Barry Stone
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Buyer mystified by stains in houseNov 13, 2015 12:00 am - Q. The home we are buying is about 10 years old and seems to be in good condition. However, there are unusual blackish stains on some of the walls and at some of the car...
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Buying new home without a home inspectionNov 06, 2015 12:00 am - Q: We recently bought a model home in a new subdivision. The builder is using it as an office and will be renting it from us for one more year, until most of the remaini...
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How to handle claims against home inspectorsOct 30, 2015 1:00 am - Q. I've been a home inspector for nearly two years and have had a few problems with claims made against me for undisclosed defects. In some instances, I believe I was at...
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Buyers denied choice of home inspectorOct 23, 2015 1:00 am - Q. When we sold our home, the buyers' home inspector did such a good job that we decided to hire him for the house we are buying. Three days before the inspection was sc...
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Oil tank discovered in the gardenOct 16, 2015 4:00 am - Q. My wife and I own an old home that we purchased almost five years ago. Recently we discovered that the raised garden on our patio disguises an 8-foot-long heating oil...
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Uncovering a hidden fireplaceOct 09, 2015 1:00 am - Q. Our house is very old, and there seems to be a fireplace that was covered over with wallboard. We'd like to restore the fireplace but have no idea what we'll find whe...
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Are home inspectors allowed to open electrical panels?Oct 02, 2015 1:00 am - Q. Several electricians have told me that a live breaker panel or fuse panel should only be opened by a licensed electrician, not by a home inspector. I cannot find a re...
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What to do with asbestos sidingSep 18, 2015 1:00 am - Q. Our house has some kind of slate siding, and we've been told that it contains asbestos fibers. Would it be possible to wrap this siding with wire netting and cover th...
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Tax penalty three years after closing escrowSep 11, 2015 1:00 am - Q. We sold a condo about three years ago and thought the transaction was history. But this week we received a delinquent property tax bill for an increased assessment th...
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Rookie home inspector learns a lessonSep 04, 2015 11:00 am - Q. I have been a home inspector for nearly a year. So far, it's gone well, but I'm concerned about a home that I inspected a few months ago. When I crawled under the hou...