01Why the house shape matters
Where the stack runs, how deep the basement sits, whether you share a wall or a riser with a neighbour: all of it changes how a leak travels and how we reach the pipe. Knowing the type of house before the truck arrives saves time at the door.
02Six house files
The postwar bungalow file covers the most common house in Scarborough and the layout we see in thousands of basements. The semi-detached file deals with shared walls and the occasional shared drain. The condo file is about stacks, risers and the rules that decide who pays. The townhouse file covers both seventies rows and new stacked units. The split-level file explains the bathroom over the garage and why it freezes. The basement apartment file walks through what changes when you add a second household to the lowest level of a house.
03Using the files
Each file starts with an inspection checklist in the order we work through it, then explains what we usually find. Read the one that matches your home before you call; it will make the conversation quicker. If your house does not fit any of them, which is common after a few renovations, simply describe it on the phone.