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home inspection: It's A Very Small World! - 03/14/12 02:33 AM
I received a phone call from somebody I did a home inspection for 5 years ago. He was happy with my service then and recommended me to his church. They wanted me to do an inspection on a house in Washington DC the church had owned for many decades. The widow of a former church rector still lived there and had lived longer than anyone anticipated. It was time to make repairs.
When he told me the address, I did not tell him it was the same street I had grown up on. Saying I did a little mind reading on … (32 comments)
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home inspection: What If The Home Features Listed Were Right ... And Wrong? - 09/23/11 06:35 AM
When features lists are left on the kitchen counter, my clients like to review them. Sometimes things that are left in the house actually convey. But, what if the home features listed were right ... and wrong?
"Water view"
Since there is no water feature in the neighborhood, is this what they meant?
"Upgraded electric system"
Yes, in the 60s, adding a Federal Pacific Stab-lok box. The amperage did not change.
"No evidence of previous flooding"
OK...
"Solid wood construction"
Except for the areas riddled with termites.
… (24 comments)
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home inspection: I Got My First Earthquake Inspection! - 08/24/11 05:35 AM
Interestingly, within an hour of the earthquake my phone began ringing! People with questions about what to do and what to look for around their houses.
I had to admit to them that I have never done this before, but I visualized my house and checked off a verbal list for people to follow.
When the earthquake hit I was home in "my" chair. The house shook sideways and up and down! It was strong enough to knock books and things off the shelves in my office! The dog ran into the room and jumped in my lap! It really scared … (79 comments)
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home inspection: Five Things About Home Inspections Your Buyers Might Not Know - 08/05/11 05:22 AM
I was asked to write an article for a popular speaker/writer's website about home inspections. They gave me the topic, "Five Things About Home Inspections Your Buyers Might Not Know." It published yesterday, so I thought I would share it with you too. You have seen all of this before, just not together!
You can read the original article here, as published: http://www.dalesiegel.com/blog-posts/five-things-about-home-inspections-you-may-not-be-aware-of.html
The invitation to contribute to her site was very appreciated!
__________________________
The home inspection business is like every other business – it changes all the time. And it is getting better! There are always new tools, new … (23 comments)
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home inspection: What The Home Inspector Writes Can Be Significant - 06/25/11 07:04 AM
While sitting in front of a house I am scheduled to inspect, a junky pick up truck comes down the road. He slows to look at me and reads the sign on the side of my SUV, pulls around the corner, gets something out of the back and carries it behind the house I am to inspect. I pay no attention and don't see him again. As usual, I am a half hour early to the inspection.
My client calls to say he's going to be an hour late. I am asked to begin as it's late in the day, that … (78 comments)
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home inspection: Mr. Jay's School Of Inspectology 1.1 - 03/17/11 07:25 AM
Hi Boys and Girls! Mr. Jay here!
Welcome to Mr. Jay's School of Inspectology! Where we can learn about home inspections!
We take our school motto from this guy:
This plaque is hanging in Mr. Jay's office. I like it! So, we take our school motto from it and from an Eagle:
Mr. Jay's School of Inspectology. Where the learning never stops. You can check out, but you can never leave.
At Mr. Jay's School of Inspectology you can come as you are. No shirt, no shoes? You are still served! You are welcome … (24 comments)
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home inspection: Ignorance May Be Bliss, But Not Forever - 02/19/11 05:47 AM
Sometimes things go by the wayside, not because they aren't taken care of but because people don't realize they are happening.
This is the exhaust flue for a gas fireplace.
It is the one on the side of my house!
It has been there about 10 years.
There is no damage to the siding, no charring on or around the mechanism and it is installed properly.
This was discovered on a recent inspection.
I have to say, there are very seldom problems with this kind of gas fireplace flue.
But this one certainly has problems. It is a fire hazard.
… (38 comments)
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home inspection: "Oh, They Didn't Need You. The County Did The Inspection" - 01/26/11 05:33 AM
How do I approach this post?
Unbelievably I was called and scheduled to inspect this house.
When I had looked at it previously I did not know the Flipper, but I did know, from reading the sign, that the house had been purchased by and was being remodeled by one of the local Counties. It was then to be "sold" to some family unable to purchase it without some form of assistance. What disgusted me when I saw it previously was that the Flipper was an unbelievable con artist and that some poor soul was to live in that house.
It … (215 comments)
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home inspection: The Home Inspector Hippocratic Oath - 01/16/11 05:30 AM
During home inspections we OFTEN come up against a small problem that can be easily fixed. And sometimes the buyer tries to jump in to fix it on the spot, thinking it will help the inspection process.
I ALWAYS HAVE TO CAUTION PEOPLE AGAINST TRYING TO REPAIR SOMETHING DURING A HOME INSPECTION.
Why? Because if they break it instead of fixing it, that gives an opening for it to be said that everything in the house was fine until "that home inspector" broke it to create something to write into his report.
Do you think I am kidding?
I AM NOT!
… (40 comments)
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home inspection: Jay's College Of Home Appraisal! - 10/17/10 11:16 AM
At Jay's College of Home Appraisal we want to make absolutely sure our students understand what a home appraisal is. Our Mission Statement: When you graduate, we want you to understand what a home inspection is, what a home appraisal is and how to tell the difference!
This conversation actually happened not long ago.
This is someone who should have enrolled at Jay's College of Home Appraisal BEFORE calling to schedule a home inspection! (I cleaned it up a bit...)
(Ring, ring. My ring tone is Let It Be, by the Beatles.) "Jay Markanich"
"Hi Jay. My Realtor tells me … (31 comments)
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home inspection: Not The Problem They Feared - 10/02/10 05:45 AM
I get calls from people all over the country. They have found my website and call with questions or for my advice with projects. It happens a lot. Sometimes they tell me where they are calling from, but I can see from the numbers on my phone that they are not local and I don't recognize the area code.
Oftentimes too, I get emails from people with similar needs. But again, I don't know where they are contacting me from. I do my best to answer their questions. Often, too, I send their photos and questions to various home inspector message … (24 comments)
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home inspection: A Tale Of Two Inspectors - 02/10/10 08:15 AM
I had two different phone calls this week, from clients.
They could not have been more different.
The first was from a Realtor who met me on an inspection. Her client chose me as his inspector on the recommendation of an office partner for whom I recently also did an inspection. This Realtor recommended someone different, but her client (and my client) wanted me to do it.
They both were with me the entire inspection. They both watched me carefully. They both listened intently to everything I said. At the conclusion the Realtor said,
"Wow, you are Inspector Gadget! You … (24 comments)
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home inspection: This Was VERY Disappointing To See - 01/31/10 11:28 AM
I was called and asked to do an inspection on a house being sold by an individual who is a practicing Licensed Architect and Class A Licensed Contractor. His company advertises "Design and Build." I was also told the house was quite remodeled and gorgeous.
This could not have been a more disappointing inspection, given the build up.
This is representative of the kinds of things I found during the inspection. My report was three times longer than the normal report, for having to write about all the improper and/or dangerous things I discovered while there.
Inspectors will notice about seven … (19 comments)
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home inspection: "Home Inspectors Are Just Placebos" - 12/21/09 05:09 AM
It was a phone call from a concerned, potential, client. He is building a new townhouse. A friend told him to hire a roofer to make sure that rubber was put between his roof and the houses next to his.
Yes, that puzzled me too.
I told him that step flashing and some form of counter flashing, even if it was vinyl siding, is an appropriate transition between roof and sides. And that I had never heard of using rubber. But, "I can check that flashing for you. You really don't need a roofer. In fact, a roofer is going to … (100 comments)
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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 430am, typical for me. I answered his questions and referred him to my website to learn more about me.
No further communication happened for two days.
Two days later I received another late-at-night email. This is it, quoted.
It read:
"Thank you for your quick response! You were the first … (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 new disposal in its previous, more complete form. You know, insulated, together, properly entering the disposal, safely held by a CONNECTOR CLAMP.
Since the cable you see would not reach, it should have been connected to newer wiring inside a box. This junction box should have been secured to 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 ice in an ice maker. I do that because sometimes the ice maker does not work, and sometimes people want me to think that it works.
Such was the case today. I looked into the ice maker bin.
I saw ice.
I saw ice that could not have been made … (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 name. Usually I am referred by someone, a realtor or another client. He said, "Checkbook dot org." I had never heard of them! You have to subscribe to get into the information, but you can find references on people from virtually every trade as rated by the people who used … (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 gutters, into the interior where stucco meets vinyl siding or faux stone and in the bases of porch columns. While none of those things is terribly unusual, it is important to try to find out why water is getting in.
Well, a drip edge is really needed on most … (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 through the security gauntlet, I went to the unit I was to inspect.
I was met at the door by an elderly woman, who somewhat reluctantly allowed me inside. After all, she did not know me from Adam. Visibly nervous, she began chatting and tried to portray a very happy … (15 comments)
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Jay Markanich - Northern VA Home Inspector
Bristow,
VA
More about me…
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC
Address: 12315 Sherborne Street, Bristow, VA, 20136
Office Phone: (703) 330-6388
Cell Phone: (703) 585-7560
Email Me
An experienced home inspector's look at current home inspection events and conditions along with his useful recommendations.
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