage, and thermal bridging that causes winter condensation.

✓ Underground garage deterioration — In condo towers, underground parking garages frequently show concrete spalling, rebar corrosion, and water infiltration through construction joints and cracks.

✓ Original single-pane windows — Many bungalows still have their original single or early double-pane windows, resulting in significant thermal losses and excessive condensation.

✓ Inadequate insulation — Walls and attics of 1960s-70s homes often contain minimal insulation — sometimes vermiculite potentially contaminated with asbestos — well below current energy standards.

✓ Aging cast-iron plumbing — Cast-iron drain pipes from the 1960s-70s corrode from the inside after 50+ years. Slow leaks within walls and beneath slabs can go undetected for years.

Neighborhoods Served

Chomedey,
in detail.

We inspect properties throughout Chomedey, including:

Carrefour Laval Area

Condo towers, rental buildings, recent developments

Chomedey Centre

1960s-70s bungalows and split-levels, established neighbourhood

Souvenir-Labelle

Dense residential area, apartment buildings, local shops

Laval-sur-le-Lac (boundary)

Upscale properties at the district edge, large lots

Our Services

Inspections available in
Chomedey.

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Pre-Purchase Inspection

Multi-Unit Inspection

Custom quote

FAQ

Questions about
Chomedey.

What are common problems in 1970s bungalows in Chomedey?+

Bungalows from the 1970s in Chomedey often have aluminum wiring, undersized 100-amp electrical panels, vermiculite insulation potentially contaminated with asbestos, aging flat roofs on extensions, and foundation cracks caused by Laval's clay soil movement.

How do you inspect a condo in a Chomedey tower?+

A condo tower inspection covers the unit itself — plumbing, electrical, ventilation, windows and finishes — plus a review of visible common areas. We also examine the condo association documents, the contingency fund and maintenance log to identify upcoming major work.

Is aluminum wiring dangerous in Chomedey homes?+

Aluminum wiring installed between 1965 and 1975 carries an increased fire risk at connection points. Aluminum oxidizes and expands differently than copper, creating loose connections and hot spots. We check all visible connections and recommend anti-oxidant connectors where needed.

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