Meet Darren McClurg
Darren McClurg is the founder, owner and only inspector of Bent Nails Home Inspections in Ottawa, which he established in 2016. He is a Certified Master Inspector®, verified by InterNACHI. Before inspecting he built homes in Ottawa from 1994 and worked interior and exterior trades for more than 17 years. He completed 947 inspections in 2024 and 1,009 in 2025, a record for a single inspector.
- Bent Nails founded
- 2016
- Building homes in Ottawa since
- 1994
- Years in the trades
- 17+
- Inspections in 2024
- 947
- Inspections in 2025
- 1,009
- Google reviews
- 527
From builder to inspector
Darren grew up in Oshawa and Hammond and spent two thirds of his life in construction. He started building homes in Ottawa in 1994, and his years in the trades taught him where corners get cut and where water finds its way in.
He started Bent Nails because you never know what will turn up once you look closely at how a house was built, and nobody should make a major investment without that look first. The aim is that no client ever feels buyer’s remorse after the deal closes.
He works as a neutral third party, with deep knowledge of building science and building code best practice, and he educates hundreds of homeowners every year.
How he works
- A free thermal imaging scan with every inspection, to find the heat loss and moisture a visual inspection can’t.
- The report on the same day as the inspection, which gives you time to learn about the house before you have to decide.
- A painstakingly detailed approach, so you can buy or sell with confidence.
- One-on-one with Darren from booking to the questions you have months later.
“My work isn’t done when I leave. If you have any questions or concerns, you can always reach out.”
Certifications
- Certified Master Inspector®
- Residential Property Inspector
- Roof Inspector
- Electrical Inspector
- Chimney Inspector
- Deck Inspector
- Mold Inspector
- Well Inspector
- Pool & Spa Inspector
- Pre-Drywall Inspector
- Home Energy Auditor
- Green Building Inspector
- Rental-Ready Inspector
- Drone Pilot Training
Darren is also an approved third-party provider for Canadian Armed Forces, RCMP and Government of Canada relocations.
Book Darren for your inspection.