Articles filed under Stone, Barry

• Home inspector overlooked furnace problem Jun 14, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. Before we bought our home, we hired an ASHI certified home inspector. When we moved in, the heating guy removed the cover panel and found large rust holes on the inside. All our home inspector did was shine a flashlight into a small opening, without removing the cover panel. Was our home inspector negligent?
  

   

• Seller annoyed over buyer’s repair list Jun 7, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. The people who are buying our house hired a home inspector and then hit us with a long list of repair demands. Nothing major, I guess, just petty things. Is this normal for buyers to make so many demands after a home inspection?
  

   

• Buyer regrets not having home inspection May 31, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. We bought our house about two years ago, but we did not have a home inspection. Since then, we've found problems that were not disclosed by the sellers or their agent. The worst of these is an addition that was built without a permit. The roof on the addition has major leaks, and the shingles were installed without felt underlayment. Do we have recourse against the sellers or their agent for nondisclosure?
  

   

• Plumber disagrees with home inspector May 17, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. I am a real estate broker and am trying to resolve a difference of opinion between a plumber and home inspector. The inspector routinely cites water heaters that are installed without a drain pan, especially when the water heater is on a raised platform in a garage. The plumber says there is no code requirement for a pan. Who is right?
  

   

• Home inspector: new homebuyer afraid of gas appliances May 10, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. As a first-time homebuyer, I'm worried about gas appliances. All the houses I've looked at have gas stoves, gas water heaters, and gas furnaces. The house I'm renting has all-electric appliances. I've heard lots of horror stories about safety problems with natural gas — everything from fires to explosions. Are gas appliances safe, or should I stick with electrical ones?
  

   

• Home inspector: Tenant gets bedroom with no window May 2, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. I just rented a bedroom in a 5-bedroom apartment. I initially put down a deposit for one of the larger bedrooms, one that had windows. But when I moved in, the only bedroom that hadn't been rented was the one with no window. I don't want to live there, but I can't afford to lose my deposit. Is it legal for someone to rent a room with no window?
  

   

• Inspector should support findings with photos of defect Apr 26, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. We're selling our house after spending $150K on a complete remodel. The place is in excellent shape, but the buyers' home inspection report was hideous! He said the framing is rotted under the house, but we've had all of that repaired. When we asked why there were no foundation photos in the report, he said he "didn't want to get his camera dirty."
  

   

• Aluminum wiring connections tend to come loose Apr 17, 2013 12:00 AM
  The condo that I'm buying has aluminum wiring. According to my home inspector this is a fire hazard. But he says that correcting the problem in the unit I'm buying doesn't eliminate the issue entirely because the adjoining condos also have aluminum wires, and a fire in one of those dwellings could spread to my unit as well. What he says makes sense, but I'm not sure what to do about it. What do you recommend?
  

   

• Home inspector doesn’t want buyers at inspection Apr 11, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. We’ve just made an offer on a house, and our agent gave us a list of home inspectors. Two of the inspectors that we called sound knowledgeable, but they prefer to do the inspection alone and then email the report to us. Do you think it’s important for us to be at the inspection or simply to receive the report afterward?
  

   

• Agent tells buyers not to attend home inspection Apr 5, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. We are in escrow to buy a home, and we hired the home inspector who was chosen by our real estate agent. When we asked if we could attend the inspection, our agent said this was not necessary and that most homebuyers don't.
  

   

• Home inspector: Buyers worry about radon in home Mar 29, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. We are in the process of buying a house and were informed that the sellers installed a radon mediation system last year. Radon levels before the system was installed were about 7 picocuries per liter. What should we do about this situation, and what are the effects of radon exposure to occupants?
  

   

• Home inspector who offers to make repairs has conflict Mar 22, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. Our home recently fell out of escrow, and the circumstances were very suspicious. The buyers' home inspector said we have mold. We were unable to see it, but the inspector said it was only visible with a special flashlight.
  

   

• Buyers should attend their home inspection Mar 15, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. Our agent says it's not important for us to attend the home inspection, that we should just wait for the report. But we're uncomfortable with that advice. There are so many things we want to ask the inspector. What do you recommend?
  

   

• What to do after your home inspection Mar 8, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. We are buying a house. The home inspection is scheduled for next week, but we're not sure what to do once we get the report. Is the inspection report just for our information, or can we use it to negotiate with the sellers? Can we walk away from the deal if we don't like the report?
  

   

• No one disclosed foundation crack to buyer Feb 22, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. I purchased my home about six years ago. Two years later, I removed the old carpet rolls that the sellers had left in the basement. They had been stacked in a corner, concealing part of the foundation. When the rolls were moved, a vertical crack in the foundation was revealed.
  

   

• Home inspector or contractor-friend Feb 14, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. We are buying a 50-year-old foreclosure home. Before placing it on the market, the bank had it remodeled by a licensed contractor, and the work supposedly meets FHA requirements. Is a pre-purchase inspection necessary in this case? If so, should we hire a professional home inspector to evaluate the house, or would a friend who is a building contractor be just as good?
  

   

• Home inspector: heavy-handed bureaucrats intimidate homeowners Feb 8, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. We purchased our home 10 years ago. A primary selling feature was the detached guesthouse, built in 1964. But now, the county posted a sign on our gate declaring that we are in violation of code.
  

   

• Home inspector: Who’s to blame for faulty water heater? Feb 1, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. We bought a home that was just remodeled, including a new water heater. But since we moved in, the pilot light keeps going out. The manufacturer said the vent pipe should be installed straight up and not sideways through the wall. Nothing was said about this by our home inspector. Who is liable for the cost of repairs?
  

   

• Electrical problem found after close of escrow Jan 25, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. I sold my house five months ago. The buyers hired a home inspector, and I paid for the repairs that were requested. But now they're complaining about electrical problems that were not reported by their inspector.
  

   

• Asbestos inspector misses interior duct insulation Jan 18, 2013 12:00 AM
  Q. I own a vacant home that was vandalized by thieves. The insurance company hired a remediation contractor, and he hired an environmental inspector to test for asbestos. The inspector tested surface materials where demolition was to take place and the lab report came back negative.