What is a home inspection? A home inspection is by its very definition a limited,visual inspection of the home by the home inspector. By limited visual inspection we mean a inspection of visually accessible areas of the home and limited in scope to the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors SOP. Here is a copy of the SOP. Its important to read and understand the SOP your inspector is going to use to inspect your home by. I use the […]
OLDER SW MICHIGAN HOMES: SW Michigan, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek are full of great older homes. Homes full of charm and character. Homes that were built before WW2 or the Great Depression. Sometimes homes that were built at or before our great nation was celebrating its first centennial. What a great market if you like something outside the box at an affordable price. HOWEVER, and this is a big however, you must be aware of what you are buying. Today […]
What better time to tackle home maintenance tasks that will pay off dividends later than spring time in Michigan. The weather is pleasant, not too hot, not too cold. Now is time to think about and replace all the exterior hose bibs. Don’t fret however you are not reinventing the wheel. There are products out there that make the job doable. What to do. First, look at your exterior hose bibs. Do they have a way to be drained […]
Basement cracks happen. Period. Sometimes the cracks are merely shrinkage and “settling” and sometimes they are the indication of a hidden flaw in the structure. So, how do you, as a consumer, know the difference? Well the short answer is you don’t. And, why would you? Do you have experience in your work or personal life looking at and analyzing cracks? Do you hold a degree in Engineering and have studied sheer, vertical and lateral forces on a homes foundation? […]
