We get asked all the time what kind of home inspection report do you provide? And I'm very happy to be able to say that we use the HomeGauge program. I use my phone/pda as I go through the home inspection process so that as I find items nothing is missed or forgotten. I don't have to remember details until I can get back to my lap top or my vehicle, I just take a picture, enter data in my phone and if I really want to make sure that I have the details correct the HomeGauge program has a built in microphone option to record details in the report. This is one of those options that I love when I'm doing my home inspection report.
Every time I turn around HomeGauge is adding new features and benefits and the customer service is outstanding and unlimited. I need this when they add a new feature! One of the newest features is the option to purchase right on line a 90 day warranty and attach it directly to my report that I upload to the internet. Thank goodness for the upload feature, when my computer crashed all of my reports were SAFE online. Did you know that you can download a free trial program here?
You can check out a sample of our inspection report by going to www.askyourgeogiahomeinspector.com and requesting our free report, along with the free report you will get a copy of our sample report.
David Lelak is a certified home inspector and owner/inspector of IHI Home Inspections. He provides home inspections in Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia. We also provide stand alone radon test or we can provide it with your home inspection.
We are proud to offer our new FREE Home Concierge Services where one call does it all, Satellite, Internet, Cable TV, Home Security, and Phone. Call 1-866-594-4871 and provide them with access code 1008126. Call our Free Home Concierge Services to save time, save money and simplify life!
So many lives are touched with this and it seems that I hear it come up even more often than in the "old days". My mother in law was affected and I use to work at a prosthetic company so I saw women all the time that this affected.
I have thought about this for some time since I first saw Midori Miller'spost about cancer. If you have not read it, you need to. Now, if you do not know anyone that has ever been effected by cancer, then you might want to make more friends. The reason I say that is not to be mean, but cancer touches way t0o many people.
So, today, I do not care about the points, I do not care about the comments, I only care about the one message that Midori started:
Help me Fight Cancer...the reality is there is a good chance someone you love will be affected by this disease. Please take the time and read this email.
So, here is the deal. I have spoken to Bob Stewart and we have agreed to award 100 additional points to be deducted from my total and added to your total points just for reblogging this post. What I would hope to see is that you filter this blog to your outside blogs. At the start of November I will compile an email to Bob and he will then deduct and award points to the people.
My hopes here is to have 2,000 people reblog this post. Let's do our part to get the message out. Thank you.
About the Author
If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loanofficer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact Danny or Rich of the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approval in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@homeamericamortgage.com or call us @ 865-951-0522.
This past weekend I had the pleasure of showing Round Rock area homes to clients relocating here from out-of-state. While looking at one home and as we entered the master bathroom, the Mrs. eyed over the master bath shower and commented to me, "My, you'd think the sellers would have taken the time to clean the shower." The truth is, as I explained to her, the shower glass and inside walls had a hazy film of mineral build-up caused from hard water, and it's lot easier to prevent this problem than it is to remove it.
If you've lived in an area where water is ‘soft,' you might never have of heard of ‘hard water' but the fact is, 80% of US homes have some level of water hardness. Central Texas is no exception and is known for large limestone formations that contribute to hardness of water in some areas. Here, having some type of water softening system is more of a necessity than a luxury and for many good reasons.
Hard water results from high levels of calcium and magnesium in the water supply. While studies show drinking hard water doesn't pose a safety issue, it can present problems that can be frustrating and costly for homeowners.
In laundry, hard water causes clothes to look dingy, dulls colors and gives whites a grey or yellow appearance. Overtime, hard water can damage fabric fibers and shorten the life of clothes by up to 40%.
Washing dishes, glassware and silverware in hard water can cause spots and an unsightly cloudy coating - even more so when cleaned in dishwashers because the minerals from hard water are released faster when in contact with the heat.
Bathing in hard water leaves a film of sticky soap residue leaving skin dry and itchy. The residue left on washed hair can make it dull, dry and hard to manage.
Hard water causes limescale build-up on faucets, shower heads, glass shower surrounds, tubs, water heaters and inside pipes. It eventually reduces water flow and, in extreme cases, puts water-using appliances out of service and clogs pipes. I've actually seen water pipes blocked off completely from limescale build-up.
Most builders of new homes in our area of hard water don't normally install water softeners as a standard feature but they often do install water softener ‘loops' in the garage and it's up to the buyer to purchase a water softener system. Surprisingly, many homeowners opt not to invest in hard water softener, yet beyond all the inconveniences hard water poses, it can be costly to replace failed appliances and replace water lines. Plus, limescale has been known to increase energy bills up to 25% because of reduced efficiency of hot water heaters.
There are a few options available for treating hard water so you might want to do some research and get price quotes. The ‘traditional type' water softener we purchased for our home cost $1400 including install but there are less and more expensive brands on the market. Ours was purchased back in 2002 and it's working like a charm from day one. The only expense we incur is about $30 once every three or four months for salt pellets that takes the hardness out of water.
Once installed, the water softener services all inside water lines. Your outside faucets are not part of the looped system simply because softened water is not recommended for watering plants, lawns, and gardens due to its sodium content.
While there are many signs of hard water, you might want to contact your water service provider who can probably tell you the hardness level of the water they deliver. Another option is to have your water tested. Some companies that sell water treatment equipment offer free water tests. Alternatively you can buy a home water test kit found in many hardware stores. I found a site online that offers free test kits from Diamond Crystal water softening products. They can be reached at (800) 428-4244.
There is nothing more embarrassing than being out on the dance floor and having your dance partner just all of the sudden leave you hanging. Now I bet you're wondering what this has to do with Real estate, right? As an Atlanta Home Inspector we often see home buyers who are in love with the home, only to fall out of love with it during the middle of the dance because of issues found in the home inspection report. So many times this could have been prevented by simply having the home inspected when it was going on the market.
A pre listing home inspection can prepare the seller for the truth about the home and also give them a chance to fix those things they want to, making the home more marketable. And we have a brand new internet pre-marketing strategy that we are about to roll out to help home owners that have a pre-listing Atlanta home inspection done.
So many times I have seen things that we're not really a problem or should I say deal killer be blown out of proportion. The right home inspector can report the facts, in a manner that truly lets the home buyers know that the house is still the house, and this to can be made into a positive.
So don't get left standing on the dance floor without your partner!
David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.
We are proud to offer our new FREE Home Concierge Services where one call does it all, Satellite, Internet, Cable TV, Home Security, and Phone. Call 1-866-594-4871 and provide them with access code 1008126. Call our Free Home Concierge Services to save time, save money and simplify life!
I recieved this today and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to share it with all you wonderful people here at Active Rain. I have been tied up lately (working - Thank you Jesus!) and unable to write on here much. But I have been able to glean such wonderful and helpful information on here. Thank you to all.
Five (5) lessons about the way we treat people.
1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:
'What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?' Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
'Absolutely, ' said the professor. 'In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello.'
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960's. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.
She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.
It read: 'Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.'
Sincerely, Mrs Nat King Cole.
3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve. In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
'How much is an ice cream sundae?' he asked. 'Fifty cents,' replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
'Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?' he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
'Thirty-five cents,' she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins.
'I'll have the plain ice cream,' he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies..
You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder ha d been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will save her.' As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'.
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
Most importantly....
'Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching.'
God Bless
David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.
We are proud to offer our new FREE Home Concierge Services where one call does it all, Satellite, Internet, Cable TV, Home Security, and Phone. Call 1-866-594-4871 and provide them with access code 1008126. Call our Free Home Concierge Services to save time, save money and simplify life!
As a home inspector I love sharing tips and information with home owners and I ran across an article that listed several of the top home improvements that could be done for less than five hundred dollars. When you're trying to sell your home one of the best things to check is your curb appeal.
1. Wall paper just one wall in a room - this alone can change the appearance of a room dramatically and yet still be affordable.
2. Kitchen roll outs - take out the out dated shelves and add kitchen roll outs. This is one of the most satisfying upgrades you can do. It brings everything that was tucked away into sight. (Don't tell my wife, I can just see this being added to my honey do list!) They say this only takes 15 minutes per rollout, Let me know your opinion.
3. Track lighting - this is another addition to our home that my wife wants to add. Track lighting lets you put the lighting exactly where you want it. My wife has an island that she wants to add this to. (I see my list growing.)
4. Closet organized - The name of this one says it all. Wire shelving is inexpensive and easy to install. Organization is the key to happiness.
5. Add curb appeal - transform your front entrance with small accents and minor changes.
There you go 5 top home improvements that you can do without a lot of hassle and it won't take a fortune to do it. Now that I've given you this list I had better go get started on my own. For your pre listing inspections be sure to give your Atlanta Home inspector a call today at 404-788-2581.
Now if you're like my wife, if I did all five of these to get it ready for sell, we may be rethinking the idea.
David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock,
Atlanta and all of North Georgia. Call David today at 404-788-2581 to get your dream home
As the Atlanta home inspector we have the priviledge of finding all kinds of things inside homes we inspect. Here is a picture that I found in a home while doing a home inspection for Peggy Smith - an Alparetta, Cumming and North Metro Realtor.
I looked at this and it took a minute to figure out what it was since I was looking at it from the backside.
Can someone else tell me what it is besides just an airplane inside?
I can just imagine that this was some little boys room who had great dreams of being an air plane pilot and that every night he went to bed looking up at his dream. What an inspiration!!!
I was thankful to have the priveledge of working with Peggy Smith and if anyone needs a great Realtor in the Northern area be sure to give her a call at 770-887-5135.
David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia. Call me today at 404-788-2581 and let's get your dream home inspected.
We are proud to offer our new FREE Home Concierge Services where one call does it all, Satellite, Internet, Cable TV, Home Security, and Phone. Call 1-866-594-4871 and provide them with access code 1008126. Call our Free Home Concierge Services to save time, save money and simplify life! You can also schedule your own home inspection today online.
We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.
Most ofAmerica's populace think it improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of 'those moments.'
One that I found effective is for me to just take the child for a car ride and talk.
Some say it's the vibration from the car, others say it's the time away from any distractions such as TV, Video Games, Computer, IPod, etc. Either way, my kids usually calm down and stop misbehaving after our car ride together.
I've included a photo below of one of my sessions with my son, in case you would like to use the technique.
Sincerely, Your Friend
I think this will work with grandchildren, nieces, and nephews as well.
Sorry folks, we got this one in and just couldn't resist sharing it.
Have a great rest of the week.
David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.
We are proud to offer our new FREE Home Concierge Services where one call does it all, Satellite, Internet, Cable TV, Home Security, and Phone. Call 1-866-594-4871 and provide them with access code 1008126. Call our Free Home Concierge Services to save time, save money and simplify life!
You can also schedule your own home inspection today online.
We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.
Also download our free report "How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector" and a sample of our inspection report.
2004 Ford F550 Loaded custom Red Lariat, 1 owner, 48K miles, 6.0 diesel automatic. Power everything, Leather heated seats & mirrors. Custom Hydraulic dump bed with removable sides, hitch & tool boxes. Aluminum Wheels. Great Truck, it's just more than I need since I changed professions. Ready to go to Work for You!
Hello folks, David Lelak here and to be honest the guest that I ran up on in an attic that I was inspecting gave me quite the start. I was down on my hands and knees and glancing at the outer edges looking for signs of leaking and everything else and much to my surprise I glanced down and just about had to clean out my pants right there on the spot. We almost had moisture damage. Right in front of me lay (what at first glance, looked like the actual thing) a 54 inch snake skin. Needless to say I was backing up as easily as possible until I got a good look at this bad boy.
The amazing part is this thing was still in one piece. No I never did see the owner, but I was very very cautious the rest of the time. Don't you want to be a Home Inspector too?
David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.
We are proud to offer our new FREE Home Concierge Services where one call does it all, Satellite, Internet, Cable TV, Home Security, and Phone. Call 1-866-594-4871 and provide them with access code 1008126. Call our Free Home Concierge Services to save time, save money and simplify life!
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phone and if I really want to make sure that I have the details correct the HomeGauge program has a built in microphone option to record details in the report. This is one of those options that I love when I'm doing my home inspection report. 
with Real estate, right? As an Atlanta Home Inspector we often see home buyers who are in love with the home, only to fall out of love with it during the middle of the dance because of issues found in the home inspection report. So many times this could have been prevented by simply having the home inspected when it was going on the market. 
