Barry Stone
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Home inspector provided no reportDec 18, 2023 10:57 pm - Q: I recently purchased a brand new home, and the home inspector I hired never gave me a written report. He just reviewed his findings verbally by phone and then sent...
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Comparing older and newer homesDec 02, 2023 5:00 am - Q: I'm considering the purchase of a home that was built in 1951, and I have two questions: 1. Are plumbing systems from that era consistent with today's standards? (I t...
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The best ways to vent an atticNov 25, 2023 6:00 am - Q: We're about to have a new shingle roof installed, but our roofing contractor says out attic is not adequately vented. We currently have a ridge vent and a power exhau...
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Builder won't fix leaky buildingNov 23, 2023 10:00 pm - Q: I bought a new home from the builder about three years ago. The building consists of concrete block walls on a concrete slab foundation. For quite some time, there ha...
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Plumber out of his league with mold issueNov 11, 2023 5:00 am - Q: Our plumber says we have mold in the crawl space beneath our home. This is surprising because the house is only two years old. According to the plumber, the mold is c...
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Living in the shadow of dead treesNov 04, 2023 10:00 am - Q: The neighbors who live behind us have three large cottonwood trees that border our back fence. Unfortunately, these trees are dead. Two years ago, our insurance compa...
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Agent says building permits not required; contractor disagreesNov 01, 2023 6:00 am - Q: When we bought our home, the seller disclosed that the sunroom had been added without a building permit. Our Realtor assured us that a permit was not required because...
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Covering asbestos ceiling with drywallOct 22, 2023 7:00 am - Q: My home has "popcorn" ceilings, the kind with asbestos. The cost of asbestos removal is so high, I've decided to overlay the ceilings with drywall. The person I've hi...
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How do you like them apples?Oct 01, 2023 7:00 am - Q: In a past article, you made an error regarding the right to pick fruit from a neighbor's tree when branches overhang the property line. Common law holds that while yo...
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New home inspector longs for experienceSep 24, 2023 6:00 am - Q: Your column often advises people to find the most experienced home inspector possible. That's great advice for homebuyers but creates a problem for those of us who ar...