Home Inspections of Northern Virginia

Fairfax, Virginia Home Inspection

2009-11-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

I just finished a home inspection in Fairfax, VA. My client was relatively knowledgable and had rehabbed a few homes in the past.

This Fairfax, VA home inspection was a little different, however. The home was mid-rehab. The owner had taken on significant renovations and not been able to complete them. Some things were half done. Others had been un-done in order to make the home liveable. The cooktop was sitting on top of the countertop and was held in place with vice grips.

It was obvious that much of the work had been completed by a handy man. Not much was blatantly wrong, but not much was done 100% correctly either.

3 hours in to this Fairfax, VA home inspection and I had to switch to the second battery in my camera!

All the while, I was doing my best to explain what it "should" be.

This Fairfax, VA home inspection concluded after 4 hours.

When I got home to write the inspection report, I had taken 312 pictures! It took nearly 20 minutes just to upload the pictures.

By far and away, this was the most involved home inspection I have completed yet. This particular home inspection in Fairfax, VA was on a home that was just 1,700 sf!

Chinese Drywall -- Virginia

2009-10-29T12:28:00.001-07:00

The Chinese drywall reports are out. I spent the last hour reading them and trying to interpret the results. There were a few noteworth discoveries.

First, Chinese drywall emits 24 times the levels of total volatile sulfur compounds than does typical drywall. The health implications are still being studied, but these compounds have been linked in other studies to many of the same issues being reported with Chinese drywall.

Secondly, 93% of the issues are reported in either Florida, Lousiana, or Virginia. That fact is very telling that Chinese drywall testing in Virginia is very important. Any home built between 2001-2008 should be tested for Chinese drywall.

Another preliminary indication is that Chinese drywall also emits formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is one of the irritants found in cigarette smoke and is known to irritate lungs, cause headaches, and exacerbate asthma.

More information on Chinese drywall testing in Virginia.

UPDATE: Chinese Drywall in Virginia

2009-10-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since my last blog. I have literally been swamped with calls about Chinese drywall in Virginia. As one of the only firms to offer Chinese drywall testing, I have been averaging 15 calls per day. That doesn't sound like much until you consider that this is an evolving issue. Each of my clients has questions and these calls average about 15 minutes. That is nearly four hours of phone time -- not that I am complaining.

Chinese drywall in Virginia is a big deal. The CPSC report released today says that "the majority of the reports (more than 93%) continue to be from Florida, Louisiana, and Virginia."

More reports relating to the health effects of Chinese drywall are short coming and should be released any day. Most expect them to confirm the littany of reports and identify chronic exposure to the gases emmitted by this drywall as the most likely cuplrit.

As these Chinese drywall reports are released, I will be sure to post more information!

In the meantime, visit www.hiofnva.com for more information.

Leesburg, VA Home Inspection

2009-10-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

Leesburg, VA home inspections are great for me. Living just a few minutes outside of the Leesburg, VA, I am easily able to fit a Leesburg, VA home inspection into the schedule -- either on the way out for the morning or on the way back in.

At a recent Leesburg, VA home inspection, I was able to do both -- stop by on the way out and check in on the way back in.

When I initially arrived at the Leesburg, VA home inspection, the water had not been activated. The agent was not able to make it to the inspection, so I completed what I could and called her to let her know that we would have to reschedule to check the water. Although my service agreement includes fees for re-visiting the home for reasons such as this, I always tell my client that I will be flexible if they will. If they allow me the time to schedule the second visit around my other inspections, to ensure that I am not making a special trip, I do my best to work this out and not charge a fee. With Leesburg, VA home inspections, it is easy to do. I go through Leesburg -- on the way to or from the office -- at least 6 times each week.

Such was the case with this home inspection. Later in the afternoon, I got a call from the agent that the water had been activated. This was the SAME DAY. I was so hesitant to believe that the water had already been activated by Leesburg, VA that I actually had the agent double check.

On my way back to the office, I stopped back in at this Leesburg, VA home inspection. Indeed, the water had been activated.

I completed the Leesburg, VA home inspection, this time with water active, and was able to complete the report.

Fairfax, VA Home Inspections

2009-10-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

I just recently officially expanded into Fairfax, VA Home Inspections. I had been completing home inspections in Fairfax, VA for some time now, but in an unofficial capacity -- primarily by way of referrals with realtors I had worked with in the past. Quite honestly, I was too busy to think about expanding.

Gradually, I was completing a growing number of home inspections in Fairfax, VA. In an effort to be more efficient, I expanded officially into Fairfax, VA. The concept was that I could avoid the single trip in to Fairfax, VA and then back out. I hope to be able to book several appointments at a time and, potentially, even spend an entire day completing home inspections in Fairfax, VA.

I was not prepared for what happened next. Within ten days, I had booked several full days worth of inspections in Fairfax. Not only that, but I was also able to take advantage of inspections in other areas -- Manassas and Woodbridge because I was already down in Fairfax for other inspections.

I realized that it takes less time to get between home inspections in Fairfax, VA than in some other areas. This is an obvious benefit to my business, but also helps me keep inspection fees lower. Because I am able to spread less travel costs among more inspection time, the costs are lower.

I have another full day of Fairfax home inspections next week.

We may have yet another expansion in the works!

First time buyers are different buyers

2009-10-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

First time buyers are very different buyers.

By definition, they have never owned a home before. Everyone involved with helping a first time buyer find a home works to make sure that they fully understand their decisions.

Realtors spend more time showing more homes. That makes sense. If you have never owned a home, how can you be expected to know exactly what you are looking for?

Lenders spend more time explaining all aspects of a mortgage.

Similarly, a home inspector should spend more time to explain the findings of the inspection as well as common maintenance tips, etc.

I recently completed a home inspection in Fairfax, VA. The owners were first time buyers. They were a younger couple who had rented for the last several years. As the home inspection progressed, I spent the time to explain each and every defect as well as the most likely repair. For example, this couple was planning to have a family. This particular Fairfax, VA home was built in the early 1970's. The stair rails were 5" apart -- a little further apart than what is typical in new construction. My clients planned to have children in the not-so-distant future. This particular Fairfax, VA home inspection yielded a defect that could be considered a safety issue. BUT, this wasn't as big a concern as it seemed. A simple fix. I took the time to explain how the repairs would progress and the relative cost.

Taking the time to explain the defect in this Fairfax, VA home inspection gave my clients the confidence to move forward with their decision to purchase a new home.

As a "First Time Friendly Home Inspector," I pride myself on taking the time to explain every defect as well as mention maintenance concerns. In addition, each of my home inspections include a maintenance manual free of charge.

Just like this Fairfax, VA home inspection, all of my first time buyers are treated to a thorough explanation as well as a thorough inspection.

More Chinese drywall...this stuff is scary

2009-10-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

I booked a home inspection in Fairfax, VA this past week. Things made a bad turn for the worse when I noticed significant corrosion in several areas -- the A/C, an open outlet, and the coils in the back of the refrigerator.

I did not have my Chinese drywall testing materials with me, so I had to reschedule a time to return to the home to complete the home inspection.

Before I could get home that afternoon, I had calls from three other homeowners who owned homes in the area. The realtor had represented several of the neighbors when they bought their homes. She had told them that it looked like there may be a Chinese drywall issue. All three asked me to test their home at the same time.

I scheduled these tests for the same time as another Fairfax, VA home inspection. All three of the homes, as well as the original home inspection, tested positive. They were all less than 50% Chinese drywall, but the corrosion and issues were significant. All three of the families mentioned lingering health issues -- sinus infections, headaches, constant colds, etc.

This stuff is real and it is ugly.

I was also contact by a group of homeowners who had been told that they have Chinese drywall. They were on the way to meet with the Governor and a Senator to try to encourage some government action.

To read more about Chinese drywall, visit http://www.hiofnva.com/pages/66/302/default.aspx

Arlington, VA Trouble...

2009-09-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

Most of the home inspections in Arlington, VA that I complete are older homes. More recently, I was commisioned to complete home inspections in Arlington, VA on several condos. The condo units had all been foreclosed. The power had been turned off and the condo association had winterized the units.

When I arrived, the units were still powered down. Although I could access the unit's sub panel, the main power had been turned off -- proabably because there was no one paying the bill. You know how that goes. It took some time, but I was able to get ahold of this Arlington, VA condo manager. She said she could have the maintenance supervisor turn on the electric. About 30 minutes later, I was still waiting for power.

I called again and she advised me that she was wrong. She could not have the power re-activated because each of the units had a balance due to the condo association. Until the balance was taken care of, the power could not be activated. I know that this is something that is supposed to be cleared during the foreclosure proceedings, but this time, it had not. On a single family home, townhome, or low-rise condo, I can power up the home with my generator and not miss a beat. Not so on a high-rise condo in Arlington, VA.

I called the realtor. My client, the actual purchaser of these Arlington, VA units, was an investor and she was coordinating the inspections. I had another home inspection in Arlington, VA and could not wait much longer. The realtor told me we would have to reschedule and I went on to my next appointment. I told her that I would have to charge per our contract for the time I had lost. She was not happy about that at all.

I hate charging for missed appointments. In fact, I can count on two hands the number of times I have had to do that. If the appointment is cancelled the day before, sometimes even the day of, I can typically fill the appoitnment slot with another inspection. That way, I don't lose out on any business opportunity. In this case, I was at the inspection and spent 1.5 hours on site before the inspection was cancelled. I had no choice.

We got to talking a bit more about what had happened. She had cleared everything with the listing agent and scheduled the inspection with me. When she called to schedule with me, about a week prior to the actual inspection, I made sure to confirm with her that the utilities would be active. She called the listing agent back and confirmed that as well.

It was at this point that I told her that, while her client would need to pay me for the missed appointment, the listing agent should be held responsible ulitimately. After a bit more digging, it turns out that the listing agent had confirmed with an asset manager that the utilities would be on. So, the asset management company ended up reimbursing my client.

This seems like the definition of "too many cooks."

About a week later, we rescheduled these Arlington, VA home inspections and they went off without a hitch.

Read more about Arlington, VA home inspections here:

http://www.hiofnva.com/categories/80/default.aspx

Home Inspections and Foreclosed Neglect

2009-09-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how many times I have had a client tell me that they weren't thinking about getting a home inspection because the home was a foreclosure or a short sale and was being sold as-is.

We are lucky in this area that the bulk of the homes are well built and relatively new. Not all of them, certainly, but many of them. This is especially true of the homes that I have inspected in Fairfax. Certainly, I have had a few home inspections in Fairfax on homes that are not in good shape. The percentage or home inspections in Fairfax on homes that are in poor condition is much lower, in my experience, than some of the other counties. I won't bother to speculate why that may be true, but it has been my experience.

Much of the damage that I do see in these Fairfax home inspections is related to neglect. Not neglect by the homeowner, necessarily, but by the bank and/or asset management company. I have seen homes that are in generally good condition have just one or two significant exceptions -- exceptions that are often considered "deal breakers." Water damage is the most common issue that occurs as a result of the bank neglecting the home.

I completed a home inspection in Fairfax about two months ago. I just spoke with the realtor and the home just went to closing. The reason? The home had not been winterized properly. When I completed this particular Fairfax home inspection, the water was off. I checked the plumbing with a compressor and caught no pressure. Nothing. Not even a little bit. It was obvious that we would have an issue if the water was turned on. The bank spent two months and had not fixed the problem. Finally, the new owner asked for a credit to the sales price so that they could settle and have the problem fixed themselves.

How many realtors have had a homeowner try to use FHA financing only to discover a defect in the home that did not allow for FHA financing? Good luck getting that fixed by the bank -- anytime this year at least.

Foreclosed properties certainly aren't unique anymore. Banks should have good systems in place to ensure that these homes are properly taken care of. Should.

The other home that sticks in my memory was a great home, also in Fairfax. The home inspection was going well -- very few issues. A few doors did not latch. A few windows were tight. Easy stuff. Then, I opened the coat closet. Dear Lord. There was a patch of mold that had worked its way through the drywall. That patch was only about 2' x 4', but it was thick and black. Not good. Pushing on the area around that patch revealed that abother 8'x8' area around the visible evidence was also soft, indicating that there may be mold on the other side of the drywall. My best guess is that the bathroom on the adjacent wall leaked for some period of time. Because of the way the home was layed out, it was likely that this Fairfax home had mold through several stories of the home. Not good, not good at all. I was glad to get a call from this client to complete another Fairfax, VA home inspection just a few weeks ago. This time, no mold.

I can venture a guess as to why these homes are not being taken care of. I took several contracts from banks/asset management companies. I would complete initial inspections, create work orders, and winterize/dewinterize homes as necessary. The pay was low and the pay was SLOW. Initially, the arrangement was that I would receive bulk orders so that they could be completed at the same time. Driving to Fairfax for one home inspection that pays $35 doesn't make much sense. Driving for 20 inspections might be a viable options. This didn't happen and I was forced to discontinue the agreement. I got to thinking about who they could possible find to complete this work at that cost. I can't say I am surprised anymore when I walk in to a home that has not been properly winterized.

Mold, mold, mold...in a new home?

2009-09-24T14:16:00.001-07:00

Mold.

Mold is just another four letter word in real estate/construction. There are a variety of different health risks associated with mold -- headaches, upper respiratory issues, and sinus infections, among others.

Not all mold is harmful, however. Mold exists all around us -- most of us never knew that it was an issue. I grew up near the coast. It was always humid and, even in the winter, a freezing night was a newsworthy event. What a PERFECT place for mold. I am sure I grew up with mold all around me. Well, I am still kicking. No significant health issues either.

That being said, some mold IS harmful.

The point I am trying to make here is that, as potential home owner, you need to be sure to identify the type (genus and species) of mold that you are dealing with. ALL homes will have some level of mold. The devil, as they say, is in the details.

In order to determine what type of mold is present, the sample needs to be tested for DNA.

DNA?!?! What? This is a mold test, not a paternity test!

It isn't as complicated as all that. The test is actually relatively inexpensive -- just $300 including lab fees. This test will tell you the genus and species of 13 different types of molds and their relative concentration. It will also yield an overall moldiness index that can be used to measure the efficacy of abatement options.

I recently completed a home inspection in Fairfax, VA. The home was full of mold. FULL of mold. The client asked me to complete a mold test to identify the concentration and varieties of mold that were present. I completed the home inspection and took a sample to send off for testing. The next day, the results came back. This home in Fairfax, VA had several different species of mold -- one known very well to be harmful to health.

With the home inspection report in hand, my clients approached the builder -- this was a new home to boot -- and requested that the mold be abated. Without argument, the builder agreed. I advised my clients that we should complete a new mold inspection on this Fairfax, VA home when they completed the abatement.

Two weeks later, I returned to Fairfax, VA to reinspect the home. With a simple visual inspection, I could see that the builder had simply coated the mold with Kilz. This was their version of mold abatement apparently. I took another sample. The next day, the test returned positive for the same species of mold. The concentration was slightly lower, but the mold was still active and still outside of a healthy range.

Finally, the builder contracted with a specialized company. When I returned for the final home inspection on this Fairfax, VA home, the tests came back positive only for one of the non-harmful varieties of mold and at a level that was consistent with the outdoor level of mold.

Any home can be susceptible to mold, not just old or foreclosed homes.

Chinese drywall update

2009-09-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

In the past six months, things have progressed rapidly.

I began testing for Chinese drywall in Virginia in March. Initially, there was not much interest and Chinese drywall testing was really just an ancillary service. My first test for Chinese drywall was in Fairfax, VA. The test came back negative. The homeowners were relieved. A family who had been neighbors of my clients before they moved also asked me to come on board and test their home for Chinese drywall.

This home was also located in Fairfax, VA. This time, however, the results weren't such a relief. My initial home inspection indicated some suspicious corrosion in several switch boxes. I recommended to my clients that we increase the level of testing so that we are able to determine exactly what areas of their home were affected. Not many people understand that the drywall in their home could be from several different manufacturers. I have yet to hear of defective Chinese drywall installed in the ceiling of a home because the manufacturers supposedly did not produce drywall in a thickness that would allow it to be hung on ceiling surfaces.

At the conclusion of the second Fairfax, VA home inspection, the home had approximately 40% Chinese drywall.

I have since completed nearly a dozen home inspections in the same Fairfax, VA neighborhood. For obvious reasons, I can't detail where the homes are located, who the builder was, etc. Suffice it to say that each of my clients has the resources and proof necessary to rectify their problem.

A Qualified Home Inspector?

2009-08-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

I am a home inspector, not a computer guy. This is my first go at the whole blogging thing. Let's see how it goes.

I operate throughout Northern Virginia -- Leesburg, Fairfax, Chantilly, Ashburn, Arlington, etc. I have inspected all the way down to Spotsylvania County.

Home inspectors can be, unfortunately, a dime a dozen. The profession is largely not regulated. Home inspectors have varying levels of experience and expertise. Some, obviously, have more than others. A home inspection is a lot of things. It is a thorough examination of the home, it is a consideration of each individual item that is identified at the home inspection, and it is a thoughtful evaluation of each of the individual items as corresponding concerns.

For example, a small crack in the basement slab is nothing out of the ordinary. I would estimate that upwards of 75% of my home inspections identify a crack in the slab. Most residential slabs are not structural, so these cracks in and of themselves are nothing to cause concern.

That same crack, in conjunction with a crack in the foundation wall or cracks in the brick veneer illustrate the potential for foundation concerns. This is an obvious and rather simple explanation of the concept, but you see the point.

Without a thorough understanding of the systems and methods of construction, a home inspector will not make the connection between some of the less obvious, more discrete problem.

How can a weekend course provide the expertise and knowledge necessary to complete a home inspection? It can't. A home inspector should have intricate knowledge of what goes on behind the walls. Making note of visible defects and concerns that are evident without the ability to "connect the dots" is a disservice to a home inspector's client and provides a false sense of security. Three minor defects, even if the relationship isn't obvious, may all be related to the same hidden concern. The same hidden concern may cause more problems in the future.

The knowledge gained through online courses, weekend classes, and continuing education is valuable. The experience and knowledge gained building homes is INVALUABLE!

visit www.hiofnva.com to read more about my experiences and qualification!