What is the difference between a pre-purchase inspection and an expertise?

There is a fundamental difference between a pre-purchase inspection and an expertise.

The pre-purchase inspection can be made by any individual. From the person believing that he knows about it to the building professional. This inspection will be succinct and will essentially aim at detecting apparent defects of the real property, whether major or not.

The expert, as for him, intervenes at the time when potentially damaging elements for the value of the real property were detected. In order to respect the legal requirements of the "careful and diligent person", caselaw tells us that the customer, informed of clues allowing to suspect the existence of a potential defect, should use the services of an expert who will so make a thorough examination of the immovable property.