New York Condominium Inspection....What's Covered?To some condo-buyers, a condo inspection seems somewhat redundant, as the building is mostly owned collectively and the only part to inspected, they think, is the paint and the furniture. However, as millions of leaky condo owners found out the hard way, a condo inspection is simply a diligent and prudent outlay of funds before you get into real financial trouble with a broken and un-sellable condo. While a condo-inspector will not look at the whole building, he will evaluate all the conditions that will directly affect living conditions within the unit. His main objective is to protect the buyer from any foreseeable problems your average-Joe might not catch. Also, to hire a private inspector is to protect you from the original inspection which, as far as the wary condo-buyer is concerned, is no guarantee at all. A condo inspection covers many of the same bases as a regular home inspection. All the electrical work is checked for functionality, including wiring, outlets, switches, and appliance hook-ups. The heating systems of a condo are very different from that of a detached home, so there are special aspects of the design that the inspector will look for. In particular, the safety of a condo heating system is not always assured and the inspector will inform you if there are any hazards that could arise from the placement of furniture. The inspector will pay particular attention to the fixtures in the unit. In addition to the heating and electrical system, the hot water heater is of particular concern given its central function in the home. Any appliance that uses combustible fuel including gas stoves, gas dryers and gas fireplaces must be paid close attention, as even a gas appliance that may appear to be functioning can erode and leak to devastating consequences. Other than safety issues, the condo inspector will also check simple aspects of the unit. That the doors and windows should open and close properly seems obvious, but often, a buyer will not be as thorough as he ought to, and a door that sticks or a window that doesn't open will be found weeks after possession has been taken. Also, the sealing in around wet appliances warrants careful scrutiny. A good clean or a new paint job can often hide serious problems that will cost the owner money down the road. It's a condo inspector's job to prevent these sorts of surprises. An inspector will also look at the exterior spaces of the condo, including the roof, if it's on the top floor, the patio deck area, and the stairs if there are any. Also, many condo units have exterior electrical and plumbing that is often a source of problems as it has to bear the brunt of the elements.
Please visit my inspection mega-site for more information about my full service home inspection and environmental testing company. We service Brooklyn, Queens, New York, Manhattan, Staten Island, Nassau County, Yonkers and the Bronx. You may also wish to visit my learning library which is packed with great tips and advice for buyers, sellers and homeowners alike. Lastly, you can also take advantage of my VIP referrals for vendors in over 50 home related trades, where your satisfaction is assured and the inspection of vendors completed workmanship or products is conducted on your behalf for free; visit my site for more details or call toll free 866-476-2056. Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspections (866) 476-2056 Visit our house and home learning library Copyright © 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors, 2008 All Rights Reserved
Mold Inspection in New YorkMold is a common problem in many homes, particularly those in damp and humid climates. Although it's mostly found in the basements of homes, it can pop up almost anywhere that could have a moisture problem. Most mold is benign and just an eyesore, though some mold can be toxic and a serious health concern. While you always want to get rid of mold even if it's just for aesthetics sake, if you don't have time or resources to tackle the source of the problem, it's best to inspect and test mold to determine if it is a health hazard before it's too late. Also, if you are buying a new home and discover mold, don't assume it's harmless. Protect yourself and get it checked out. While most molds are the usual black and green variety, there are some molds that are so light and thin they are invisible. Many people, when conducting a do-it-yourself mold test, will ignore light mold and just concentrate on the black stuff as they figure the light stuff is just a lesser form of the black. Do not let color and ugliness fool you; often, the lighter the mold the more hazardous it is. Lighter mold is usually the type that will become airborne and thus, inhaled. Also, color matters. Mold comes in many different forms, and, usually, different colored mold is a whole different animal. This is why you'll often see one color at one level and a different color at another and so-on to make a layered affect. When testing for mold it is important to understand that where you sample from will determine the effectiveness of the test. Choosing a sample location is not as arbitrary or obvious as you might suspect. Frequently, the best places to sample from might show no mold whatsoever. Remember what we know about color: light mold is the worst. It is good practice then, to sample form the highest level of a rising damp, or at the edges of a wet moldy patch. Mold is all about moisture. To find the worst mold, it is important to understand where the wet spots in the building are. The obvious places, the kitchen, bathroom and laundry rooms are the worst culprits, but one must not discount the basement and any place the floor is lower or equal to the surrounding terrain. Also, it's common to only look for mold in spots that are regularly visible. If you find mold in a visible spot, check any crawlspace or tight gap nearby, as moist and dark places is where mold thrives. Please visit my inspection mega-site for more information about my full service home inspection and environmental testing company. We service Brooklyn, Queens, New York, Manhattan, Staten Island, Nassau County, Yonkers and the Bronx. You may also wish to visit my learning library which is packed with great tips and advice for buyers, sellers and homeowners alike. Lastly, you can also take advantage of my VIP referrals for vendors in over 50 home related trades, where your satisfaction is assured and the inspection of vendors completed workmanship or products is conducted on your behalf for free; visit my site for more details or call toll free 866-476-2056. Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspections (866) 476-2056 Visit our house and home learning library Copyright © 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors, 2008 All Rights Reserved
Water Quality Testing and Inspection; When to TestSince we all know that water is the life-blood of the home, it is important to ensure the liquid coming out of the taps is top-quality. Not only are there the obvious health detriments associated with dirty water, but, aside from drinking water, you want to have relatively clean and clear water feeding into appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers. While professional water-quality testers are available for hire, it's possible to do-it-yourself. Even clean looking water might be contaminated, so it is prudent to test, especially moving to a new space. But before you start collecting samples to send off to the laboratory for analysis, there are some important basics to appreciate about where and when testing is needed. Every property's water comes from either a public supply or a private supply. Public supplies include sources such as lakes, rivers and reservoirs. A private supply almost always means a well although some properties draw from a private pond or a spring. In some cases, such as cottages and rural homes, the source will be a public one, such as a river, but the filtration and purification will be done privately on the property instead of the municipality. With a public supply, water-quality will often depend on the city or town and how much money goes into the filtration of the supply. It is easy to look up where your area ranks as far as water purification standards. You might be surprised, as often, a city with ample clean, flowing fresh water supplies, such as Vancouver, will actually have lower water-quality than a large metropolitan area, such as Toronto, that invests in advanced infrastructure to purify its otherwise unclean supply. As quality is mostly determined by the city in public supplies, testing is usually needed for private supplies. However, even homes on a public supply should test the water after a renovation involving the plumbing, as the building process can cause problems that were not present before. Also, when purchasing a house with a public supply, remember that contamination can occur in the home's own plumbing. Old lead pipes, solder joints, and deteriorating plumbing can all lead to quality issues. As far as season is concerned, spring or summer months are best for water quality testing. Try to test immediately following a heavy rain, particularly for well or spring supplies. If you are getting cloudy or frothy water, or if the water leaves a residue, these are sure signs of problems. If you think you have a serious problem, hire a professional water-quality tester, especially if there are children that live in the home. For infants in particular, water contamination, depending on the form, can have wide, acute and long lasting effects.
Please visit my inspection mega-site for more information about my full service home inspection and environmental testing company. We service Brooklyn, Queens, New York, Manhattan, Staten Island, Nassau County, Yonkers and the Bronx. You may also wish to visit my learning library which is packed with great tips and advice for buyers, sellers and homeowners alike. Lastly, you can also take advantage of my VIP referrals for vendors in over 50 home related trades, where your satisfaction is assured and the inspection of vendors completed workmanship or products is conducted on your behalf for free; visit my site for more details or call toll free 866-476-2056.
Copyright © 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors, 2008 All Rights Reserved
Home Inspection in Brooklyn; The Right to a Written ReportIn order to feel comfortable hiring a home inspector in Brooklyn, it is important to understand what to expect from an inspector and what your rights are as a client. Many home inspectors, both legitimate and illegitimate, will prey upon clients who do not know what a proper inspection would consist of. By doing cheap and careless inspections, it is possible to carry out a great many "inspections" and turn a larger profit. You can guard yourself, your family and your investment by being acquainted with the home inspection process before the actual inspection is carried out. A home inspection is not a walk-through and a verbal assurance that all is sound in the structure with, perhaps, a few comments about loose base boards or creaky hinges. A home inspection should include, but is not limited to, the heating system, the plumbing work, the electrical system, the hot water tank, the structural integrity, the roof, the doors and windows, the exterior landscape and the drainage systems. Moreover, a home inspector is not an engineer. He or she is there to make visual observations and record them for the inspection report. The post-inspection report is the article you are buying when you hire a home inspector in Brooklyn. The report should be provided to you, the client, within five business days of the inspection. It should consist, essentially, of a list of observations about the home and its amenities as they rate to present and future living conditions in the residence. More specifically, the report should outline which systems and components of the residence were observed and what the condition of those systems and components appeared to be in at the time of the inspection. It should be noted, that a home inspection will not include ancillary services, such as air testing for mold spores or assessing radon gas concentrations. Before you have a home inspection conducted, it would be prudent to clearly define and outline with the inspector what exactly will be included in the inspection so there are no surprises when the report is produced. Most professional home inspectors will protect themselves by going over with the client what their service will include. However, as we have seen, some individuals and firms will prey on clients who have little knowledge of the process and what to expect from a home inspection in Brooklyn. The post-inspection report is confidential. The client must pre-approve of any disclosure of the report to any other party, interested or otherwise. If the home inspector you hire does not seem concerned about these sorts of details, he likely isn't all that ethical and you should probably look for a more professional inspector to hire.
Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspections (866) 476-2056 Visit our house and home learning library Copyright © 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors, 2008 All Rights Reserved
Home Inspection in Nassau County Long Island...Unethical acts of the Home InspectorWith roles of contractor, real estate agent, residential owner and real estate entrepreneur so often blurred in today's world of home businesses and owner operated real estate firms, when you are about to have a home inspection in Nassau County Long Island, you should be cautious about the disinterestedness of the person or firm you are about to hire. Often, inspectors and real estate professionals are familiar with one another and home owners and home buyers must protect themselves from being swindled. It is malpractice for a home inspector to have any relation or partnership with the owners of the residence to be inspected. Moreover, the inspector should have no financial interest in the outcome of the inspection. This may seem like common sense, but many home buyers have been burned by a home inspector who was more interested in providing all parties with a clean inspection report simply to ensure the real estate transaction will indeed be completed. Other than a financial interest in the property itself, a home inspection in Nassau County Long Island should not be carried out with a payment pending upon completion of any real estate transaction. The conflict of interest is clear: if the inspector believes he will not be paid if certain details of the residence are disclosed, then he is less likely to provide a completely impartial post-inspection report. If you are serious about buying or selling a house, it is worth the investment to pay to have an inspection carried out regardless of the transaction's completion. An impartial inspection is valuable in and of itself, as it will reveal any problems that need to be rectified before a fair sale can be made. Most often, an unprofessional home inspector will offer to provide a commission to the seller of the house or real estate agents, for referring clients to their inspection business. This is a way for them to drum up business at the source. Real estate agents and home sellers will see a great deal of would be buyers. They are in an excellent position to directly market home inspection services to potential clients. When you plan to have a home inspection in Nassau County Long Island, this type of scam is the most difficult to avoid. Some real estate agents will recommend a home inspector simply because the agent finds the inspector to be reliable and there is no underhandedness involved. However, it might best serve your interests to interview several home inspectors before making a decision. Also, if you know anyone in the building industry, ask their opinion of the candidates you are considering and get their recommendation. It's best to disregard recommendations from industry people you do not know personally.
Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspections (866) 476-2056 Visit our house and home learning library Copyright © 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors, 2008 All Rights Reserved
Home Inspection in Manhattan...Residential BuildingsA home inspection in Manhattan most often it refers to private residences with a single owner. Shared ownership situations such as town houses and condominiums call for a different type of inspection process, although home inspectors and home inspection firms often offer various types of inspections suited to the wide variety of residential structures. A home inspection in Manhattan is an observation, assessment and report on all the systems and components of a dwelling as they pertain to the living condition therein. A home inspection includes, but is not limited to, the heating system, the cooling system, the plumbing system, the electrical system, the structural components, the drainage system, and the exterior landscape and its impact on the residence. Home inspections differ from condo or town house inspections in that the latter two types of assessment do not always include the shared parts of the dwelling whereas the former involves everything on the property. For home owners with external property, such as detached one or two story homes, there are some important aspects of a home inspection to keep in mind. Since ownership of property means added responsibility for the home owner, it is prudent to understand how the external landscape will affect living conditions in the home. The landscape around the house is usually the most important factor in assessing structural soundness. Therefore, a significant portion of a home inspection should focus on the surrounding area and its drainage system to make sure there is no pooling adjacent to the foundational components. The gardens closest to building walls are a source of concern when it comes to structural integrity and water intrusion, as the frequent doses of water to this area can have adverse effects. Also, the roots of large trees near the house can cause cracks. The home inspector will attempt to determine if this is the case. In addition, detached residences need to have a careful examination of the roof. Perhaps the most significant aspect of a home inspection, the roof's soundness can have long lasting effects on the home's value and livability. Repairs on the roof can cost tens of thousands of dollars even on small structures. Brown ceiling tiles are a sure sign of water intrusion. One should be very wary of any home inspector who does not regard active water stains as indications of potentially serious problems in the future. It is important to remember that a home inspection does not include ancillary services such as radon gas testing. Be sure to outline with the home inspector what exactly will be covered by the inspection to ensure all the basics are covered.
Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspections (866) 476-2056 Visit our house and home learning library Copyright © 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors, 2008 All Rights Reserved
Home Inspection in Queens...Buyer BewareSince the purchase of a home is usually the single biggest transaction in an individual's lifetime and since many residences must be purchased "as-is", to have a home inspection in Queens is absolutely essential if the would-be buyer is to protect him or herself against buying a residence with hazardous construction defects. Keep in mind, the city or state building inspectors may not always be as thorough or as focused as a private inspector for a variety of reasons, although many home buyers often assume they are. Public inspectors are usually specialized to inspect specific aspects of a building, meaning they will not look at all the systems and components of a house. Moreover, for a newly constructed residence, a specialist inspector is only present for the stage of construction which he is concerned with. So, one inspector will come for framing and another for roofing, but no one has assessed the structure as a whole. With few exceptions, the doctrine of "buyer beware" ought to be applied to any and all real estate transactions. The buyer has the duty to act with all due diligence to assess the soundness and value of their purchase. You should not rely in any way upon the seller to disclose defects in the condition of the home as they affect the living conditions therein. Often, the mere silence by the seller, without any specific effort to deceive the buyer, will not amount to criminal concealment, and leaves the buyer to absorb the cost of any defect unfound before the deal is closed with no legal recourse. A thorough home inspection in Queens can protect the would-be buyer from the heavy and often bankrupting costs of a deficient home. The inspection should include, but is not limited to the heating and cooling systems, the plumbing and piping in the bathroom, kitchen and laundry rooms, the drainage systems of the roof and the surrounding landscape, the electrical hook-ups and wiring, and the structural and framing components. Many home inspections, however, will not include tests for radon gas concentrations or examinations of possible mold problems. These extra, but nonetheless essential inspection services must be requested and paid for separately. Before an inspection is conducted, go over with the inspector all the areas that will be covered. This is important, as not all inspectors carry out the inspection process in the same level of meticulous attention to detail. Some will try to get away with a walk-through inspection, which is like no inspection at all. The post-inspection report should reflect the pre-inspection outline of expectations and aspects of the home to be evaluated. It is a good idea to do research to familiarize yourself with what is the norm when it comes to inspecting your residence.
Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspections (866) 476-2056 Visit our house and home learning library Copyright © 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors, 2008 All Rights Reserved
Home Inspection in New York By Legitimate Home InspectorsWith a huge market for home inspections in so small an area, New York home buyers must be cautious to avoid hiring unlicensed, suspended or any other illegitimate inspectors. Home inspections in New York is a competitive field with a great deal of rules and guidelines designed to regulate who is qualified to conduct proper assessments. What's more, since home inspection can be done fast and cheap if the regulations are not observed, anyone with a basic knowledge of construction can operate as an inspector as long as he can find clients who are unfamiliar with home inspection parameters. First of all, when hiring a home inspector in New York, check for the license number of the company or individual you are hiring before you proceed any further. Most inspectors and inspection firms will display their license and status as a licensed home inspector on their home inspection reports and often right on their advertisements. Since legitimate inspectors and inspection companies want to let their potential clients know they are licensed it should not be difficult to obtain the license number from a person or firm you are considering hiring. In fact, a home inspector is required to provide proof of licensure to any prospective client or interested party in a real estate transaction. Most home inspectors are issued copies of such proof of licensure by the New York State Department of State. So be sure to see the proof before making any appointments. After due diligence has been carried through and the home inspection is actually taking place, there are several warning signs you might be getting ripped off. To begin with, there should be no "walk-through" inspections. A home inspector will be taking considerable notes to include in his report. So if the fellow you hired just strolls through the structure and acts as if he were on a tour of the house, you would be within your right to report mal-practice. A home inspection should include but is not limited to the structural elements of the building, the plumbing systems, the electrical system, the exterior landscape, the roof, the rain water drainage system, and the heating system. In addition, any home inspection will take ample time evaluating the building material and its present condition. Furthermore, an inspection, particularly in the case of newly constructed homes, will examine the workmanship involved in the construction process. When ready for a home inspection in New York, you need to be wary of whom it is you are entrusting to take care of this crucial phase in any real estate transaction. Also, to learn about the process of inspection will help you know what you should expect.
Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspections (866) 476-2056 Visit our house and home learning library Copyright © 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors, 2008 All Rights Reserved
Staten Island Buyers; A Home Inspector is Your Best FriendWhen hiring a firm or individual to inspect a house you plan to buy or want to sell, it is important to remember that a home inspection in Staten Island is not an architectural assessment. Inspections carried out on structures in the construction phase are very different to inspections made during the buying selling phase. After they are constructed, buildings are classified. A home inspection refers to an inspection on a residential building. For condominiums and large town house complexes, there are different regulations and procedures, as there are shared ownership situations in play for these larger types of structures in most cases. In the post-inspection report, a home inspector's comments should be limited to visual observations about the structure and its systems and components. A home inspection includes and is not limited to the heating system, the plumbing system, the electrical system, the structural framework, and the exterior landscape. An inspection should not, however, endeavor to make any measurements, make any calculations or carry out any specific tests on the structural components of the residence. The comments in the report are therefore confined to visual observations such as "the beam is bowed" or "the joint is decayed" rather than specifics as to the stress bearing capability of a component or recommendations as to repairs or speculation as to a problem's cause or origin. Moreover, a home inspection in Staten Island ought not to include any repairs. Often, an unprofessional inspector will find some minor defect and attempt to repair the defect himself so as to reduce the negative tone of the post-inspection report. Also, a defect that was missed during the initial inspection may be illegitimately corrected so as to avoid later legal complications. Often, a home will be inspected as several phases of construction to ensure compliance with the original building contract and architectural design. These inspections cover items such as workmanship and building material quality. A private residential home inspection is more concerned with aspects of the residence that will directly affect living conditions in the home. For example, a home inspector will observe that a home is taking on water through the basement. While he may know that the dampness is a result of improper drainage outside the house. His job, however, is to report the dampness and, if outlined in the client expectations, the problems with the drainage system. He is not required to report that poor drainage is leading to water intrusion in the basement and could be repaired by such and such a method. He is to observe the conditions of the residence rather than to conduct an architectural assessment.
Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspections (866) 476-2056 Visit our house and home learning library Copyright © 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors, 2008 All Rights Reserved
Home Inspection in The Bronx; The Right ChoiceWhile the uniform code of the state of New York outlines the minimum requirements for fire and safety regulations on all structures, a building permit is no guarantee of a sound structure or a sound investment. Most real estate contracts will include clauses to allow a building inspection to be conducted before the sale of a residence is finalized. That being said, be cautious not to defer payment of the home inspector until the deal is closed. While some inspectors will accept such an arrangement, as the buyer or seller, you would be protecting yourself to avoid such an agreement. A home inspector who knows his payment is contingent upon a positive report will obviously not be as reliably impartial. A home inspection in the Bronx is a way for the potential buyer or would-be seller to insure him or herself against potential hazards or significant structural defects. Further, often enough, many modifications, improvements and additions have been made to an existing structure without a building and zoning permit or electrical inspection. This scenario leaves the would-be owner with substantial legal responsibilities and could result in a large expense later on down the road. A thorough home inspection ought to evaluate all the systems and components that will directly affect the living conditions in the residence. This includes, but is not limited to the heating system, the air conditioning appliances and ventilation, the plumbing system, the drainage system, the structural and framing components, the doors and windows, the masonry, and the electrical work. Also, if it is a detached residence, the exterior landscape should be evaluated to determine drainage habits, particularly given the heavy and explosive rainfall that has become more common in New York. Beware of home inspectors that cannot produce proof of licensure as any licensed and certified inspector ought to be able to provide proof without trouble. Also, home inspectors should have their license number printed on the post-inspection report. This report will include all their observations about the residence and details of any defects found. Before you have a home inspection in the Bronx, outline with the individual or firm what exactly you expect to be covered by the inspection. Not all inspection companies and freelance inspectors cover the same areas. Figure out what is of particular concern in the residence concerned then find an inspector that best fits your needs. Keep in mind, ancillary services, such as radon gas testing or a mold inspection, are not covered in a routine home inspection and need to be requested and paid for seperately. While some inspection firms may offer such ancillary services, these will be carried out separately from the home inspection itself.
Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspections (866) 476-2056 Visit our house and home learning library Copyright © 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors, 2008 All Rights Reserved
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Dennis Kanakis- Brooklyn,Queens,Home Inspection Brooklyn, NY More about me… Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspection Office Phone: (718) 833-1252 Email Me ;) Links;) Tags (Tag Cloud);) Archives
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