Contractor who left house a mess is not a true friend
Q. I had a so-called friend build my house. What a costly lesson it has been. After moving in, there was one defect after another. It took four months to get him to look at the problems. He fixed a few of them and then stopped returning my calls. The worst thing is a pool of standing water under the house, nearly a foot deep. I've contacted the state contractor's board, but they don't seem willing to do anything. What should I do?
A. Many people have endured the frustrations of dealing with unqualified and unethical building contractors and then experienced the lack of enforcement by the agencies that should be policing these professionals.
The first thing you should do is hire the most thorough and experienced home inspector in your area. Call several real estate offices and ask who is the most comprehensive inspector available. A detailed inspection will provide a list of defects, exceeding the problems you have already discovered. Then you should obtain repair bids from reputable contractors. Send a copy of the inspection report, along with the repair bids, to the person who built your home. Inform him that he has X-number of days to perform all repairs or you will have the work done by other contractors and hold him responsible for the costs. To make sure these steps comport with state legal procedures, consult an attorney who specializes in construct defect law.
Q. My parents' home is in really rough shape, especially the kitchen and bathrooms. I'm helping them get it ready to sell and want to make sure they get maximum value. How far should we go with renovations?
A. If you want to fix up simply for resale, try to avoid a general remodel. If you invest in major upgrades, you may not be able to recoup the additional costs. Besides that, the buyers may intend to do their own remodel, in which case the costs of your improvements would be wasted.
One practical approach is to hire a qualified home inspector to provide a list of all defective conditions. Then you can address problems that involve safety and functionality, rather than simply appearance. You can also choose to disclose the inspector's findings and sell the property as is.
Q. We just insulated the walls of an old added bedroom. But the room is still cold because it has a tile floor rather than carpet. What do you think about insulating the floor?
A. The floor framing below the bedroom can be insulated with fiberglass bats. Just be sure the person installing the insulation knows the proper procedures. It is important that the paper side of the installation be installed against the subfloor and that the added insulation not block the outside vents. Improper installation can cause moisture condensation, dry rot and mold.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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