Your home warranty will be VOID if you don't do this!!! It is exciting when you get to buy your first new home, as it should be. You have saved and worked hard to have just the home you wanted, built with your own preferences and design elements, and you even have a Home Warranty to give you confidence that your new home is a quality product that will last you for decades.  But,what happens when you go to claim a problem with your home, and your claim gets denied because YOU  voided your warranty? Just as with most warranties, such as your car, there are requirements on BOTH sides of the warranty contract. This means there are a multitude of ways in which YOU  could be voiding your warranty without even knowing it. Every builder's warranty has requirements that the homeowner must meet for the home to be covered. In most cases these are common sense maintenance practices that most homeowners do on a regular basis anyway, but these requirements vary from builder ...

Are there any guarantees in the home inspection business? The answer is YES!!! Buying a home is without question a MAJOR purchase, and it should go without saying that a buyer would want a guarantee that the home inspector does a good job. Is there any real protection out there when looking for a home inspector, and what can happen if your inspector does miss something? There are some inspectors out there who offer guarantees of satisfaction on their inspection. This might seem good, but what happens if after 30 days in your new home you discover a foundation issue that cost over $20,000? Getting your few hundred dollars back from the inspector will not be much condolence. So, what solutions are there for the buyer looking to hire a home inspector? In all of our years in construction and home inspection, we have finally identified an organization who offers a solution to this. The organization is InterNACHI, and they are one of the nations two largest inspection certificati...

When you go to sell you home, you do want it to fetch top dollar right? Since we don't actually "grade" inspections, and since no house is perfect,  your best option is to reduce the amount of items the buyers inspector can find. Eliminating these common, and relatively easy repairs will help your home shine for the inspector. Missing Caulk Problem: One of the largest dangers a home faces in its lifetime is the constant attack by moisture. Water can, and will infiltrate into the smallest crack and can cause significant damage. Whats worse is that the damage is often unnoticed until it has already caused the damage. One of a homes biggest defenders against water damage is good caulk! Pictured below is a home we recently came across where the caulking had failed and gone unnoticed for over a year. as you can see the rot was extensive, and well hidden. the damage was only found when repairs to the front porch were made. Solution : There are 3 major areas to...

Know the exact condition…even if its not all good, its good that you know. There are several benefits to knowing the exact condition of your home, and a home inspection is the only true way to know that. Despite the amount of time we spend in our homes, in most cases we tend to not see many of the small issues that arise over the years. Because we watch the change evolve slowly, they become normal. A good home inspector will be able to look at your home with fresh eyes and a professional mindset to give you a true diagnostic report on the condition of your home. A quality inspection before you list, WILL be an advantage, even if all the information is not good. More accurate pricing With the completed inspection you and your Realtor will be able to better asses the market value of your home. A quality inspector will list a variety of features in your home you may not have remembered to even market such as, energy efficient windows, efficiency ratings on appliances and furnaces...

People commonly ask what is the best way to ensure my home passes a home inspection. The simple answer is that no home "passes" or "fails" an inspection. The reason is simple - no home is perfect. The best thing you can do to make sure your home inspection goes smoothly, is to address all of the minor issues by doing a walk through and around your home. Many of the most common defects or conditions that we find during a home inspection are relatively minor. It is often much easier and less expensive to fix a few of the small items around your home before the inspection begins. By following these tips, you will not only help your inspection go smoothly, but your home will be in the best condition possible to show to prospective buyers. Lighting One of the first things to do as you prepare your home for inspection or showing is to make sure all the lighting in the home is working properly. Light bulbs are inexpensive and having them all working will bene...