The last thing any homeowner wants to hear is that they have termites. Just the word “termite” invokes a sense of dread. That is not surprising considering that termites cause an estimated 30 billion dollars in property damage every year. Treating for termites can cost up to 1000 dollars, or more, and repairs to the […]

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases   You found the house of your dreams, put in the offer, fought through the negotiations, endured the nerve wracking home inspections and appraisals, and finally got the keys to your brand new home. No more listening to the upstairs neighbors stomp their feet early in […]

Home Inspection Defect in Brand New Home   Many home buyers are conflicted about whether, or not, they should pay for a home inspection on a brand new home. I think if we found nothing else in this home, the inspection would still be worth every penny.  

Blogging Tips For Realtors Blogging is a necessity for many companies trying to brand themselves, establish themselves as experts, and keep engaged with their clients. For us, blogging has brought us immeasurable success on all fronts. NAR reports that over 90 percent (99 percent for millenials) of home buyers start their search online, and that […]

Mismatched Breaker Brands? Sometimes being a home inspector feels I’m part of a boxing match. The buyer VS. seller is the main event. The seller has an electrician in his corner, and the buyer has me. Let’s get ready to rumble.  One of the most things we write up in the electrical panel is mismatched breakers. […]

Being a home inspector isn’t easy. I’m scolded on a regular basis by listing agents convinced I’ve reported a non-defect. Our most recent transgression? Writing up mismatched breakers. This is when a brand of breaker is installed in an electrical panel that does not match the brand of the panel. So is a mismatched breaker […]

In case you have been living under a rock for the last few years, a groupon is a coupon with an adrenaline shot. The Groupon website offers steep discounts on products and services from local businesses. Patrons purchase a voucher from Goupon, which usually has a time limit, that they can redeem from the business. […]

Your Walls Don’t Talk-43 Secrets Your House May be Keeping from you Juan Jimenez-The Richmond Home Inspector Oh the places you don’t go… The adventure of home ownership has it’s ups and downs. Homeowners have creative freedom, build equity, and nurture their nest egg. Homeowners also get to plunge their own toilets, mend their own […]

The Monster Free Guarantee Moving is tough, and it can be hard on children too.  My son sleeps soundly in his own bed every night, but when we visit friends, or family, he is petrified of the dark. New homes with unfamiliar spaces and new bumps in the night can have your kids wondering what […]

Grounded Home Inspectors Raise Concerns We had a saying in my aviation squadron that “there is always enough time to do it right the second time.” Cutting corners was not option with lives at stake. Unfortunately, some roofers don’t have this mentality and a quick job may be prioritized over a quality job. A common […]

As a family owned business in Richmond, we love supporting other local businesses. Sometimes its hard to find what you need locally, but if you are looking for a great Florist, Pat’s Florist in Richmond is the way to go. I recently had a horrible experience with Pro Flowers, so I needed to find a […]

  This might come as a surprise, but there isactually a very practical use for lint. Boyscouts collect lint to make camp fires. They collect the lint, put it in egg cartons, or toilet paper rolls, and make little fire starters.  Motivated scouts and campers may even dip their fire starters in melted max to make […]

When I was a “youngen,” during an era when children actually played outside, I always waved to anyone who was walking their dog, tending their garden, or simply enjoying a stroll around the neighborhood. I knew all the neighborhood kids, and my parents knew the adults. There were some conflicts over property lines, loud dogs, […]

Home inspectors carry an array of different tools in order to provide thorough and accurate inspections. One of the most important tools that we carry, is a spray bottle of soapy water. In the video below you can see that this gas line to the meter is definitely leaking. The suds are bubbling up around […]

It is not uncommon for me to find a gas line sediment trap that has been installed wrong. This is usually the first thing I look at when approaching a gas water heater. If the sediment trap is wrong, my spector senses tingle, and I look for other problems with the water heater. My spector […]

Call me crazy, but I absolutely love my job.  I get to observe the craziest, funniest, scariest and most peculiar things that can be in a persons home. I was under a house the other day, in a crawlspace, and I ran into a fairly common situation.  There were areas of the insulation that had […]