A condo inspection is different from a house inspection in scope, limitations, and what an experienced inspector can contribute beyond the visual check of the unit itself.
A condo inspection is an assessment of the individual unit and whatever common elements are accessible during the inspection. In a standard condo inspection, the inspector examines the unit's electrical panel, in-suite plumbing fixtures, HVAC (if the unit has its own air handler), windows, doors, appliances, flooring, ceilings, walls, and balcony or terrace where applicable. They report on condition, visible defects, deferred maintenance, and items that require further investigation.
A condo inspector doesn't have access to the mechanical room, the roof, the underground parking structure, the exterior cladding, or the central mechanical systems. These are common elements and are not available for inspection during a standard condo unit inspection. This is why the status certificate review is so important — the reserve fund, operating budget, and capital expenditure history tell you about the building's major system health in ways that a unit inspection cannot.
Inspections are most valuable in older buildings where unit-level mechanical systems (fan coil units, in-suite laundry plumbing, aging electrical panels) may have issues that aren't visible during a casual showing. They're also valuable in buildings where the seller has done significant renovation work — a condo inspector familiar with how units in managed buildings should be constructed can flag renovation quality issues and potential conflicts with building rules on permitted modifications.
Look for an inspector who has completed several hundred condo-specific inspections, not one whose practice is primarily houses. They should understand which items are unit versus common element responsibility, be familiar with how fan coil units and other multi-family mechanical systems work, and be able to read the status certificate alongside the inspection to give you a complete picture of the unit's condition within the context of the building's overall health. For a broader walkthrough of what the full buying process involves, CondoExpert.ca's buyer guide covers every stage from search through closing.