Wednesday, February 15, 2012

What is a Home Inspection and Why Do You Need It?

Well, the inspector is subject to laws regarding home inspection and should have the proper certifications and/or licenses through the state. But what purpose does a home inspection serve?

The home inspection is a visual assessment of the condition of a house. Inspections are frequently performed when an individual is going to buy a home, but can be done at any time to see what is wrong with a home in order to ensure it stays in satisfactory condition. However, this is a service that is utilized mostly when an individual is buying a home.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

What is an EPC and How Do You Get One?

The UK government has recently suspended the requirement for home sellers to purchase a HIP or Home Information Pack. These packs were intended to speed up the process of buying a new home by including a lot of the information that is normally organised by your conveyance once an offer has been accepted. However since the economic slump has slowed the housing market down to a crawl, suspending the need for sellers to pay for a HIP in order to move house, will encourage the housing market to pick up again. Now home sellers can once again put their houses on the market with less hassle and at a lower cost.

An EPC or Energy Performance Certificate is one of the items that is recommended to be included within a HIP and these are still a compulsory requirement. A European Directive made it compulsory for all properties selling in the UK to hold an EPC and the government says that this will encourage people to properly insulate their homes and cut carbon emissions.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Home Buying Basics - Have a Certified Home Inspector Check Out Your House

San Diego is one of the most popular places to live in California because of its majestic beaches, great weather all year round, and plenty of wonderful outdoor activities where you can participate. These make San Diego homes pretty expensive. If you are planning to purchase your dream house in this sunny city, you have to make sure that you commit no error during the home buying process. One important thing that has to be in your home buying checklist is hiring a certified home inspector in San Diego.

Home inspection services in San Diego can provide you with valuable information on your desired home. When buying a house, there are many details that the potential owner has to know-from its wiring and plumbing to the roof. It is important to know that everything is in good condition. Hiring home inspection services guarantees that you will have a clear picture of the structural, electrical, and mechanical condition of the property. This is because home inspection services conduct a thorough examination of a particular property from the foundation up to the roof. Consulting a well-informed San Diego home inspection service can give you peace of mind and assure you the safety of your new residence.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Are Inspections Necessary?

It is customary, as well as necessary to have the home you intend to buy, inspected. The idea is to identify any current and prospective defects and problems. This will save you from future repairs that can be quite expensive. As a buyer, it is your responsibility to have the inspection carried out. You bear the expenses for the inspection, as it is to your benefit to learn about the condition of the house you are interested in. Sometimes, prior to selling, the seller may have his home inspected and repaired, before putting it on the market. Despite this, it is to your advantage to have re-inspection done by an independent inspector.

Home inspections should never be waived. Sometimes in a hurry to purchase a home they like, buyers overlook inspection, and later repent. The presence of termites in woodwork will not be visible to your cursory examination, and would cost you thousands of dollars in repair costs.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

The Inspector Who Saved a Home From Water Damage

In one case, a ten year old home with an original hot water heater bursts...and unfortunately this is not an uncommon occurrence. Water floods the basement, ruins much of the furniture, kids' toys, the TV and game system, and all of the items in the storage area including holiday decorations and irreplaceable family pictures. In addition, the rugs and the padding are soaked through. A water mark has climbed the walls, so even the drywall will need to be replaced to avoid secondary damage and possible dangers from mold growth. Even the odor is awful - already a musty smell is creeping throughout the home. Can anything be salvaged, or should everything simply be thrown out? Will this be covered by insurance? What is the deductible? Can all of the moisture be removed to avoid toxic mold growth? This is going to cost a homeowner thousands and thousands of dollars, not to mention the hassle it has caused.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Things You Need to Know About Home Inspection

Home inspection is a visual examination of the condition of the house which is usually objective, limited and non-invasive. The inspection also includes the examination of the physical structure and system of the house which is from the roof to the foundation of the house.

Home inspection is not just done by anybody in the neighborhood. It has to be conducted by home inspectors who have knowledge about the criteria in inspecting the house. So, what the inspectors do is to prepare a written report using home inspection software. The report would cover things about the condition of the heating and the conditioning system of the house, the electrical systems as well as the plumbing system. From the outside, the inspector also makes a report about the physical structure of the roof, the rooms, the attic and the foundation of the house. From this, we can see that only experts who have enough knowledge of the technicalities of the house can only do it.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Reasons to Keep Mold Away From Your Home

Household mold can occur on many different surfaces including sheetrock, windows, carpet, in the attic, kitchens, bathrooms, and many other places all over your home. It can be unseen as it hides in surfaces in your house and poses as a serious health risk to you and your family. There are several different types of mold, some which are very harmful to your health. It is important to air quality, respiratory health and cleanliness to keep mold away from your home.