home inspection: What More Can You Do? - 08/31/09 07:52 AM
Sometimes the cosmos throws you a blurry question mark. Should you interpret it, get upset, throw it out as aberration or chalk it up to good luck?
I received an email at 1130pm, from a potential home buyer, requesting a home inspection. I get them all the time.
I responded at … (31 comments)
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home inspection: Another "Remodeled" Kitchen - And Another Wiring Disaster - 07/28/09 05:03 PM
Don't touch! The wires might come out, bite you, spark, burn - who knows.
This house boasted yet another "Must See!" remodeled kitchen. New cabinets, new kitchen sink, new appliances including a new disposal and -
OLD WIRING...
You might have noticed that this wiring did not quite reach the … (14 comments)
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home inspection: Ice See You - 07/25/09 06:58 PM
About four or five times a year I see something that really gets under my skin. Any time people try to fool other people, for what they think might be some form of gain, it gets under my skin.
For many years I have made it a habit to check the … (17 comments)
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home inspection: When A Checkbook Is More Than A Checkbook - 06/17/09 03:57 AM
Last Saturday I had an inspection with someone who is buying the house he has been renting. No Realtor, no lawyer to review things, just a deal between my client and the seller. Not my recommended approach, but to each his own.
As always, I ask people how they got my … (4 comments)
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home inspection: Water Can Run, But It Can't Hide - 06/01/09 07:26 AM
When people call me for a one-year warranty inspection, I always recommend they add a thermal-infrared image examination to it to check insulation. That is really the main reason I recommend IR as leaking usually isn't a problem they haven't already discovered.
During this particular exam I found water getting behind … (17 comments)
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home inspection: I Made A New Friend - 04/22/09 08:10 PM
I have the bad habit of arriving everywhere early. To me it isn't a bad habit, but it does seem to rub others the wrong way!
Arriving early to an inspection in a high-rise building, I was told to go on in and directly to the apartment. After making my way … (15 comments)
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home inspection: This Roof's For You - 04/05/09 11:48 AM
I could have taken 30 pictures of this small, front porch and roof. The seller, not from here, nor anywhere above the southern border, proudly proclaimed to the Realtor, not me, that he had built the small 6'x4' roof over the front porch stoop. I would have never guessed differently.
Driving … (12 comments)
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home inspection: A Loud And Fiery Death - 03/29/09 07:05 PM
I got an interesting email tonight. It was from a client I visited on Saturday.
The Saturday visit was to help him out. He is a renter and there is water damage to the parquet flooring inside the front door. It only happens sometimes. His landlord accused him of leaving the … (14 comments)
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home inspection: Update - Chinese Drywall - The Lawyers Have Landed - 03/21/09 08:14 AM
Well, you knew this was coming. The Chinese drywall problem is worsening. As it does, people will be looking for more and more remedies.
http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/03/18/the-lawyers-have-landed-in-the-uproar-over-chinese-drywall/
In addition to the plumbing, electrical and air conditioner problems, people are now reporting damage to televisions, computers, microwaves, refrigerators, various electrical appliances, jewelry, door stops … (16 comments)
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home inspection: Do You See What A.C.?? - 03/18/09 05:22 AM
At first glance you may not notice everything this photo has to offer. Most people would focus on the AC unit in the window, um, hole in the wall. It is a long story, as it should be -- after all, it was a very long home inspection.
The "structure" on … (9 comments)
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home inspection: Do You Want A Home Inspector Or An Engineer? - 03/04/09 09:17 AM
I had a call from a prospective client. She needed a home inspection. Her first question was, "Are you an engineer?"
What can I say? "No, I am not. Do you think the house needs to be seen by an engineer or a home inspector?"
She didn't know. "All I know … (21 comments)
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home inspection: Is An Outhouse Illegal? What About An Inhouse? - 02/23/09 07:11 AM
It's been a long time - are outhouse laws still on the books?
There are Port O' Potties everywhere, albeit temporary. I have seen them in people's yards. Hopefully they are there for a short-term reason. But I don't know about outhouses.
Do sellers try to hide things? Interesting construction, booby … (25 comments)
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home inspection: These Stamps Aren't Made For Mailing - 02/18/09 07:31 PM
It was a lovely home, very large, bricked, huge hip roof with a gabled window on each side, and beautiful, newly-installed cedar shakes. Gorgeous! Outside and then inside. And for $1.5 mil it should be!
My client and I had a good time. There was little to speak about really - … (20 comments)
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home inspection: My Weirdest Inspection Ever - Can You Top This? - 02/17/09 09:31 AM
Recently I was asked about the weirdest inspection I have ever done. That was an easy one!
Years ago I pulled up to a very well maintained property. Not much unusual at first glance – white siding, black roof, black shutters, window and door trim. As is my custom, I looked … (33 comments)
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home inspection: You Can Do It Cheap, Or You Can Do It Right - 02/12/09 06:58 AM
An entire inspection of a foreclosure recently was spent with my buyer client and her "contractor." I use the quotes around the word contractor intentionally.
Not realizing I speak Spanish, in each room they were discussing the best way to hide this, or cheaply repair that, or cover this or clean … (70 comments)
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home inspection: How To Eat An Elephant - 02/05/09 04:32 AM
Sometimes when I am outside the house with a client we see indicators of what may be a problem once we get inside. Such was the case on this particular house.
Outside along the rear of the house, a driveway had been added years after the house was constructed. The bricks … (17 comments)
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home inspection: Will I After Tea And Cakes And Ices, Have The Strength To Force This Moment To Its Crisis? - 01/31/09 05:25 PM
Last inspection for January - it's the 31st. I knew the house would have problems when there was no key in the lock box.
The seller (investor, who bought and "remodeled" a foreclosure) was called and sent his wife with the key.
We waited 45 minutes.
Well, the only thing odd … (16 comments)
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home inspection: How Can Tens of Millions of Square Feet of House Be Recalled? - 01/29/09 05:34 AM
After hurricane Katrina there were shortages of various construction materials. There was too much that needed to be done at one time. One thing in short supply was drywall. This immediate need inspired the importation of tens of millions of square feet of drywall. No problem - so builders imported drywall.
… (12 comments)
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home inspection: To Home Warranty Or Not To Home Warranty... - 01/26/09 08:03 AM
My house is 10 years old. I received an insert from the mortgage company. It is an offer to purchase a home warranty. Everything in my house is original except the disposal.
I have never purchased one! My clients often do. You are going to have to help me here.
This … (15 comments)
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home inspection: Does Your House Leak? How About Your Listing? - 01/24/09 06:38 AM
If you are interested in quick answers to leaky house questions, general or specific, there is a useful website to log on to. Your Leaking House, created and maintained by Carl Brown and Dale Duffy. It is populated by knowledgeable home inspectors nationwide who contribute and share their experiences and solutions. … (15 comments)
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