Termite inspector caused damage to home
Q. The people who are buying our home hired a termite inspector. Instead of just inspecting, he pulled out some of the siding boards and punched holes in many places. Shouldn't he have to pay to repair this damage?
A. If the termite inspector physically damaged your home, there is no reason why you should be saddled with the repair costs. You should contact the termite company immediately and demand that they take a look at what was done to your home. If they are not willing to make restitution, you can file a complaint with the state agency that licenses their profession. You should also take plenty of pictures to document the damages that were done. If the state does not compel the termite company to pay for repairs, you can take the matter to small claims court.
The matter should also be raised with the buyers who hired the termite inspector. If they are willing to buy the house as-is, including the damages that were done by their inspector, then there may be no conflict issue at all.
As for the holes that were punched in many places, this is something that is done by many termite inspectors. As they walk around a building, looking for evidence of dry rot and termites, they poke the eaves, siding, trim, and other wood members with a pointed pole to find soft spots. This investigative process can actually be done successfully without poking holes, by merely pressing with moderate force with the point of the pole. Unfortunately, many termite inspectors believe that forceful poking is the only effective method. Why more homeowners do not file complaints for the resultant damage is a mystery.
Q. We have a bathtub in our home but no shower. This makes bathing more time consuming and adds to our utility costs. What is the least expensive way to change our tub into a shower? Can it be done without tearing up the bathroom?
A. There is a simple and inexpensive way to add a showerhead to your tub without major changes to the plumbing, without removing the tub, and without cutting into the walls. All you have to do is install a shower conversion kit, available at most hardware and building supply stores.
The only challenging part of the installation is replacing the bathtub spout. The spout can be unscrewed from the pipe that extends from the wall and replaced with the spout that is in the conversion kit. Unless you or someone you know has sufficient handyman skills, you should probably hire a plumber to do this.
The new spout will have a fitting for connecting a shower hose that comes with the conversion kit. On the other end of the hose is the showerhead. Once the hose is attached, all that is left is the mounting hook for the head. Attach this to the wall at the desired height, hang a shower curtain, and you will have a functional shower for minimal cost.
• 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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