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Raleigh Home Inspector To Attend NCASHI 2013 Winter Educational Conference

December 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Raleigh Home Inspector to Attend NCASHI 2013 Winter Conference Educational Conference

Raleigh Home Inspector Gary Gentry, of Quality Residential Inspections, Inc., located in Raleigh NC,  will attend the NCASHI Winter Educational Conference in High Point, NC.

The North Carolina chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors is teaming with Bonnie and Tom Gregory of The Home Inspection Training Center to provide some top notch continuing education for North Carolina Home Inspectors.

This years winter conference agenda, to be held in HIgh Point, NC on January 24-25 will include:

The Raleigh Home Inspector Will Be Getting Smarter Through Continuing Education with NCASHI

  • NC Update Safety Part 2: Risk Assessment Electives
  • Electrical Systems: Electrical inspection -  From the Main panel to the interior of the home
  • HVAC Systems – Heating inspection of gas and oil fired systems.
  • Structural Systems: Framing Inspection – From the foundation to the floor

This conference promises to be a great one and all Home Inspectors are invited.

Attaining quality continuing education is an extremely important aspect for a professional Home Inspector; the Raleigh Home Inspector far exceeds annual continuing education requirements. Through timely and persistent education and through exercises such as the NCASHI Peer Review, a professional Home Inspector can “stay on top of their game” and provide their clients with the very best Home Inspection service available.

If you are in need of a Professional Home Inspection, from a Home Inspector who values the Continuing Eduction experience, then contact us to Schedule Your Home Inspection today. We can be reached by E-Mail, by calling us at 919-848-4833, or you can SCHEDULE  right here on our website. When you do, you can be assured of receiving the most professional Home Inspection your hard-earned money can buy; you will not be disappointed in your Home Inspection or your report. Go ahead, contact us today to schedule your Inspection.

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Raleigh Home Inspector Asks: Do You Have A Hole In Your House?

November 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Raleigh Home Inspector suggests that if there is an attic associated with your home, and there most likely is, then you have a hole in your house and a resulting fissure in your wallet.

You see, attic access openings, whether for a simple scuttle access opening or a pull-down stair installation, is mostly a hole in the ceiling through which warm air can escape into the attic in the winter. Conversely, the hot air from the attic space in the summer does battle with your cooling system. Either way, it’s energy wasted and dollars that are spent unnecessarily…And who wants that?

Of all the things that you can readily and reasonably easily do in your home, to increase the overall energy efficiency of your home, insulation is one of the most cost-effective means of increasing that energy efficiency.

The typical configuration that the Raleigh Home Inspector routinely see in homes is a common pull-down stair unit that has been “stuffed” with fiberglass batt insulation….maybe better than nothing but often not too much so.

Raleigh Home Inspector on attic stair insulation

Typical Pull-down stair "stuffed" with fiberglass batt insulation

So what is one to do?

Well, there are numerous products on the market that do a pretty fair job of sealing or closing that hole in your house. Products like the Attic Stair Insulator Cover from Battic Door Home Energy Conservation Products which provides an R-Value of 50 (that’s pretty darn good) when properly installed.

Or there’s the Draft Cap attic stair Insulator available from Draft Cap which provides an R-Value of 11 according to their website.

All of these products are relatively effective….and not too terribly pricey, either.

Raleigh Home Inspectors stair opening insualtion

The stair opening insulating panel in the personal home of the Raleigh Home Inspector...simple but effective

 

So, close that hole in your ceiling and keep more than just a few extra dollars in your pocket over the long term. You won’t be sorry.

 

Should you be in need of a thorough, professional Raleigh Home Inspection, contact us and schedule your Home Inspection today at 919-848-4833

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Raleigh Home Inspector: ASHI Survey – Home Inspections Boost Confidence

October 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Raleigh Home Inspector: ASHI Survey – Home Inspections Boost Homebuyers Confidence

ASHI SURVEY REVEALS HOME INSPECTIONS BOOST HOMEBUYERS CONFIDENCE IN 88 PERCENT OF U.S. RESPONDENTS Results indicate people are more likely to purchase a distressed property, including foreclosures and short sales, following a professional home inspection.

• 88 percent of respondents say home inspections increase their confidence about the condition of any property.

• More than four in five think foreclosures and short sales can be good deals.

• 84 percent of respondents say they would be more likely to purchase a distressed (foreclosed or short sale) property after a home inspection deemed it in good condition.

• Consumers are uncertain of the services traditionally included in a home inspection.

• The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) is the Gold Standard of Home Inspectors.

Raleigh Home Inspector provides confidence for Home-Buyers

Your Raleigh Home Inspector will assist you in making a confident purchasing decision

To see the entire survey, visit ASHI.org……

We know that confidence leads to success and to satisfaction in many endeavors and purchasing a home is no different. If you know that you made a great decision, then you’ll feel great about you purchase.  A Home Inspection is just one of your due diligence tools that you should use to ensure a confident decision.

Let the Raleigh Home Inspector assist you with your confidence level in your home-buying decision. We’re good at it….and we look forward to helping you.

Contact the Raleigh Home Inspector today at 919-848-4833 to schedule your home inspection today. Or Schedule Online….

 

 

 

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Your Smoke Detectors May Not Save Your Life….Surprised?

July 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Raleigh Home Inspector On Ionization Smoke Detectors

Would you be surprised if the Raleigh Home Inspector suggested that the smoke detectors in your home may not be adequately protecting you or your family? Would you be surprised that they may not save your life in the event of their being needed. While a Home Inspector will manually test the smoke detectors in a home while conducting a Home Inspection, that is no guarantee that the smoke detectors will provide adequately alert you with adequate advanced warning.

Of the two types of smoke detectors, the Ionization type and the Photoelectric type, it is being proven during actual field testing that the Ionization type of smoke detector may not provide any alarm or advanced warning until it’s too late. And…this is the type of Smoke Detector that is probably installed in your home.

American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) Vice President Bill Loden was recently interviewed on the topic subsequent to an investigative news report by WHNT 19 News in Huntsville AL…..

Please click on the graphic below to watch this most “alarming” video……

 


 

We hope you found this to be as interesting and….alarming….as we did.

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How Are You Going To Find An Excellent Raleigh Home Inspector?

June 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

How To Find An Excellent Raleigh Home Inspector

You need a Raleigh Home Inspector because  you’re buying a home in the Triangle region of North Carolina…you know that you need one because it’s a smart thing to need…

Buying a home, to most of us anyway, is often an expensive, scary endeavor. Even for seasoned, experienced home-buyers, the process is typically not without some degree of trepidation and apprehension. Much of that apprehension has to do with the physical condition of the property…whether or not the house is in reasonably good condition…whether the house is really as good as it looks ….. or whether it’s a well-disguised money-pit just waiting to steal your money away in the form of unanticipated repairs and expenses.

Enter the Home Inspector…the guy, or gal, that will give the home a thorough assessment and report to you on its physical condition so that you can make an informed purchase decision. How are you going to effectively track down and choose a good, professional Inspector? Well, there are a few time-proven strategies:

A) You might ask your family, friends, or neighbors if they’ve had any really positive experience with any particular Home Inspector. If they have, they’ll likely share that with you…and if they’ve had a bad experience, well, you’ll probably learn about that, too.

B) You could ask your real estate agent for some referrals…but don’t rely on a single recommendation. I suggest asking the agent who they might hire to insect a home if they were the buyer. Or who they think is the most “picky” inspector; that’s the one you want to hire!

C)  Do some on-line research…ask questions in local forums… check out on-line reviews; if a company has a large number of legitimate and positive reviews, they might be a good potential candidate. But beware, as in other fields, some inspectors write their own reviews; you can usually tell which ones those are and they should be avoided.

Don’t rely on the fact that an individual possesses a state license or local business permit as any proof whatsoever that they are either overly professional or at all competent…often, that means almost nothing.

Look for an individual that’s affiliated with a prominent and leading national Home Inspector organization…one that maintains high entry and membership standards such as the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI); active membership in such an organization is, often, a good indication of a Home Inspectors commitment to professionalism.

Search for complaints against the Inspector and their company…Consult the Better Business Bureau to determine if the potential Home Inspector is an accredited member company and whether or not they have any unresolved complaints against them.

Once you’ve narrowed your selection down to 2 or 3 potential candidates, you need to contact each of those and ask them some direct, and pointed, questions. And here is where you don’t want to be shy or timid in your approach.

1) Please, will you talk to me? If a Home Inspector doesn’t answer their phone or return your initial phone call in a timely manner, then move on. If an inspector can’t, or won’t, make and take time to answer you questions now, then there is good likelihood they can’t, or won’t, answer them later.

2) Ask them how good they are ….and how long they’ve been doing this home inspecting thing. If an inspector doesn’t exude confidence….again….move on. Likewise, if an inspector doesn’t have a significant amount of experience under their belt, you might better keep searching. Everyone has to learn sometime…but maybe you don’t want them gaining their basic experience on your home…and on your dollar

3) Ask what kind of Home Inspection report you’ll receive?…Look for an answer that suggests a narrative style report…or a combination narrative/checklist type of report…and not one with only a bunch of check marks and no really good explanations of any discovered problems? an inspector that can write using complete sentences is a positive sign. What you need is a good Home Inspection report that clearly identifies any issues in readily understood language……presented in complete and grammatically correct language.

4) Ask how soon you’ll receive your report? Most professional Home Inspectors will provide their report to you, electronically, within 24 hours of the completion of the Home Inspection and this is what you should expect.

5) Ask if it’s okay for you to be there….every step of the way….with the inspector? It’s important that you be able to attend every moment of your Home Inspection should you desire to do so. The inspection should be a time during which you’re able to learn about the house and to get your questions answered. An Inspector who discourages your presence should be avoided at all cost.

Following some basic guidelines, doing specific research, and asking some pointed question of potential Home Inspectors will go far in helping you find a good Home Inspector and, hopefully, a good experience with that Inspector that you can feel comfortable with….one who you know will be working for you and only for. You in protecting your best interests.

Thanks for listening….I hope this was helpful to you in your search, for an awesome Home Inspector.

Now …Make it great one… No matter what it might be and remember….with houses…you just never know!

 

And if you need a positively professional Raleigh Home Inspector to inspect the home that you are purchasing, then contact Quality Residential Inspections today to Schedule An Appointment With Your Raleigh Home Inspector…

Certified Inspector Member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and the North Carolina Chapter of ASHI….

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Raleigh Home Inspector On: What To Do About Home Inspection Repairs?

May 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Raleigh Home Inspector On: What To Do About Home Inspection Repairs?

Your Raleigh Home Inspector often gets asked what to do about repair or correction of items that might have been discovered during a Home Inspection.

So, your home inspection is complete and you’ve just received your Home Inspection report. What to do, now?

Inspection reports should identify issues relating to the condition of the home that are safety items, items that aren’t functioning as intended, or items that either warrant further investigation by some other professional or that are in need of being monitored over time for any future change. Any or all of these might warrant your attention as an item that might need to be repaired. The questions then become which items are going to be repaired?… And who is going to pay for those repairs?

Raleigh Home Inspection Repairs

What Items will be repaired? And who will pay for those repairs?

As for which items are going to be repaired, that’s often directly stipulated by your real estate Offer To Purchase contract…the agreement that you have between you and the seller of the home. Keep in mind that some of the items contained in your inspection report might not correlate with items that are able to be requested of the seller to be repaired. It all depends on the laws, in your local area, that pertain to real estate transactions. Your best bet is to consult with your professional real estate agent or attorney…they’ll be familiar with the particulars of your contract. Another consideration is your comfort level with the repairs…some people are comfortable making some of the repairs themselves…others might not want to tackle any of the repairs. Some repairs, such as those involving structural, air conditioning and heating, or electrical concerns are most always best left to the professionals.

Now…who is going to pay for those repairs? This is often the most contentious of topics in the transaction. There are usually a few different ways to handle it:

You could choose to pay for the repairs yourself and not ask the seller to do anything – this is usually dependent on how good of a deal your got on the sale price of the home.

You could accept a consideration of the purchase price in the anticipated amount of the repairs and then contract for those repairs yourself…the repairs would get completed by your contractors under your direction

You could ask the sellers to make the repairs – with this option, you generally have no direct input or control over the quality of the repairs

Know the pertinent legalities, determine your comfort level, consult with professionals, and…enjoy your new home!

 

Contact Quality Residential Inspections and your Raleigh Home Inspector to get a top-of-the-line professional Raleigh Home Inspection from Gary Gentry…a Certified ASHI Inspector!

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How Long Will It Take For Your Raleigh Home Inspection?

May 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

How Long Will It Take For Your Raleigh Home Inspection?

Your professional Raleigh Home Inspection can’t be completed in just  a few minutes…it takes time to go through a home and make assessment of the function, configuration, and condition of all of the various materials, components, and systems that comprise the residential dwelling.

So how long does it take? Here are a few factors that directly relate to the time it will take for a Home Inspection to be performed:

The size of the home – Obviously, larger homes will take longer to inspect. There is, simply, more real estate to cover and more systems that need to be evaluated. A small home in excellent condition can be inspected much more quickly than a very large mansion in an equally as good condition. The age of the home – This factor is very important. Older homes take longer to inspect because there are more potential issues that might be present…and there has been more time during which problems could develop or for the effects of deferred maintenance to become apparent. While older homes are usually somewhat more difficult to inspect, they are often very interesting to inspect. Older homes take longer to inspect than newer homes.

The previous use of the home – A home that has been used as a rental property often has more defects because of a general neglect of the property that is often apparent. While this is not always so, it’s quite common for rental properties to be in less than pristine condition. The same rationale is able to be aptly applied to many homes that have entered foreclosure.

The experience level of the Home Inspector – An experienced Home Inspector can perform a Home Inspection faster than one that may not have a great deal of experience…this just stands to reason, right? Generally, though, the time it takes to accomplish an inspection is not directly related to the quality of the inspection.

On average, the inspection of a 2500 to 3000 square foot home, that’s less than 25 years of age will typically take an experienced inspector somewhere around 2.5 to 3 hours to inspect. This time, though, often does not include the time it will take to generate the resulting inspection report. That 2.5 to 3 hour number can be used as a baseline to which some of the other noted considerations can be applied to arrive at close estimate.

For more information about what you might expect from your Raleigh Home Inspection,visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

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The Raleigh Home Inspector On: Inviting People Into Your Filthy Home

April 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Raleigh Home Inspector On Filthy Homes

As a professional Raleigh Home Inspector, I necessarily have to go into other peoples homes…it comes with the territory; it’s a foundational aspect of the job. You likely wouldn’t believe, though, the condition in which some of these houses are  maintained. You likely couldn’t possibly fathom the degree of filth and squalor that presents itself inside some of these houses. In fact, to say that some of these homes…and I use the word homes loosely  in those fairly rare subject instances…are actually maintained at all might be somewhat of a stretch of one’s realistic imagination.

Gary Gentry, Ezine Articles Expert Author

Gary Gentry of Quality Residential Inspections, EzineArticles Expert Author

Now, let me set the record straight forthrightly…I’m surely not referring to the vast majority of homes. On the contrary, most homes that I have the occasion to enter are well-maintained; it’s obvious that it is someone’s home. It’s obvious that someone actually lives in the house and takes pride in their abode. Let me also state that I don’t consider myself a prude and that I, myself, am a responsible pet owner who loves most all creatures. So, no cries of prejudice or to a lack of sensitivity, please; such cries will fall on deaf ears.

When I have the occasion to visit a house, it’s usually because someone has expressed a distinct interest in purchasing that house and has signed an Offer to Purchase Contract to do just that. But sometimes, when I walk through the front door, I can only wonder why there is any interest from anyone at all. A case of the heebie-jeebies sets in; an eerie gloom casts its shadow upon the scene. An unnatural pallor arrives upon the faces of all those present. I silently ask myself why, in this beautiful world, would anyone want to purchase the sty-like place into which I have just immersed myself? And, where I’m contractually obligated to stay immersed for the next 2 – 4 hours, I might add.

As a Home Inspector, it’s most definitely not my job to point fingers or to cast blame for any of the myriad of reportable conditions that I might discover. Likewise, for the most part anyway, I have no reserved place, in the Home Inspection report, for the reporting of dirty conditions. But, let’s be honest here; some things just can’t be over-looked or readily ignored. There are a few things that nobody should have to experience and some things that we just simply shouldn’t see…or smell…or have to avoid if we enter your domicile:

  • Clean Or Replace The Carpeting – It shouldn’t be readily obvious that your dog…or cat…or Iggy The Iguana is the primary occupant; there’s nothing worse than being initiated into the home with a big whiff of pet urine.
  • Do Your Dishes – It’s not pleasant to observe 2 weeks worth of crusty dishes in the scum pond commonly and usually recognizable as the kitchen sink. Using the dishwasher would be a good starting point.
  • Pick Up Your Undies – There’s probably no really good reason to leave 2 weeks worth of unwashed undies on the bathroom floor or hung over the rim of the bathtub…really!
  • Clean Up After Your Dog – Nobody wants to have to skirt the land mines in the back yard just to walk around a little; and we know what happens when we step on, or into, one of those cone-shaped, pooch-generated mines, right? Poof! Instant vaporization of the human form! If the land mines are on the living room floor then…Oh, never mind!
  • Exterminate The Pests – Infestations of roaches are bad enough, agreed? But, if fleas are jumping onto your clothing while you are walking across the living room carpet…well…that’s just Yech, with a capital Y…and I don’t care who you are!

So, with my tongue partially, I say, partially planted in my cheek, don’t invite people into a dirty, filthy home. Please…for the love of all things sane and reasonable…do some house-cleaning. If you exert a little time and effort to clean it up, it’ll show better, it might fetch a few extra dollars in the sales price, and you’ll spare your visitors the embarrassment of contracting a case of the dreaded heebie-jeebies……Poof!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6989173
The preceding original, partially tongue-in-cheek article, was written by The Raleigh Home Inspector in response to an article title suggested by EzineArticles….More articles by Ezine Expert Author, Gary Gentry.
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Raleigh Home Inspection Firm Now Accepts Credit Cards Via Square

April 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Quality Residential Inspections, your preferred Raleigh Home Inspection firm, now accepts mobile credit card payments.

As an added convenience and service for our clients who wish to use their credit card at the time of their Home Inspection, we are now able to process payment in the field.  By teaming with Square, we can now accept credit card payments in the field…at the home and at the time of your Raleigh Home Inspection. The credit card will be swiped through the Square reader, a signature will be attained on the screen of a portable device, and a receipt will be forwarded to the client via either SMS or e-Mail.

Raleigh Home Inspection Firm Now Accepts Mobile Credit Card Payments

Your Raleigh Home Inspection Firm Now Accepts Mobile Credit Card Payments

Not only is this methodology a more convenient way to provide credit card payment, it’s safer too; less communication of information between people means a safer transaction. Square uses advanced security measures that are PCI Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) Level 1 compliant. All information is encrypted to at least 128 bit and utilizes well reviewed cryptographic protocols and message formats when transferring data. Square security information is available on their website.

When your credit card is swiped through the Square reader, no client personal information is retained on the device…none! So don’t worry that there is any important information being retained by us in any way.

And…we now accept Discover and American Express cards too! We now accept all of the major credit cards…MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express.

Convenience is important…the ability to pay for the most professional Home Inspection service available to you in the Triangle region of North Carolina is sure to be a plus for our valued clients.

Call us at 919-848-4833, or Schedule Your Raleigh Home Inspection Online today!

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The Raleigh Home Inspector Asks: Do Those Light Bulbs Convey?

April 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I was inspecting a home not too long ago, which isn’t all that unusual given that it’s what I do as a professional Raleigh Home Inspector, when I made an observation that set me to thinking.

We all know that the ”Green” movement is in full swing. We’re aware that things are changing, that things are moving in a direction where energy efficiency and the use of environmentally friendly products are becoming more the “norm” than the exception. We’re all more environmentally aware than we used to be…and that’s probably a good a good thing.

Recently, I was performing a home inspection when I made an observation that set me to thinking; my observation concerned the type, quality…and quantity…of light bulbs that were installed in this particular home.

Consider the newer types of light bulbs as they relate to energy use and efficiency. Newer types of much more energy efficient light bulbs are now available and in common use in the residential setting. What’s the big deal about that you might wonder. Well, lets consider those light bulbs on a different level than you might have previously considered.

There are three basic types of light bulbs in common residential use:

The Raleigh Home Inspector on 3 Different Types of Light Bulbs

Do Those Expensive LED Light Bulbs Convey With The Property?

1) The vast majority of bulbs in use today are incandescent bulbs, They come in various wattage ratings and are relatively very cheap; they can be bought just about anywhere (for now at least) and will last from between 1000 and 2000 hours depending on quality. A 60 watt bulb, which is a very common size, can be bought for as little as $0.50 each…less than that if you buy them in bulk and on sale.

2) You are likely familiar with the newer compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. These are bulbs that are quite a bit more expensive but that will last considerably longer. A 15 Watt CFL bulb, which is the equivalent of that 60 watt incandescent bulb, can last for as many as 10,000 hours of use and can cost anywhere from $3.00 to as much as $15.00 depending on quality.

3) Then we have the much newer Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs. These bulbs can last a very long time…25,000 to 100,000 hours or more…and that’s a very long time. They are, though, considerably more expensive to purchase. LED bulbs can cost from between $20.00 to as much as $80.00 each for high quality bulbs, again, dependent on size and design.

Which brings us back to that house about which I made reference earlier. In this particular house, just about every light bulb…and I mean most all of them in the house with the exception of maybe a few in closets or storage spaces that see little use…had been replaced with very high quality, and very expensive, LED light bulbs. Now, I didn’t go around and count each individual light bulb, but I hypothesized that there were over 50 such light bulbs in the home. If one were to assign a very conservative median value of, say, $25.00 to each light bulb, then there would be at least $1250.00 worth of light bulbs in the home. The total value of the installed bulbs, therefore, was much more than a typical water heater…or a built-in dishwasher. In fact, for that amount of money, one could easily replace the water heater and the dishwasher in the average home and still have a few dollars left over. I suspect that negotiations during real estate transactions have become…heated…over far less dollar amounts than that.

I was left wondering whether or not the presence of those light bulbs had been considered as a value added to the home. Because, certainly, they do provide a long term value and benefit both in reduced energy consumption on a daily basis and on a replacement value basis as well since some of them may not have to be replaced for a very, very long time. Were those light bulbs going to be there when the new buyers moved in? Had they been a part of any discussion? From a Home Inspection perspective, if electricity flows and the light fixture functions when the wall switch is operated, then all is usually well.

At the end of the day, though, and on an entirely different level, I couldn’t help but wonder…do all of those expensive LED light bulbs convey with the sale of the property?

This original article was written by Gary Gentry, Owner of Quality Residential Inspections…your Raleigh Home Inspection firm, as a guest post for the good folks at Fonville Morisey Realty for publication in their Faces of Fonville blog.  Fonville Morisey Realty is a leading real estate company, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, that provides a wide range of  professional services to people engaged in the process of buying or selling a home.


 

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