Barry Stone
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There are no shortcuts to becoming a competent inspectorMay 02, 2021 7:31 am - Q: I'd like to become a home inspector and would like to know the cheapest way to learn how to do this. What do you recommend? A: If you are serious about learning the c...
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Foundation worries arise after home saleApr 25, 2021 6:00 am - Q: Before buying our home we hired a home inspector. He noticed a few minor problems, and the seller agreed to repair these before we completed the sale. But after we mo...
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Home inspector takes forever to write reportApr 18, 2021 6:00 am - Q: I recently attended the home inspection for the house I'm buying. The inspector gave a passing grade of B, with a short verbal review of his findings, and said the fu...
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Noisy duplex could use sound barrierApr 11, 2021 6:00 am - Q: We just purchased a home in a newly built duplex. Everything is OK except noise from the next-door unit. It seems that the adjoining wall is not well insulated. When ...
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Absentee homeowner degrades neighborhoodApr 04, 2021 6:00 am - Q: The home next door belongs to an absentee owner who allows the property to sit vacant and become increasingly dilapidated. Indigents occasionally break in to sleep an...
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Seller says 'no building permit required'Mar 28, 2021 6:00 am - Q: The home I'm buying has a 250-square-foot family room that was completed several years after the home was built. The room was originally rough-framed when the home wa...
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Home inspector floods closetMar 21, 2021 6:00 am - Q: Our home underwent a detailed home inspection, as requested by the buyers. As a result, we incurred major water damage when the shower pan was tested. The inspector p...
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Lender demands inspection, upgradesMar 14, 2021 6:00 am - Q: We were ready to close escrow on the vacation home we were buying when the mortgage lender stalled the deal. They said the gas fireplace is not an adequate heat sourc...
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Homebuyers mysteriously cancel sale after inspectionMar 07, 2021 5:00 am - Q: The people who were buying our house hired a home inspector. After a five-hour inspection, we were given a list of minor defects. We agreed to repair all the items in...
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Gas company compromises customer safetyFeb 28, 2021 5:00 am - Q: In one of your articles, you recommended calling the gas company for a free safety checkup of gas-burning fixtures such as furnaces, water heaters and ranges. You sai...