Today's "Harry Homeowner" award goes to: (I have no idea and I don't really want to know---it is best that we just move on with our lives sometimes). But, this "repair" took some time and "thought." I mean, to find enough rocks all the same size must have taken some thought---or at least
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02/29/2008
Remember the kids story book The Little Engine that Could? It was all about: I think I can,I think I can,I think I can,I think I can,I THINK I CAN make it over the hill. This is the story of The Little Tree that Could, and how it said: I think I can. I think I can,I think I can,
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02/28/2008
I have finally gone over the top in the level of detail of my inspections. I now inspect Bird Baths. Well, not exactly,---but I really don't know quite what else to call this installation. Without a downspout---a bird bath (or stagnant pond for mosquitoes) is about all this installati
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02/27/2008
I recently inspected a home in which the forced air heating system had been removed and replaced with individual forced-air wall electric heaters. For convenience the location of the old heating system registers was used as a place to install the new electric heaters. While this was conven
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02/26/2008
The problem with "little" trees next to homes is that they can become "BIG" trees next to the home. This cedar tree started out small but because it was too close to the home it has damaged the foundation and is damaging the gutter at the roof. Trees this close to the hom
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02/26/2008
Having a deck on your home is almost as American as apple pie and baseball (I wish it was soccer instead). In spite of the fact that decks can be very hazardous, it is another one of those things that the average homeowner is willing to take on as a weekend project. As inspectors, I think
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02/24/2008
On the heels of my last blog, I though I would post something about the real "Modoc." And while Camplumbnotus Modoc is a very serious and aggressive pest, they don' usually do quite as much damage as Camponotus Modoc (Carpenter Ant). These creatures are the largest ants we
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02/24/2008
There is a standing joke in the trades and among home inspectors that Plumbers tend to raise havoc with the house structure, cutting wily-nilly through any wood component that is in their way. As with all the trades there are good plumbers and bad plumbers. I am not sure how much of this de
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02/22/2008
I wrote a blog a while back about lead supply plumbing. Even after use of lead plumbing for water supply and drains was discontinued, it was routinely used until the mid 50's as the transition fitting from the cast iron drain to the toilet. These fittings are often visible from the basement
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02/21/2008
As a designer/builder I wrestled with the apparent disparity between New Construction and Older Homes. Older homes, with their many short comings have qualities that you rarely find in New Construction. The question for me was how can I create that "born in-lived in-loved in-died in" feel o
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02/21/2008
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