Home seller insurance claims - 01/09/12 04:30 AM
When I am discussing the possibility of listing of a client's property, I lways inquire about prior insurance claims.  Sellers sometimes forget them and fail to disclose them on a Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement in California.
It becomes a problem if potential buyers check with the Building and Planning Department for permit history.  Most insurance claims involve some type of building permit. 
If the buyers discover evidence of an insurance clam that has not been disclosed, it may kill the deal! 
If you are considering placing your home on the market, spend some time reflecting on all the events that … (3 comments)

How do you know if it is 'a bedroom'? - 01/09/12 04:25 AM
"Is it a bedroom"?  The best answer I can provide my clients is; "let the building inspector decide".  I suggest to the client that they obtain a building permit for "a change in use". 
In most locations a building permit is REQUIRED for ALTERATIONS and CHANGE IN USE OR OCCUPANCY even if no construction is being done.  I present to the owner that the cost of the permit is small in comparison to the increase in the value of the home by having an additional bedroom.
The reason: Unless the appraiser has access to the original building plans and any building permits issued … (0 comments)

Say 'good-by' to your neighbors when you sell - 01/09/12 04:21 AM
When your home is in escrow and about to close,  don't forget to say "Good By" to your, about to be, former neighbors. 
A 'Good By' party is a great idea, I have attended several that were outstanding!  They do take time to plan and prepare for.
If a party is not pratical; consider writing a 'good by' letter for your neighbors and hand deliver them.
In the letter include the date you will be leaving, who the new owners are, where you are headed and any future contact information you may want to provide.  You do not have to tell the neighbors how … (2 comments)

Do you have a 'Gabled Roof'? - 01/09/12 04:18 AM
When was the last time you inspected the vents in your Gabled Roof?  Older homes in this area of Northern California, in many cases, have large openings in the 'Gables' to allow for ventilation.  Some are very ornate.
These openings in the Gabled end of your roof should be covered with screen on the inside to prevent insects, bats, birds etc.  from entering the attic area.  The screen will also prevent small rodents from entering your attic via a tree located close to the opening.
Take a look in the attic, if the opening is not screened, take some measurements and head to … (0 comments)

Redwoods on a windy day - 01/09/12 04:13 AM
A 'Widow Maker' in Humboldt and Del Norte county is not a spider.  It is an old 'logging term' that is very appropriate to Redwood Trees.
Redwoods are very stable trees.  However their tops and branches are prone to breaking off in windstorms.  When that event occurs, the piece of the falling redwood becomes know as a 'widow maker'.  When they fall on your head your wife becomes a widow!
If you have large Redwoods on your property, the best advice is to stay away from them during storms and periods of high winds.  You do not want the top of … (0 comments)

Building a new garage? Add a bathroom. - 01/09/12 04:10 AM
Adding a garage or a shop to your home?  Before you pour the slab, give some thought to adding a bathroom!  A bathroom in your new garage or shop will take up only a small amount of space.  Yes, it will need both a water line and a line to the sewer or septic but the additional cost to install them is minimal.  Going to Home Depot or Lowe's and purchasing an inexpensive sink, vanity, toilet and shower will not break the bank.  And small water heaters are inexpensive.
It will add additional value to your home if you decide to sell in the … (0 comments)

Old septic tanks can be a 'hazard' - 01/09/12 04:07 AM
If you live in a rural area of Northern California and you have a private septic system, is your Septic Tank a Hazard?
The type of "hazard" I am referring to is will the tank or the top of the tank collapse?  Not all septic tanks are concrete tanks with concrete tops.
Many older septic tanks were built out of Redwood and many older concrete tanks have Redwood 'tops'.
How long has it been since your tank was last pumped?  Do you know where the tank is.  Do you know what material the tank is constructed with?  Is the cover on … (0 comments)

A visit to Humboldt County, California - 01/09/12 03:45 AM
If you will be visiting Humboldt County in the near future, here are five suggestions for 'things to do' during your visit. 
1. Visit 'old town' Eureka.  Drive to old town, park your vehicle and take a walk.  Have coffee at one of the many coffee houses.  Enjoy lunch at one one the many restaurants. Walk along the bay.  Browse thought one of the many bookstores.
2. Talk a long drive thought the Redwoods or better yet a long walk thought the Redwoods.  There are many locations to both drive thought and walk in the Redwoods.
3. Visit downtown Arcata.  … (0 comments)

Selling? What about your closets? - 01/09/12 03:43 AM
If you are preparing your home for sale, take a good look at your closets before listing your property for sale.
1. First, empty them out!  Keep only the items you will need on a daily basis.  The rest, pack up and move to a storage area.
2. Do they need painting or other repairs?  If so get it done before listing.  Don't forget to paint any shelves if they need it.
3. Do the doors work properly?  If the doors 'drag' on the carpet have them shortened.  If the doors are folding, make sure they open smoothly and with little effort.  … (0 comments)

Is brick and morter forever? Not really. - 01/09/12 03:13 AM
This is an excellent post to read on the subject of 'brick and mortar' repairs.  Thank you to Clint Mckie of Desert Sun Home Inspections in Carlsbad, New Mexico for the post.  Please leave comments on Clint's original post.
Via Clint Mckie Desert Sun Home Inspections Home Inspections in Carlsbad New Mexico (Desert Sun Home Inspections/ Energy Audits):
Is brick and mortar forever? Not really.
When prospective buyers are looking at properties, they want a siding that will last forever. Or at least what they think is forever. The less maintenance cost's the better.
Here are a couple of examples of not … (0 comments)

Twas the night before Christmas... - 01/09/12 03:10 AM
If you have a 'mouse' problem, this is an excellent post to review!  Thank you to Chrissy Doremus of U.S. Inspect in Chantilly, Virginia for the excellent post.  Please leave comments on Chrissy's original post.
Via Chrissy Doremus ~ U.S. Inspect ~ Home Inspections (U.S. Inspect):
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Or so I thought!
Do you think it's possible to ever find just mouse droppings? And nothing else? Hmmm, I'm betting that's pretty unlikely...sigh...I went down to the kitchen this morning to find my husband, all … (0 comments)

Recently Serviced - 01/09/12 03:07 AM
This is a very interesting post on the subject of 'Service Tags'.  Thank you to James Quarello of JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC for the post.  Please leave comments on James original post.
Via James Quarello - Connecticut Home Inspector (JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC):
Recently serviced, two words I find attached to the description of various components in a house. For example, the furnace has been recently serviced. The good thing about a piece of heating equipment having been serviced is the company usually leaves a tag on the unit with the date and sometimes a few notes. For the home … (0 comments)

Recessed Lights Are Evil - 01/09/12 03:05 AM
This is a very interesting post on the subject or 'recessed lighting'.  The post contains excellent input for home owners.  Thank you to Reuben Saltzman of Structure Tech Home Inspections in Minneapolis for providing the post.  Please leave comments on Reuben's original post.
Via Minneapolis Home Inspections - Reuben Saltzman (Structure Tech Home Inspections):
I love recessed lights, but even the best ones create a ridiculous amount of heat in attics, which can lead to ice dams.  Until I started performing infrared inspections in attics, I never quite grasped how much heat recessed lights contributed to attics, but now my eyes are wide open.  The … (0 comments)

You know you need to repair your house when... - 01/09/12 03:03 AM
This ia an excellent post to pass on to clients who do their iown home repair work.  Thank you to Jeremy Wrenn of Wrenn Home Improvements in Wake Forest, North Carolina for providing the post.  Please leave comments on Jeremy's original post.
Via Jeremy Wrenn--Wake Forest & Raleigh Home Improvements, Repairs, Handyman Services (Wrenn Home Improvements):
Ok, here you are.  Wondering how to know if that funky looking piece of wood is really rotted.  How to know if the large crack in the trim is really an indication of a repair.  So how do you know?
One way is to get an … (0 comments)

Surface Tension- Wenatchee and Leavenworth Home Inspection - 01/09/12 03:01 AM
This is a very interesting post on the subject of water leaks.  Enjoy!  Thank you to Donald Hester of NCW Home Inspections, LLC in Wenatchee, Washington for the very interesting post.  Please leave comments on Donald's original post.
Via Donald Hester NCW Home Inspections, LLC (NCW Home Inspections, LLC):
Surface Tension- Wenatchee and Leavenworth Home InspectionIs this a grimace on your face? No!
                                                                          What I am talking about is liquids, mainly water and a strange force it exerts called surface tension.Surface tension occurs between molecules on an upper layer of a liquid that does not have a neighbor above to … (0 comments)

Lucky!? - 01/09/12 02:58 AM
A very interesting post to read on the subject of 'collar ties' in home construction.  Many homes in this area built years ago are missing them.  Thank you to James Quarello of JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC in Wallingford, CT for the post.  Please leave comments on James original post.
Via James Quarello - Connecticut Home Inspector (JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC):
As the days fall away nearing the first day of winter, snow is on my mind. Here in Connecticut the state was hit by a freak fall snow storm at the end of October that wreaked havoc across the entire … (0 comments)

Squeaky Floors screamed trouble at Home Inspection (Malvern) - 01/09/12 02:53 AM
This is a very good post on the subject of 'squeaky floors' and possible repairs to fix them.  Thank you to David Artigliere, Home Inspector in Collegeville, PA for the post.  Please leave comments on David's original post
Via David Artigliere, ARTI Home Inspections, ASHI Certified Home Inspector (Reading, Pottstown, Norristown, Philadelphia):
Squeaky Floors Screamed Trouble at Home Inspection (Malvern)
 
Earlier this past week, I was performing a Home Inspection in Malvern on a nice, newer construction townhome for a client of mine. The townhome was only several years old and was looking to be in great shape from the exterior … (0 comments)

How To Fix Double Tapping At Circuit Breakers - 01/09/12 02:51 AM
This was an excellent post on the subject of 'double tapping' of circuit breakers.  Reuben Saltzman of Structure Tech Home Inspections in Minneapolis provides very important information on the subject.  Please leave comments on Reuben's original post.
Via Minneapolis Home Inspections - Reuben Saltzman (Structure Tech Home Inspections):

Double tapped circuit breakers are one of the most common electrical defects that I find while doing home inspections in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and they're usually one of the easiest defects to correct.  Today I'll explain what double tapping is, when it is and isn't a problem, why it's a problem, and how to correct … (0 comments)

Dryer Installation… The Guide- Cle Elum and Okanogan Home Inspection - 01/09/12 02:47 AM
This post that contains excellent input on the subject of cloths dryer installation.  Thank you to Donald Hester of NCW Home Inspections, LLC in Wenatchee, WA for the post.  Please leave comments on Donald's original post.
Via Donald Hester NCW Home Inspections, LLC (NCW Home Inspections, LLC):
I would say the majority of us have a dryer in our home. But all too often I find during my home inspection that the installation of the dryer may be not what the “Manufacturer” requires or suggest.May of the box stores sell dryer vents that are not compliant with what is required from the … (0 comments)

 
Eric9

Dan Edward Phillips, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA

Eureka, CA

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Dan Edward Phillips, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA

Address: EUREKA, CA, 95503

Office Phone: (707) 407-5150

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