Barry Stone
-
Home inspector missed electrical defectsFeb 26, 2016 12:00 am - Q. When I purchased my home, I hired a home inspector. The only electrical problem he found was a charred wire in the fuse box. After moving in, I noticed that the light...
-
Federal mortgage agencies unlikely to trump building codeFeb 19, 2016 12:00 am - Q. I recently read your article explaining the legal requirements for a bedroom, but I have heard Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not agree with these standards for home a...
-
Assumed repair costs for damaged floorJan 28, 2016 10:00 pm - Q. We just had a professional inspection of the home we are buying. Our home inspector found moisture damage and wetness in the floor of the upstairs bathroom. The subfl...
-
Home inspector frustrated by inspection feesJan 15, 2016 12:00 am - Q. I've been a home inspector for about eleven years and am frustrated by the price pressure throughout the inspection business. When I think of the time and effort that...
-
Another case of undisclosed defectsJan 08, 2016 10:00 am - Q. We bought our home about 6 months ago, and now we are stuck with a bundle of problems that were concealed by the sellers, dismissed by the agent, and overlooked by ou...
-
Choosing the best type of smoke alarmJan 01, 2016 12:00 am - Q. I installed new smoke alarms in my home about a year ago. Now that I'm selling the property, the buyer's home inspector says these are not the best kind of smoke alar...
-
Home inspector killed my dealDec 24, 2015 3:00 am - Q. We spent a year and many thousands of dollars fixing up our home. Then we put it on the market and found a couple who wanted to buy it. They were all enthusiastic unt...
-
Electrician vs. home inspectorDec 18, 2015 12:00 am - Q. Before buying my home, I hired a home inspector, and he reported no problems with the electrical subpanel in the bedroom closet. After moving in, I hired an electrici...
-
Insurance company denies damage claimDec 11, 2015 2:00 am - Q. We bought our home a few months ago, and the seller repaired a few minor problems that were found by our home inspector. Everything seemed fine at first, but then we ...
-
Clothes dryer vent buckets are not to codeDec 04, 2015 12:00 am - Q. I remember an article you wrote many years ago about vent buckets not being allowed for clothes dryers. My condo has no outside vent for the dryer, so I've always use...