bellingham: Let's Talk Manufactured Home Inspections -- Bellingham, WA - 03/16/13 08:23 AM
A manufactured home inspection, in the mind of a buyer, should be inexpensive. After all, buyers figure that if they can purchase the home for a low fee (around here I have seen them at $30,000 and less if no land is involved) then the inspection should be pretty simple. Wrong -- inspections at manufactured homes are specialized. The inspector has to pay particular attention to roofs, siding, wiring and how decks and outside structures are supported. There is a right way of doing things and, more often seen than not, a wrong way of doing things at manufactured homes.
… (5 comments)

bellingham: HUD Manufactured Home Foundation Certifications in Bellingham, WA - 02/11/13 11:40 AM
People today have too little time in the workday. Reducing the amount of chasing around, paperwork, the number of phone calls and Emails involved in a business transaction benefits any home buyer, home seller, real estate professional or lender. 
Locally, I know that many lenders and real estate professionals become frustrated when the federal government is involved in financing a manufactured home sale. The home will probably require a HUD compliant certification inspection stating that the foundation meets with HUD Permanent Foundation Guidelines for Manufactured Homes -- a requirement for FHA-insured loans.

Photo: View under manufactured home in Whatcom County, … (3 comments)

bellingham: Washington Approved Home Inspector Course:Bellingham Technical College - 01/09/13 07:32 AM
Here in Bellingham, at the time I am posting this, we are just about a month away from the next course in residential home inspections and field training. Bellingham Technical College is one of only a few approved providers of home inspection training in the State of Washington.

The state law requires anyone who wishes to enter the field of home inspection to complete a 120 hour course in the fundamentals of home inspection. Mandatory training, also, includes obtaining 40 hours of field training. If any prospective inspector does not meet those basic requirements, he or she is not allowed to take … (5 comments)

bellingham: Double Whammy -- Carpeting on Outdoor Wood - 01/01/13 08:43 AM
Working as a home inspector in Bellingham, WA, the heart of the Pacific NorthWET, I see many circumstances that are conducive to decay and deterioration of the building materials.
This example, below, is commonly seen. A homeowner has tacked indoor-outdoor carpet over the wood deck. Some of the surface, of lesser concern, is covered with an overhang above. But there is a significant expanse that is not covered.  These carpets absorb moisture and retain it against, and in, the surface of the lumber below.

A combination of wet wood and carpet over the wood is a double whammy. With the … (17 comments)

bellingham: Washington Approved Home Inspector Training -- Bellingham, WA - 06/18/12 07:44 AM
The next home inspector training course, to be conducted at Bellingham Technical College, will begin on Monday, September 10, 2012. That is the last inspector training course for this year (how fast it is flying by) at Bellingham Technical College. This is a state approved course and the student receives 120 hours of fundamentals of home inspection training and another 40 hours of field training.  The student, who completes the course, will be prepared to take the Washington State Home Inspector Licensing test and work in the field of home inspection.
To see a short video on the course, please click … (2 comments)

bellingham: Johnny's Donuts Opens In Bellingham - 08/24/11 07:46 PM
Last Saturday, August 20th, John and Karin Koons opened the doors, for the first time, at Johnny's Donuts. I was born about five blocks from the shop and this is a great neighborhood in which to have a donut shop. The neighbors have been very supportive of the new venture and they are enthusiastic about the donuts. 
Johnny's Donuts is at 2201 Cornwall Avenue, just down the street from two landmarks -- Bellingham High School and the Assumption Church. The shop is open 7AM to 3PM every day, except Monday.
 
Johnny's Donuts is an old-fashioned shop. John prepares 30 varieties of donuts and related pastries. When … (9 comments)

bellingham: Home Inspector Field Training (Bellingham Technical College) - 04/03/11 06:18 PM
The Bellingham Technical College four week home inspector training program always includes not only 120-hours of fundamentals training but, also, 40 hours of field training. Washington State laws require potential students to successfully complete not only the fundamentals training but to complete the field training as well.
The field training includes small groups of students, we split them up, going out with an instructor who is a licensed home inspector. Each student, to pass this part of the course, must turn in a report that meets the state standards of practice for home inspection.
The students are responsible for inspection and reporting on all … (0 comments)

bellingham: Lake Whatcom Water Supply -- Bellingham, WA - 03/20/11 11:03 AM
In Bellingham, and many of the outlying communities such as Sudden Valley, the water source for the city is our old friend Lake Whatcom. Lake Whatcom is a large lake that is not only the water source but it is also a favorite recreation spot. You got it, the community loves it, but over the years it has been a home to not only ducks and geese but also swimmers, water skiers and boaters with those gasoline powered engines.
Although the recreation part sounds like fun, and it is a valuable part of the community, the thought of the gasoline spills … (6 comments)

bellingham: Bellingham's Snow -- Yucky - 02/24/11 05:55 PM
First, if I am going to have snow I want it over the Christmas and New Year's holidays. That way it is less likely to screw up one's business. I do not much hanker to do home inspections where the realtor, the clients and me, the inspector, are looking out at the snow piling up -- each person wondering whether or not he or she will get home that night or if we will all be stuck in the vacant house. I was in a mountain area the other day, and we were all wondering.
Obviously, based on the level of snow … (10 comments)

bellingham: Whatcom County and Bellingham Home Staging Professional -- Melissa Young - 02/08/11 02:59 PM
Bellingham (and Whatcom County) is, in the realm of things, a small community. The city and the county are growing but, compared to the Seattle area, we are still small. Therefore, some of the professions that are commonly found in larger cities are not present here, or, if they are present, there are fewer people working in the field.
I work with real estate agents all of the time and I run into many people who are involved in real estate in the affiliated fields: appraisers, bankers, title companies and various other specialty inspectors.
One profession that I do not run into very often is the home staging professional. … (3 comments)

bellingham: Outdoor Kitchens by Mark Palmer, Bellingham,WA -- Part Two - 02/07/11 03:44 PM
 Yesterday, I discussed the popularity of outdoor kitchens in this corner of the Pacific Northwest. You can read that article here. In that post, I had said that I would be sharing two more photos of outdoor kitchens that were built here in Whatcom County by licensed general contractor, Mark Palmer.
Now, if you saw yesterday's post, at the link above, you will have seen one of Mark's larger kitchens. The two examples below are smaller, but they are clearly well-crafted and either one would be a welcome addition to any home.

 
These kitchens are custom designed to meet the homeowner's wants and needs. … (10 comments)

bellingham: Home Inspector Field Training -- Washington State Approved - 02/06/11 04:22 PM
In Washington State any potential new home inspector must not only complete 120-hours of Fundamentals of Home Inspection training but he or she must also complete 40-hours of field training.
The field training has certain requirements: The student must be on-site with a licensed and experienced inspector. The, minimum five, inspections must be of all elements of the house, not just a partial inspection. At the end of the process, the student must turn in a report on each house and that report must meet the state standards of practice.
Some potential inspectors get this training by paying experienced inspectors for … (0 comments)

bellingham: Outdoor Kitchens by Mark Palmer, Bellingham, WA - 02/06/11 11:25 AM
I often have inspection clients ask me for the names of licensed general contractors who are capable of remodeling the houses that the clients are buying. One state licensed contractor, who I have referred often in Bellingham and Whatcom County, is Mark Palmer. He has extensive building experience --  from disassembling and putting a house back together again to major remodels and designing and building complicated multi-level decks. 

One interesting and popular field that Mark is involved with is designing and building outdoor kitchens. The basic kitchen will usually include a sink, a barbecue and sideburners. Some of the kitchens will have all of … (10 comments)

bellingham: What is a Conducive Condition - 02/04/11 02:02 PM
In this state, and my community, the WSDA which regulates structural pest inspections, has a term that is called "conducive condition." People often ask for a list of conducive conditions. A list of common conditions could be drafted, but never could one supply a list of all conducive conditions. Because, the fact is, something an inspector never thought of before could be a conducive condition if that circumstance makes wood more prone to rot.
Common conducive conditions are uncontrolled water runoff, improper perimeter grading, poor ventilation, wood to soil contact and debris or organic matter or moss in locations where those substances should not be. … (11 comments)

bellingham: Uncontrolled Roof Runoff Water - 02/03/11 11:52 PM
If you look at the photo below, you will see evidence of why a home in an area that gets significant rainfall should have gutters and downspouts. The wood fascia, below the roof, has had heavy runoff water routed over it for about five years. Wood that is subjected to heavy moisture will eventually decay. Fungus is moving in on us here, slowly but surely.

If a roof have proper overhang, over the gutters, that wood will be afforded a great degree of protection. And that is very helpful in the long run. This home, like many houses that … (13 comments)

bellingham: Never Answer The Same Question Twice -- Home Inspector Licensing - 12/29/10 11:34 PM
This post is in response to Bob Stewart's "it's raining" blog. He has created a challenge: Sanitize and post some past business or client Emails and responses. The goal is to provide, to the public, easily accessible online information. Especially since home inspector licensing kicked-in here in Washington State, there are now many consumers who are trying to determine whether or not an inspector is licensed to legally work in the state.

This post starts with an Email from an agent.
Hi Steve,I know that you teach the local Home Inspector Licensing course at Bellingham Technical College and are closely tied to … (4 comments)

bellingham: Never Answer The Same Question Twice -- Manufactured Home HUD Inspections - 12/29/10 12:33 PM
This is another post in response to Bob Stewart's "it's raining" blog and the challenge known as "Never Answer the Same Question Twice". This challenge involves sanitizing and then posting Emails that were sent to us. The goal is to select and publish only those Emails, and the replies, that provide valuable information for the public. Over the years, I have received many questions asking what is involved in HUD manufactured home foundation inspections.

The initial Email question to me is at the top. My Email reply follows.
Mr Smith,
I was searching online to find someone who can do a HUD … (9 comments)

bellingham: Never Answer The Same Question Twice -- Woodboring Beetles - 12/26/10 11:49 PM
This is another post in response to Bob Stewart's "it's raining" blog and challenge -- "Never Answer the Same Question Twice". The goal is to sanitize, and share, Emails that were sent to us by clients with a goal of selecting and publishing those Emails, and the replies, that provide valuable information for the public. Over the years, due to all of the online writing I have done on the topic, I have received many questions from around the country on the subject of anobiid beetles.
The initial Email question to me is at the top. My Email reply follows.
Mr Smith,
I live in New … (6 comments)

bellingham: Squirrel-Listed: As Good As It Gets - 12/21/10 10:56 AM
I saw something the other day at an inspection that I thought was funny. The first thing that I noted at the side of the tiny wood stove was the logo (squirrel sitting with the acorn).
 
When I got down behind the unit, to try to figure out who manufactured it, I was pleased to see the manufacturer's tag. If you look at the top, right beside where it says model 1410 and 1440, you will see that this unit is "squirrel listed."

Charles Buell had told me, and my certifried assistant, that he would never buy this story of … (23 comments)

bellingham: So You Want Larry Trujillo, Bellingham (Whatcom County, WA) -- Then Don't Call Me! - 12/12/10 10:04 AM
If you want Larry Trujillo, for whatever reason, then DO NOT call 360-676-6908 or 360-319-0038 (cell). If you do, then you will greatly annoy Steven Smith of King of the House Home Inspection.
Back six years ago, when I got my main King of the House landline and cell phone -- 360-676-6908 and 360-319-0038, I kept getting calls for someone named Larry Trujillo who reportedly lives in Whatcom County or Bellingham, WA.
This might have been as many as four calls a day, which was more than the number of business calls I got in those early days. The callers seldom … (16 comments)

 
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Steven L. Smith, Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Bellingham, WA

More about me…

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc

Address: Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Blaine, Sumas, Nooksack, Lake Whatcom, Lake Samish, Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Whatcom County, Bellingham, WA, 98225

Office Phone: (360) 676-6908

Cell Phone: (360) 319-0038

Email Me

Steven L. Smith, King of the House Home Inspection, provides information for real estate buyers, sellers and real estate industry professionals. Blog posts emphasize issues commonly found in Bellingham, WA and Whatcom County. Smith is Washington State Licensed Home inspector #207, a state licensed structural pest inspector and one of the most experienced inspectors in the northwest corner of the Pacific Northwest. Steven L. Smith is lead instructor of home inspection at Bellingham Technical College and teaches classes for Washington State University and the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Steve was a two-term member of the state licensing board.


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