Of course, says the Raleigh Home Inspector, there’s always the food at the NC State Fair. I mean, who goes to the fair and doesn’t imbibe themselves…right?? The stand-by “staple foods” (for myself at any rate) are the London Broil sandwiches (with cheese, mushrooms, and a touch of hot sauce)… and the roasted corn…and the eclairs from the Gingerbread house…and…oh, never mind!  It’s always interesting to see what kind of… bizarre… food they’ll being serving up. Last year it was the Krispy-Creme Burger. And this year, they actually had deep-fried butter…yep, a stick of butter…deep-fried. And no, I didn’t partake of that particular

The Raleigh Home Inspector Still Isn't Sure About Deep Fried Butter...But..err,...To Each Their Own

debauchery though I am, somewhat hesitantly and sheepishly, willing to admit that I did indulge in the consumption of one of those Funnel Cakes….with cherries and a bit of powdered sugar, of course.
We always enjoy the animal exhibits…and this year we took in a couple of the equestrian shows.

To me, one of the most interesting, and entertaining things at this years fair was that we were able to   catch a glimpse of DiVine, an 8+ foot tall animated vine that was simply mesmerizing to watch.

Actually, DiVine is Kirsten Heinrich, a classical and modern ballet dancer who has toured with the San Diego Ballet…her skills, strength, grace, and athleticism are all readily apparent; and her abilities to stay upright on those stilts as well. All of us felt quite fortunate to be able to see her perform. When our attention was initially drawn to her sudden but fluid movement, my first thought was “What the heck is that?”…and it just got more and more enjoyable to watch after the initial surprise. DiVine was truly  awesome to watch.

DiVine Blends Right In

What "DiVine" Talent....!

If you are in need of a professional Raleigh Home Inspector to assess the property that you are considering purchasing, then give Quality Residential Inspections  a call today at 919-848-4833… If the home will require Radon In Air testing, then we can schedule that for you as well.

The Raleigh Home Inspector Thinks You Won't Want To Miss The Southern Ideal Home Show

If you’re interested in just about anything that has to do with a home, and we do mean just about anything, you’ll want to make plans to attend one of the premier home-related shows in North Carolina. This extravaganza is being held Friday September 23 – Sunday September 25 at the Raleigh Fairgrounds.

As Home Inspectors (and we own homes, too) we are really looking forward to the events held in the Jim Graham Building where you can see and consider most things related to home improvement….whether that be windows or decks or spas or pools, there will be the Building and Home Improvement exhibits, there will surely be something of interest to you. There will be the the Living Green Pavilion where you can learn about all kinds of products and methods to contribute to a better environment and save a little money on the process. And there will the CARE Pavilion that will showcase products that will help you and your home get along better as you age.

In the Exposition Center, you’ll find the Kitchen and Bath exhibits and the Interiors Showplace…where you can find the things that you need to make your dream interior a reality with products that are not only gorgeous but are practical as well.

And of course, there’s the ever-popular Outdoor Living and Show Gardens where you’ll find all kinds of products and ideas to make the outside of your home just as attractive as the inside. And stop by Extensions Successful Gardener Learning Center to make that green thumb as green as it can be!

The Raleigh Home Inspector Recommends That You Attend The Southern Ideal Home Show

For General information visit the Southern Ideal Home Show website. For driving direction from wherever it is that you might be coming from, Click Here.

And….Have fun at the show!

And if you are in need of top-of-the-line, professional Home Inspection, whether you’re getting ready to buy a home or to sell one and get it ready to put on the market, then give us a call at 919.848.4833 and Schedule Your Home Inspection today.

We hope you found this video informative…the proper function and operation of GFCI devices is something that should always be part of a professional Home Inspection.

To schedule your top-of-the-line, professional Home Inspection, give us a call at 919-848-4833. Our staff will be happy to answer any questions that you might have. Or, you can Schedule Your Home Inspection right here on our website. We look forwarding to being of valuable service to you!

Get Out For Some Good Ole' Irish Fun...

The 29th Annual Raleigh St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on March 12, 2011 in downtown Raleigh.  The Parade starts at noon, heading down Raleigh’s famed Fayetteville Street, around the State House and down Blount Street to end at Moore Square.

The Wearin’ O’ the Green Festival starts as the Parade ends in Moore Square.  There will be lots of food, beer and fun!  Leprechaun Lane will have fun activities for the kids!  Come see the traditional dancers kick up their heels!  Local Irish music favorites, Eire Lingus will kick things off on the Shamrock ‘n Roll stage to be followed by Celtic Rock with Homeland!

It’s all about fun and who knows…there might even be some Green Beer to be had at a local pub (if you’re so inclined, of course)!! And, do bring your Irish attitude….!

This Raleigh Home Inspector is planning to be there for the the musical entertainment and midnight celebration.

First Night Raleigh 2011 - Be There or Be Square....

With acts like Flowers For Faye bringing their energy to the stage at 10:00PM at the Highway Building Auditorium, Wake Forests’ own Graffiti Monkeys kicking off at 8:30, and The Screaming Crayons who bring their unique musical interpretation to that same stage just a bit earlier at 7:15PM, how could a music lover go wrong.

If its Jazz that floats your boat, then check out The Blue Notes Dixieland Jazz Band with 8:00 and 9:00 performances at the Raleigh City Museum.

And bringing in the New Year on center stage, accompanying the Acorn Drop and the fireworks extravaganza is Donna The Buffalo….if you can’t have just a hoot of a good time with that lineup…well, make your plans to be there. It will be a hoot!

For more information about more activities, shows, and events…go to the First Night Raleigh 2011 website…..see ya’there!

Meadow Lights

Each year for the last 29 years, the Meadow lights have entertained thousands of people with a Christmas light display that has to be seen to be appreciated. There are three trains that travel through the magical wonderland…enabling guests to take in all of the lights. This year, they have added a 16 horse carousel. Many of the nearby home-owners participate in lighting up their homes.

Meadow Lights opened on November 19th and will be open until December 31st, 2010.

The Meadow Lights

Hours are 5:00PM til 10:00Pm Sunday thru Thursday and 5:00PM till 11:00PM Friday and Saturday.

Grab the kids and get out to Meadow to see the Meadow Lights…this is one attraction that the adults will enjoy just as much as the children

For more information and directions, navigate to their website…

If you are need of a top-of-the-line Raleigh area Home Inspection, then give us a call at 919.848.4833 or Schedule Your Home Inspection right here on our website. You won’t be disappointed in our Inspections, our reports, or our service….

As the owner of a Raleigh Home Inspection firm, we often inspect properties for our home-buying clients that have been modified…additions constructed, decks added, electrical systems altered, etc. And we often find evidence that there has been unprofessional and improper work associated with many of these “improvements”. And to make matters worse, many of these improvements are often accomplished without the benefit of having attained required permits from the Authority Having Jurisdiction of the local municipality. When we discover evidence of un-permitted work, we always advise our clients to make sure that they undertake some additional due diligence and check with the local authority. So…when is a permit required? And what does it mean to a home-buyer if there are improvements to the house under consideration that were not properly permitted and inspected by the local Inspections Department?

Any time the topic of whether or not a permit for any particular project is discussed… it must be preceded with one general caveat. Because rules and regulations vary greatly between municipalities and jurisdictions, the only way to know for sure whether or not a permit is required for any particular work, in any given jurisdiction, is to make a specific inquiry. That means picking up the phone and directly contacting the appropriate authority; they will (usually) be quite happy to educate you about the applicable requirements that relate to your particular project. With that caveat having been stated, when is a permit required?

Generally, a permit is required when the anticipated work involves electrical systems, plumbing systems, or mechanical systems (heating and air conditioning). A permit is likely required any time a project involves structural support changes (roof or floor), load bearing walls, screened porches, decks, and balcony projects. Accessory structures such as detached garages, sheds, platforms, green houses, etc. might require permitting. And there is often a permitting requirement for any project that exceeds a certain dollar value. The installation of skylights, the construction of retaining walls above a certain height, the installation of irrigation systems when connecting to a municipal water source…the list of projects that may require a permit is quite long in most jurisdictions. And as previously stated via caveat, you won’t know for sure unless you ask.

What would it mean if you were to purchase a home where there were un-permitted improvements that required a permit to be attained? Well, first, any such work would be considered illegal…and that’s probably not the best way to begin ownership of your beautiful new home. Secondly, it is important to know that there aren’t any Life Safety issues in places you can’t see, such as inside walls. Third, if square footage was added to the property without the project being properly permitted and inspected…and this comes to light when you are trying to sell your home…even years later… you may be required to tear out the finished work so that the concealed “rough-in” installations and framing can be properly inspected. This can be a significantly costly mistake that is best completely avoided. One way to avoid this potentially disastrous scenario is to secure the services of a professional Home Inspector to inspect the property for any visible and obvious evidence of illegal work having been implemented. And the seller of the property should be queried as to whether there are any known additions or improvements and whether or not proper permits and inspections were attained.

In summary, permits are required for a wide range of home improvements. Unfortunately, many improvements to existing homes are implemented without having attained required permits and inspections. As a home-buyer, you need to know that all improvements have been properly permitted and inspected. If you were to purchase a property with illegal improvements, then you may be setting yourself up for a significant amount of trouble and heartache…not to mention a potentially significant and unanticipated outflow of dollars from your wallet. The importance of due diligence when it comes to illegal home improvements should be well understood and not under-estimated.

This coming October 23, at 9:00AM, the 2010 Walk-N-Wag of Wake County. The walk is being held at the Koka Booth Ampitheatre located at 8003 Regency Pkwy., Cary, NC 27518…Click here for directions.

The event, put on by the American Cancer Society, is a noncompetitive walk event for dogs and their owners to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s fight against cancer.

By supporting Bark For Life, you help the American Cancer Society save lives, and that helps us move closer to our ultimate goal of a world with less cancer and more birthdays. If you might consider a donation, then click here to find out how the money will be used.

So bring your best canine friend and join us for a fun-filled day starting with a walk, and then continuing with demonstrations, contests, and games.

If you or someone you know would like to print off a registration form and pay via cash/check, please click here to print off your copy. Please mail it into the Raleigh office (the address is at the bottom of the form) early to ensure your t-shirt / bandana or bring the form with you to the Registration Tent the day of the walk.

Hope to see ya’ there.

The Raleigh Home Inspector

Raleigh Home Inspector Loves the Fair!

It’s an annual “happenin’” for myself and my family…deep fried Oreos, roasted corn, eclairs to die for, and simply the best dang London Broil sammiches on the planet…that’s what I’m talkin’ about! This year, I hear they’re going to have Chocolate Covered Bacon; I’m not sure I know what that’s all about…we’ll have to take a “wait and see” attitude on that one!

Of course, the livestock exhibitions are always interesting…and there are always the pig races. Being a geek for things related to homes, construction, and things related to the trades, there is always the brick-laying and electrical wiring apprentice competitions…..and those guys do some really good work!

You might want to consider attending on a day that, by default, will benefit others….There is a Military Appreciation Day, Senior Day, and the Food Lion Hunger Relief Day…..

Get on out to the North Carolina State fairgrounds for the quintessential North Carolina event that appeals to the masses. The fair runs for a full ten days…opening on October 14 and closing on October 24…. Go HERE for general info and schedules of events.

If you are in need of a top-of-the-line, professional Home Inspection by an experienced and dedicated Raleigh Home Inspector, then visit our website at www.qriquality.com or give us a call at 919.848.4833 .