bellingham home inspection: Don't Procrastinate: Schedule The Home Inspection Sooner and Not Later
- 07/29/10 05:57 AM
I do not understand it but I would say that at least half of the buyers who call me are hoping to have their home inspection scheduled and completed the next day or within two days.
Often, if that time-line cannot be met, then the job goes to another inspector because the buyer put off scheduling the inspection and, per the contract, they are out of time. I do not understand a buyer being a tortoise, a procrastinator about the process.
Sometimes, depending on my work schedule, I can fit-in rush jobs. But, more often than not, my schedule is … (1 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Real Estate Agent Tool -- Washington State Find A Home Inspector, Structural Pest Inspector or FHA/Hud Inspector
- 07/27/10 04:35 PM
I receive many contacts from real estate agents asking me how to find a Washington State "licensed home inspector" or change that to read "licensed structural pest inspector" or "HUD/FHA registered inspector". The government, at all levels, tends to have search tools for locating such information. However, sometimes, finding the correct search tool is way too much hassle. For the convenience of everyone, including myself, I have put together this simple combined search tool for locating the three most common inspector designations in this state.
This makes it all easy, and I am going to bookmark and keep this link to … (6 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Do Not Call 360-200-5197 -- Scam in Bellingham, WA
- 07/26/10 04:37 PM
I was on my cell phone today with a client. I got this little musical tune that I get when a text message comes in. In my case, that is about once a month -- I hate text messaging.
I have an account at Northcoast Credit Union, a well-respected local financial institution. So, it got my attention when the text said:
MsgID4_65NDWUBG@v.w NORTH COAST CU NOTICE: Your card has been DISABLED. Please call 360.200.5197.
It ends up that this is a phising scam. If you call the number, then a woman's voice says that they need to lookup your account … (13 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Rat Proliferation - They Wouldn't Dare!
- 07/24/10 05:11 PM
Recently I wrote about the proliferation, or population explosion, of rats here in the Pacific Northwest. You can read that here. I will tell you right now, that this increase in rats is not a problem at my house.
First off, inside the house we have the three boys. And while they look a bit lazy in the photo, they are real animals when it comes to anything that looks like rodents -- even toy rodents.
In fact, the boys are actually the second line of defense. They are from feral stock in the neighborhood orignally and, while we managed … (9 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspections (King of the House): Lot Grading
- 07/24/10 11:21 AM
In the wet Pacific Northwest, it is important to keep water out of the crawl space and/or the basement. There are many ways to keep runoff out of the substructure areas. For example, gutters and downspouts routed to adequate drains will help.
A much more basic means of shielding the home is purely common sense. Perimeter concrete -- patios, sidewalks and driveways -- should slope AWAY from the home. Taking this to the most basic level, the grade of the soil should also be sloped away from the house.
This can often be done in the course of gardening. The lot … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Proliferation of Rats in Washington State
- 07/23/10 09:11 AM
When Dan Suomi from the Washington State Department of Agriculture spoke to the home inspection training class at Bellingham Technical College recently, he stated that some areas of the northwest are having a rat population boom.
I have got to say that I sure do see a ton of rats anymore. I see them in low-end houses and also in high-end homes.
Dan said that the intruders are a combination of Norway rats and roof rats (no relation to Nutsy S. Wallenda).
Below is a photo of Dan with one such critter that is going nowhere in a hurry.
Thanks for … (16 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Defect Hiding In Plain Sight
- 07/17/10 07:45 PM
The day before yesterday I explained that the home inspector, on critical safety issues, needs to take a stand that protects clients. Many people who are in real estate realize that spindles today, at guardrails or handrails on any deck or porch that is 30" or higher over grade, should have gaps no wider than just under 4" -- so a small child cannot pass through.
There is a similar rule that I find most people do not know about at all. If the gaps between risers, the steps themselves, in a similar scenario as far as height, exceed more than … (15 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) Essential Safety
- 07/16/10 05:56 PM
Most home inspectors, while keeping it in the back of the mind, do not specifically call out problems as "code" issues. There are a number of reasons for this, some of which lead to numerous arguments here in the field of home inspection. While we may not cite a problem as a code violation, a decent inspector knows at least the bulk of the essential codes that involve life and safety.
A general rule is that codes are not retroactive. If they were, people would have to redesign parts of their houses every time the code cycle changed -- because the … (20 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Unexpected Drop-in Guest -- Mouse in the House
- 07/14/10 05:00 PM
I was doing a home inspection today. I looked behind the laundry appliances and thought, at first, that a sock or fuzz-kitty had fallen behind.
Then it moved. It was a wee little mouse. As I snapped his photo, he split. Yet, an hour later when the prospective buyer arrived, the mouse was then sitting in the middle of the entryway floor.
The client opened the door and, literally, kicked the mouse in the butt and he fled. Probably back inside by now, ya think?
Thanks for stopping by,
Steven L. Smith
… (11 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Turtle Versus Tortoise
- 07/11/10 03:34 AM
The photo below is of a really big turtle. Okay, this creature is not a turtle, it is a tortoise.
Actually, I did not know the difference myself. But the people at the Outback Christmas Tree and Kangaroo Farm, Arlington, WA, explained the difference.
There might be more to it than this, but they said that turtles have feet designed for swimming and tortoises are made for walking. So this one is a walker.
… (13 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Outback Kangaroo Farm
- 07/10/10 03:43 PM
In a recent post, I wrote about the Outback Christmas Tree and Kangaroo Farm. This interesting livestock sanctuary is north of Seattle in the town of Arlington.
Below is a kangaroo, or maybe a wallaby (compact version of a kangaroo) that is very into being petted by the visitors.
I wish I had gotten a better photo but the light was not cooperating. Below is a mama kangaroo with a baby in the pouch. Between their pouches, and their weird bouncing gate, kangaroos and wallabies are very entertaining to hang with.
They told us at the park that the … (7 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Greetings from Tacoma
- 07/09/10 04:44 PM
This is a lazy weekend for me. My wife is attending a big bead festival in Tacoma. The biggest one in the state I am told, although I know practically nothing about beads.
I have my laptop and I am catching up in the active rain. We are on the 23rd floor of this quite spectacular hotel that I do recommend. It is called Hotel Murano.
Their website is here.
Anyone who has ever been to Venice, Italy will know that Murano and Burano are islands off of Venice. You get there by the boats from Venice. Burano is known … (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Something You Don't See Everyday
- 07/09/10 01:05 PM
We home inspectors make a living from, in part, recognizing conducive conditions at properties. Conducive conditions are those items that might lead to attracting wood destroying organisms -- rot, carpenter ants, etc.
One thing that home inspectors back-off on, because we cannot see the systems, is predicting the effectiveness of underground drainage. We often explain to clients that we hope, think and want to believe that there is some sort of drain tile or system around the footing that will help route water away from the foundation. We hope that to be the case, but rarely know for sure. I was … (7 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: She (Or Maybe It Was He) Had Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
- 07/09/10 11:53 AM
The day before yesterday, my wife and I took our grandson to the Outback Christmas Tree and Kangaroo Farm. This is located in Arlington, WA -- just a bit north of Seattle.
They had all sorts of animals, with the kangaroos and the wallabies receiving the front billing. But, the highlight of the day was the kissing booth.
The llamas and alpacas, and I had not realized this until my friend Charles Buell told me that he knew it all the time, are known for sweet and gentle kisses. Here is one of the best kissers on the farm right here.
… (12 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Electricity and Metal
- 07/06/10 04:37 PM
The proper screw(s) for securing the cover on an electric panel is not a screw with a pointy tip. That pointy tip, if anything gets out of alignment inside, can lead to the tip of the screw penetrating a live wire. And, depending on which wire that is, that could be followed by a big and exciting spark or a percussive sound. Over the years I have heard and seen them all, back when I used to work on radio transmitters.
The screw above, sharp tip, is a no no in an electric panel. Panel screws are made with blunt … (10 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: This Ain't No Crazy S-trap
- 07/03/10 07:37 PM
The proper sink trap is a P-trap. Such a trap, assuming the sink gets used fairly often, will keep water inside of it and that blocks sewer gas entry into the home.
Often we inspectors see S-traps. These look similar to a P-trap but they are slightly different and they might end up going dry and that can allow sewer gas into the home.
The other day I think I saw the most obviously wrong trap that I have ever seen. There is just plain not even a suggestion that this thing might retain some water.
This one is so … (8 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Washington State Real Estate Agent Alert -- Home Inspector Licensing
- 07/01/10 01:25 PM
As of today, July 1, 2010, residential home inspectors in the State of Washington must be licensed.
Yesterday was the last day that any inspector who has not gone through the licensing process could perform inspections (four and fewer dwelling units) without a state home inspector license.
When phase one went into effect, nearly a year ago now, a select few inspectors were allowed to continue inspecting -- as they acquired their education, field training and tested. But those days are now over. Deadline passed -- Inspectors must be licensed and DOL plans to take a tough stand on any unlicensed … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Shooting the Deer
- 07/01/10 03:18 AM
As many of you know, I take shots of, not at, the deer when I do inspections out at Lake Whatcom and Sudden Valley. I have been out there twice in two days and I have seen at least six deer.
I think that this photo, of a tame deer hanging out near me, is one of my better attempts at shooting a deer.
Pretty nice shot if I do say so myself.
Thanks for stopping by,
Steven L. Smith
… (7 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Where's The Key?
- 06/27/10 09:05 AM
This post is not concerned about losing the key to the door. This could be a mere annoyance, or it could be a bigger problem.
When a gas fireplace is installed, it requires a gas shutoff valve that is accessible. The old-fashion key entry in the wall, for a shutoff, is common and I see it frequently.
The other thing that I notice frequently is that I do not see the shutoff key anywhere nearby. Obviously, for looks, people may not want to leave it in the wall. But if there should be an emergency, it would sure be a … (11 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Not Such A Deep Problem
- 06/26/10 09:15 AM
Here in the Pacific Northwest we have a zillion crawl spaces. Seriously, they are way more common than slabs or basements. And, in these unconditioned crawl spaces, foundation vents are required.
They are usually put in place but then, often, the soil around the house is shoved up against the vents. A good plan is to put in "wells" at the vents. The builder clears soil back in front of the vent, hopefully fills the area with pea-gravel up until a few inches under the vent. They use metal, plastic and pressure treated lumber for the wells.
So far, okay. But … (7 comments)
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I do not understand it but I would say that at least half of the buyers who call me are hoping to have their home inspection scheduled and completed the next day or within two days.
;)
;)
;)
