If you make yourself look bad, you make the alternative look great. Do you dream of driving away customers and sending them to your competition? Of course not. But if you’re not careful, that might very well happen. Some less-than-stellar business practices are as plain as the nose on your face. You wouldn’t fail to…
DetailsMetal roofs aren’t just for old farm houses anymore. What began life as a rather humble roofing material is enjoying widespread appeal these days. Metal roofing was once only available in one color: metal! Now it’s available in a rainbow of shades and looks great on a wide range of homes. With the resurgence in…
DetailsSome people love to complain, but good planning can help minimize the risk. If you’re a home inspector for long enough, you’ll eventually meet a disgruntled customer. It happens to the best of inspectors, and it’s bound to happen to you. Maybe you’ll overlook an important defect. While that’s out of the ordinary, everyone can…
DetailsStephan Baldwin is the Director of Business Development for Assisted Living Center, a directory of assisted living communities. Home inspection is a complex and skill oriented field that appeals to a lot of people. With proper training, the right skills and dedication, anyone can become a competent home inspector. Home inspection training teaches the regulations,…
DetailsIt might look harmless, but some vermiculite have a nasty personality. Much has been made about the danger of asbestos over the years. It seems you can’t flip through the channels or scroll through a website without seeing an advertisement for legal services for asbestos victims. While our society has become more educated about the…
DetailsAppliances, plumbing and every other condo feature is just as likely to suffer defects as those in a single-family home. Because condos aren’t freestanding single-family homes and are part of a larger building, some buyers think home inspections aren’t as important. While it’s true that the condo association likely handles building maintenance, the interior is…
DetailsTo be so noble, radon causes an awful lot of problems. You can’t see it, taste it or smell it, but the effects of radon gas can be far reaching. Radon is dangerous because it’s undetectable without testing and its presence is a health hazard. It might be all around you, and you’d never know…
DetailsCondensation isn’t an anomaly, it’s a collection of water from the air. You’ve seen condensation on a water glass and felt dew on the grass in the morning or evening. The dew point is where water vapor in the air reaches its saturation point. This happens at a temperature and constant barometric pressure that condenses…
DetailsThe shabby look might be cute in photos, but a shabby deck endangers the whole family. Summer is in full swing, and that means more homeowners will be using their decks throughout the day and into the night. But like a lot of areas in and around the home, oftentimes a problem goes unnoticed until…
DetailsA home is a home, whether it’s rented or owned outright. The same issues that can plague homeowners can also affect tenants. The big difference is responsibility for the repairs. Where a homeowner is likely to want repairs that make the home more habitable, a rental situation might not be that straightforward. Landlords might balk.…
Details