Protect the Long Term
Value of Your Home
Look at the other side of this newsletter. The fifteen-minute
maintenance exercise describes a few quickies that are both free and
that will improve how your home operates. These are short-term
measures that should be accomplished periodically.
How about long term issues than affect the value of a residence?
These are the big-ticket components. If they are not maintained on
an annual basis, problems will develop slowly but surely. This will
result in the need for major and costly repairs.
With long-term on your mind, outside weather related features are
paramount. A homeowner should walk slowly around the home, to
observe each area of each side of the home. Start in front and be
systematic. Start low and end at the top of the roof. Check the
following components for their current condition. Consider their
ages and look for changes from the last time these were inspected.
As aging and noticeable changes occur, it may be time for a call to
a contractor for professional inspection and repair to extend their
life to the maximum.
Look for reversed grading ground conditions that permit water to
flow toward the foundation. Check the condition of siding,
brickwork, and associated wood trim, such as corner boards and
window trim. Carefully observe the condition of caulking around
doors and windows. Look specifically at windows and doors for tight
fit and rotted areas, especially at joints and butt ends.
Check the visible condition of gutters and downspouts. Are there
water marks down the front of gutters, indicating overflowing during
major rainstorms. Then look at the roof condition. Any changes? Are
there overhanging trees that should be pruned back? The final
inspection item on your home’s exterior should be in the attic. Roof
problems are often observed from the condition of the attic. Obvious
leaks, the smell of mustiness, black rings around nails, or
compressed insulation all suggest the need for further evaluation of
the roof.
Protect the long-term value of your home. It’s the best hour you can
give your house. |
From The Desk of
Arthur S. Lazerow |
Melissa Brois, our marketing director, sent me an Internet link to
an interesting article on how to select a home inspector and asked:
“How do we rate?” There are five criteria to satisfy before a
prospective client should select his or her home inspector. See for
yourself how Alban Home Inspection Service, Inc. inspectors rate:
Question 1: Is the home inspector fully trained and has technical
support?
All Alban home inspectors have life long construction related
experience. For instance, Marty Blackwood is a registered architect,
Rodney Shull was a construction superintendent for 17 years before
changing careers and becoming a home inspector, Rudy Rudacil is a
licensed general contractor, and Roberto Montiel was a masonry
contractor for many years. After attending extensive home inspection
schooling provided by qualified third- party schools, every Alban
inspector must satisfy our on-the-job training program focused on
how to conduct a home inspection to satisfy the needs of our
clients. Then for on-going technical support, Marty Blackwood, Alban
chief inspector, and I are available throughout working hours to
answer questions from our inspectors while they are at an
inspection.
Question 2: Is the home inspector certified by a responsible
organization? All Alban home inspectors participate in the
American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), America’s largest and
most respected national home inspection organization. Every
inspection is performed in accordance with the very strict
requirements of ASHI’s Standards of Practice and fully complies with
ASHI’s Code of Ethics, which prohibits any conflict of interest that
could harm a client. Roberto is a candidate for full national
certification and is very close to becoming certified. All other
Alban home inspectors are nationally certified.
Question 3: Does the home inspector and the inspection company
have appropriate insurance coverage, including general liability and
especially Errors and Omissions
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insurance, which is comparable to malpractice insurance?
Alban and our inspectors are fully insured. If an inspector should
inadvertently damage a home or have an automobile accident at the
location of an inspection, the general liability policy would cover
any liability. Should an inspector be found responsible for any
major inspection failure, our Errors and Omissions insurance policy
would provide financial protection.
Question 4: Will the home inspector and inspection company
guarantee its work?
No home inspector can afford to accept full liability for every
aspect of every house inspected. We should be so prosperous. Alban
inspects 10-15 million dollars worth of homes every week. Over the
years, we have approximately a 1% call back experience, which is an
extraordinarily low number of complains considering we have 2 to 3
hours to inspect each home.
Alban guarantees to stand behind the quality of its inspectors’
work. Our client relations practices are excellent. If a client
feels after they settled on their purchase and moved in that their
inspector missed a deficiency, we ask for a written explanation of
the problem. Rodney Shull is chief of client relations and responds
to every client concern or complaint within 24 hours.
He will arrange for a re-inspection of the items in question by the
inspector and he will often accompany the inspector. Every effort is
made to satisfy the complaint. Alban has remained in business with
an outstanding reputation because we care for our clients. Over the
years, Alban has paid for repairs, made a contribution towards
correction of a problem where appropriate, or explained why a hidden
defect could not have been found by any inspector. Unfortunately,
but infrequently, a client will expect Alban to be an insurance
company and to have X-Ray vision. We have neither. Nonetheless, a
client with a valid concern will receive a full refund of their home
inspection fee.
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