Barry Stone
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How to deal with a property line discrepancySep 29, 2017 6:00 am - Q. We hired a surveyor before building a fence on our property. To our surprise, he found that our neighbors' driveway is on our side of the property line. We notified t...
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Adding electrical to unpermitted buildingSep 22, 2017 6:00 am - Q. We built a 400-square-foot utility building in our backyard, and we did this without plans or a building permit. Now we want to add electricity to the building, but o...
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Seller gives false and incomplete disclosureSep 15, 2017 7:00 am - Q. Before I bought my home, the home inspection showed no major defects, and no problems were listed on the disclosure forms from the seller or the Realtors. Since movin...
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Did ceiling tile removal contaminate home?Sep 08, 2017 6:00 am - Q. I hired a contractor to remodel my basement. While he was working, I was taking an afternoon nap. When I woke up, I found that he had removed all of the ceiling tiles...
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Bathroom fan could blow up sale of townhouseSep 01, 2017 6:00 am - Q. We are currently selling our townhouse, and the homeowners association board is preventing the escrow from closing. Here's what's happening: The association is respon...
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Inspector vetoes open-door policyAug 25, 2017 6:00 am - Q. Last month we finally got our house into escrow. Everything was moving along smoothly until the buyers hired a home inspector. According to the inspector, the downsta...
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Asbestos removal stalls remodelAug 11, 2017 6:00 am - Q. We recently purchased an older home and hired a contractor to remodel the interior. An unexpected expense arose when the contractor found asbestos. He wants an additi...
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Improperly installed water softener is a hazardAug 04, 2017 6:00 am - Q. Our plumber installed a water softener in our home about three years ago, and he connected the discharge pipe to one of the drain lines under the house. Now that we'r...
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Hot and cold debate over bathtub faucetsJul 30, 2017 11:00 pm - Q. The people who are buying our home made an unusual repair demand, and we're not sure whether to comply. The master bathroom has a whirlpool bath with the faucet built...
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No firewall in old garage is a problemJul 21, 2017 6:00 am - Q. A home inspector cited our house for not having a one-hour firewall in the garage. This seems unfair because the house is nearly 60 years old, and firewalls were prob...