Hey Mr. Contractor, are you incompetent or just lazy?

I realize the title is a bit harsh but I wanted to drive home the point that many contractors are really dropping the ball these days. Now I don’t want to come across as a smart aleck or a know it all, as this would be totally wrong. I do want to talk about some...

How often should a home be inspected?

Client asks; The home I am going to buy was inspected by the sellers two years ago so should I get it inspected now? This is a question I face from time to time and this week I came across a situation that confirms that you should always have an inspection regardless...

Asbestos – Where is the danger, how real is the risk?

I recently inspected a home that had some possible asbestos containing vermiculite in the attic and some possible asbestos wrap on the furnace plenums. Furthermore there was likely some asbestos in the floor tiles in the entry and the basement.  So what now? Should...

Dealing with cold weather water issues.

Here in the Midwest we have suffered our fair share in this bleak artic tundra this year. Ok, its not that bad but it seems to be when your fighting through the snow drifts. This week I tried to help a friend deal with a frozen hydrant on a local acreage. We added hot...