bank owned: Raise The Roof - 05/26/11 09:43 AM
 People come up with all kinds of ways to make a small house bigger or appear bigger  by knocking out walls, building additions, using different paint colors, turning the attic into a living space or cathedral ceilings.
When taking on a task such as extending a home out or up you have to consider a few things. Whether or not you need to make changes to the plumbing, electric and/or HVAC should be part of the planning stages and not something you "realize" or consider when the project is already underway. This is referred to as the 6 P's: Proper … (4 comments)

bank owned: The Forgotton - 03/25/10 12:09 AM
Those out of sight areas tend to be kept out of mind as well. Walking around the exterior and interior of my home I can point out more than enough things I need to take care of. A drywall crack at the kitchen ceiling that resulted from my 8 year old who decided to splash all the water out of the tub and onto the floor. I've got a few floor squeaks that probably wake up my neighbors. And there's my daughters bedroom in need of girl type paint. She's been bugging me about that for a year now and I … (13 comments)

bank owned: Open Ground (Electrical) - 03/17/10 11:17 PM
 While performing a recent Canton Michigan Home Inspection I was finding your typical "Homeowner Maintenance" areas that are common in the majority of Pre-Owned homes. The term "Homeowner Maintenance" is actually verbiage used in my report to describe those areas where the homeowner is supposed to perform periodic maintenance such replacing deteriorated caulk in the bathroom.
Recently I was called out by an agent for reporting on homeowner maintenance issues but it's important to maintain a home to avoid bigger problems down the road. A good example of this would be trees or bushes planted close to the exterior. It's … (8 comments)

bank owned: The Little Tree That Could - 02/28/10 01:52 AM

Walking towards the garage during a recent inspection I caught a surprised look on the Realtors face. Turning to me she said "big crack here." Hearing her say that and seeing the look on her face I knew there was something big going on in there.
Before I even walked into the garage I could see one wall was tilted and water was ponding in the area. Inspecting the parameter of the garage there was a significant amount of WDI damage due to the wet conditions. From the look of things this has been going on for years.
 
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bank owned: It's a trap! - 01/27/10 11:37 PM
Something is missing on this  90 ° drain. The generous amount of silicone caulk ensured the drain would no longer leak. And that pesky rusted out metal P type trap was worthless anyway. 
The strange smell coming from the sink is only a minor nuisance compared to the constant leaking onto the basement floor. To the installers credit they did in fact stop the leaking as this drain was no doubt bone dry.
 
 
A plumbing trap is a device used in a waste system to prevent the passage of sewage gas into the living space.

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bank owned: Plumbing Installation - 01/26/10 09:51 PM
  Finding areas where one contractor installed their systems without regards to other areas is fairly common for all of us. Looking for these areas is part of our job. Most of the time it's a minor issue like a notched drawer to make room for a plumbing trap. Sometimes it can be a big no no like a notched joist to make room for an air return or cut trusses to make room for the whole house fan.
Recently during a Canton Michigan Home Inspection  I noticed the builder was nice enough to make provisions in the basement for … (6 comments)

bank owned: This got me heated! - 01/24/10 05:01 AM
Eyes, nose and ears are three senses most used during a home inspection. Early on I purchased a digital infrared thermometer to test ovens, water temperature and other applications so I didn't have to rely on touch.
 
 
 
 
Recently I "stumbled" upon something I could not have seen as it was hidden under carpet. Can you guess what's under this carpet? 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
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bank owned: Bank Owned (Am I Missing Something) - 01/17/10 01:10 AM
There used to be a time when I knew what to expect when I inspected a bank owned home. A couple years ago when I was interviewing a potential client for a Metro Detroit Home Inspection  I would schedule extra time if they told me the home was bank owned. Often times these properties were in excessive disrepair so I knew it would take time to document the condition. Most of the time the buyer would tell me right off that they knew the home needed a good amount of work but they just want to be sure there are no … (17 comments)

bank owned: Raised Foundation Drainage - 01/14/10 01:25 AM
Perimeter drainage systems are common in my area, Particularly when performing a Wayne County Home Inspection. This particular installation was found in a crawlspace and is an attempt by a homeowner to control moisture in the crawlspace. For the most part they purchased the correct materials but when it came time to install the drainage system, they fell short on the know how.
The above photo shows drain tiles laying on top of the soil and extending around the perimeter. This installation might help remove some water but only after the crawlspace has flooded
Following the line back to the … (7 comments)

bank owned: Plumbing Vent - 01/05/10 07:52 AM
 Once in a while I see something that sort of jumps out at me. In this case I had to do a double take as I caught this out of the corner of my eye. The photograph to the left was taken in a recently finished basement during a Lambertville Michigan Home Inspection so I know the original builder more than likely had nothing to do with it. The basement was beautiful and obviously finished by a professional. I'm rarely surprised anymore by contractor ingenuity but I have to admit this one caught me off guard.
The photo shows an Air … (11 comments)

bank owned: Wet Attic - 12/20/09 09:26 AM

Yesterday presented an unusual find during  a Southeast Michigan home inspection. Attic inspections are always performed last as part of my Step-By-Step process of inspecting a home unless the home has a raised foundation.
 
The first picture shows a B-Type Vent used for gas-fired equipment (Furnace/Water Heater) and is intended to carry combustion products to the exterior.
Climbing into the attic I noticed water stains on a truss web member but the stain looked dry so I thought it might be from an old leak. The roof was obstructed by snow so I couldn't evaluate it but with … (10 comments)

bank owned: Inspector Limitations - 12/13/09 01:51 AM
  An important aspect of providing home inspection services is managing client expectations so our clients know what to expect. My inspections are always conducted after the agreement has been reviewed and completed with the agreement being sent out sometimes several days prior to the inspection. This way my client has more than enough time to read the agreement, standards of practice, and call me with questions.
 
It's not uncommon for a client to ask me what a sentence means or question me as to why I won't be conducting a particular type of inspection like asbestos or lead … (10 comments)

bank owned: Proof Is In The Packaging (Environmental Concerns) - 12/10/09 12:15 AM
The Ancient Greeks named the mineral asbestos, meaning inextinguishable. Apparently even the Greeks were aware of the harmful properties in asbestos and the effects of breathing asbestos dust. The Greek geographer Strabo and the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder mentioned a sickness common with slaves who created cloths using asbestos fibers. Although they noticed this sickness in those who worked with asbestos, they were in such awe of asbestos's magical properties that they ignored this. Used extensively during this time it was seen as a sort of naturally occurring miracle mineral that was used for wicks, table cloths, napkins and a … (9 comments)

bank owned: Watch your step - 11/01/09 11:18 PM
I'm thinking this was not an issue prior to the installation of the storm door. And why does one need a storm door in the garage anyway?
Actually it wasn't until I walked up the steps while holding the railing that it literally hit me.

 
A day in the life of a metro Detroit home inspector.
 
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bank owned: Common Courtesy - 10/30/09 01:06 PM

 Last minute cancellations are part of business for all of us. I've learned to accept it and move forward. But lately it's gotten out of hand. I've received three cancellations in a row the past three days with today being the third.
This morning I drove close to an hour to drop off a CRM only to find the lockbox code was wrong. After waiting for an hour for a call back, which never came, I finally got in touch with the Realtor's office receptionist who gave me the correct number. When I got inside the electric was off. So … (6 comments)

bank owned: Change of plans results in good food - 08/19/09 03:27 AM
 It's 10:00 PM and you just started to relax from a long day of inspections and inspection reports. Thinking ahead to the next day you map out, in your mind, your steps in an attempt to achieve good usage of time. An assistant Pastor I knew used to say, "proper prior preparation prevents poor performance." So each night I make sure my "map" is laid out.
That's when the phone rings. You don't recognize the number but being the type of inspector who wants to accommodate clients needs, you answer the phone despite the time. Actually I've booked many jobs answering … (10 comments)

bank owned: Fix it and flip it - 08/11/09 03:24 AM
 Right now is a great time to pick up one of those little bank owned homes that are in disrepair and going for less than the price of a Ford Focus. I've even thought about buying a couple and fixing them up but I've put away my days or framing walls etc. The investor buys the home, hires a few guys to fix it up, and then turns it over for a profit. To their credit most of these, in my area, are actually well done. Sometimes they spare no expense with installing beautiful hard wood floors, granite counter tops, new … (5 comments)

bank owned: Tastes great on toast AND catches leaks - 03/05/09 05:17 AM
For a home inspector this is mild compared to some of the "homeowner repairs" we see. Actually this one surprised me considering the property was fairly well maintained throughout. Simply empty the bucket once or twice a day and wait for the rust to create a seal.

 
 
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bank owned: Downspout Extensions - 02/18/09 11:00 PM
This should have been added to my Common Issues Blog being one of the most common installations. While installing downspouts so they terminate above the roof surface isn't a "defect" I always recommend routing downspouts to the gutter below. In this application there is about three fee between the downspout and gutter. Adding an extension here would have been simple.
The below images show an extreme example of what could happen. When I walked up to this house the first photograph I took was an image of the entire front of the home. Next I photographed the downspout terminating on the … (8 comments)

bank owned: Homeowner Type Repairs - 01/14/09 03:12 AM
We all see them and some leave us scratching our head wondering, "what were they thinking?"
The most common repairs I see are electric related and I can't help but wonder if all those online "do it yourself" sites are a good idea after all. Looking over a few diagrams doesn't automatically make one a qualified (insert trade here). Fortunately just about all do it yourself jobs are repairable with a little help from a qualified contractor.
 
Here are a few images from an inspection showing repairs by a self proclaimed handyman.


 
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