Your Trusted Ottawa Home Inspector. Certified Local Home Inspector You Can Count On

MEET THE INSPECTOR

A HOME INSPECTOR SET APART BY DEDICATION

Darren is the creator, owner and only inspector of Bent Nails, est. 2016. As a Licensed & Certified International Master Inspector®, I’ve performed inspections that took a week to finish 4 homes that totalled $141.15M USD. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I do 4-6 inspections 6 days a week, roughly 26/week. Don't forget, there's only 365 days a year. In 2024 I set an inspection record for single inspector, 947. If that wasn't enough in 2025 I did 1009 inspections. As of 2025 I was named by Google the top solo home inspector with the most reviews.

Before this, I was a home builder since 1994 in Ottawa, Canada. It’s an honour working for my home-buying community and helping them make smart decisions.

You never know exactly what will turn up once you start analyzing the finer points of a home’s construction, and it’s never a good idea to jump into a major investment without first taking a comprehensive look. That’s why I started this business, providing my clients with a valuable service that will reduce the chances of buyer’s remorse from ever occurring after a real estate transaction is final. That's a Bent Nails guarantee.

I give my clients a really solid picture of what's going on. I provide comprehensive & an invaluable Inspection report to each client. I'm a very trusted neutral, third-party professional, who educates 100's of homeowners every year.

I work with unbiassed opinions, incredibly deep knowledge about building science & best practises in building code. I'm the most important professional that any homeowner will ever hire.

Before I began the rigorous education and hands-on training required for becoming a certified home inspector, I worked in many interior to exterior trades for 17+ years. My hard-working mentality proved to be a vital contributor to my successful construction career, I knew that I wanted to continue serving in a capacity where I could have a positive impact on those around me. Raised in Oshawa & Hammond, I know the homes in Ottawa exceptionally well—and I’m enthusiastic about sharing my professional knowledge with my clients so that a home purchase can be approached with little to no risk at all. With two thirds of my life spent in the construction industry, you’re choosing Ottawa’s best!

ACCURATE RESULTS AND COMPLETE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

I strive to provide each of our clients an accurate representation of a home’s condition, using some of the finest technology in the industry to see the job to completion—including a free thermal imaging scan with every inspection!
Inspection reports are available on the same day as the completed home inspection— The best in Ottawa — a remarkably fast turnaround that will give you extra time to learn about your prospective home before you have to make a decision
Our painstakingly detailed approach to the inspection process has led directly to our reputation for in-depth and accurate results that encourage our clients to move forward with confidence when buying or selling a home