| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 2016.1 | Commonwealth Home Inspections, Worcester | VIDEO::DCL | David Larrick | Fri Feb 26 1988 02:58 | 36 |
| This note was copied here by a volunteer moderator's-little-helper, as part
of an effort to copy all old contractor references to the 2000-series
topics. The first sentence is a little out of context, but it's all
relevant after that...
<<< JOET::DUA1:[000000.NOTES$LIBRARY]HOME_WORK.NOTE;1 >>>
-< Better living through DIY >-
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Note 144.5 Advice needed on 100 yr old house 5 of 8
TONTO::EARLY "Bob_the_hiker :^) " 23 lines 19-MAY-1986 12:56
-< Another vote for Home Inspections >-
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A little late for Bob's help, but if anyone wants to know: A good
house inspection is time well spent, ESPECIALLY if you follow the
inspector around and ask questions !
I use "Commonwealth Home Inspections" out of worcester, and in 1-2
hours I new more about how/what TO check than I had learned in the
previous 20 years. Also, its nice to get a "second" opinion.
I did buy my current house WITHOUT being inspected but only for
some very specific special reasons. Even now, though, I still plan
to get it inspected, but for other reasons, such as dating the
house; getting opinions on "failure prone" items,and relative
costs to repair.
Best thing about home inspectors: Their "sole" (only) interest is
the condition of the house from YOUR point of view, whereas contractors
want to "sell" you something; city inspectors worry about code;
etc.
bob
|
| 2016.4 | Home Inspection Association - Boston MA | ALIEN::WEISS | Trade freedom for security-lose both | Mon Apr 11 1988 18:02 | 35 |
| <<< JOET::DUA1:[000000.NOTES$LIBRARY]HOME_WORK.NOTE;1 >>>
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Note 148.2 NEEDED: Inspector for 100 yr old home 2 of 3
HEADS::OSBORN "Sally" 27 lines 2-MAY-1986 16:31
-< Another Home Inspector >-
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Home Inspection Association, Inc.
Donald A. George, PE (Professional Engineer)
Office Home
80 Boylston St 99 Haverhill St
Boston 02109 Methuen 01844
(617) 227-8882 (617) 688-2750
He inspected the 1820s colonial I purchased in 1976. Stuff he
said would go wrong in the next two years did. Stuff he said
would last for five years did. Stuff he said not to worry about
didn't give any grief. He recommended a paint job immediately;
that didn't happen, things went from mediocre to bad to worse
since it was original wood clapboards (pronounced claburd).
My knowledge only extends from 1976 to 1982 on that house.
He inspected the 1900s Victorian I purhcased in 1981. Stuff he
said would go wrong in the next two years (like the roof) did.
Stuff he said to ignore hasn't changed. He predicted a paint job
for 1983; we will paint the trim this year; it has aluminum
siding. (DCL - are you listening - we gotta paint the trim to
make the old house match the addition!) He gave me the kindest
words of anyone about the furnace: "it was probably new when
they put it in."
I think he charged $300 or 350 for an hour's tour and a six page
typed report. I will use him again and again!
|
| 2016.5 | Stewart/Henry Associates - Medway MA | ALIEN::WEISS | Trade freedom for security-lose both | Mon Apr 11 1988 18:05 | 24 |
| <<< JOET::DUA1:[000000.NOTES$LIBRARY]HOME_WORK.NOTE;1 >>>
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Note 148.3 NEEDED: Inspector for 100 yr old home 3 of 3
KELVIN::RPALMER "Mr Wizard take me home!" 16 lines 6-MAY-1986 08:33
-< Thanks for the help >-
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Thanks for all of the mail and replys. We ended up using Stewart/Henry
Associates, Inc. of Medway MA (617)-533-8883. They specialize in
older and antique houses. They charged $175. The inspection took
about three hours starting in the basement and ending on the roof.
He was very careful and very informative about what to fix and how
to fix it. It turns out the house is closer to 125 years old.
He called it a transition house, between post and beam and modern
building techniques. The house is framed with 6X8's and has beautiful
oak trim that some one painted. I've got a lot to learn about
restoring older houses.
Now for the bad news.... He found that the roof needs about
$1500 in repair. Back to the bargaining table
=Ralph=
|
| 2016.6 | Hallmark & Nor'Eastern - Clinton MA | ALIEN::WEISS | Trade freedom for security-lose both | Mon Apr 11 1988 18:16 | 157 |
| <<< JOET::DUA1:[000000.NOTES$LIBRARY]HOME_WORK.NOTE;1 >>>
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Note 474.7 Building Inspectors 7 of 21
DRAGON::ENORRIS "What is it, Miss Pfeffernuss?" 18 lines 22-OCT-1986 13:04
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I called all the inspectors listed in the Clinton area yellow
pages. Talking to them, the ones I liked best were Hallmark and
Nor'Eastern Home Inspection Service. I went with Nor'Eastern
because they did spectic system inspections. Gerald P. Morin
was the inspector and spent 2 1/2 hours looking the place over,
the house is 22 years old. He performed termite and lead paint
inspections also (I have a child under 6). I thought he was
excellent and showed real concern on why things were the way they
were. He found a *small* leak in the shower because he noticed
a rag that look like it had been wet before in the basement,
and a few other things that I would never have thought to look
for. He was very pleasant to deal with and loved to have you
ask questions. I wasn't sure about getting the inspection done
in the first place, but I'm glad I did. It cost me $180 but I
should recover that cost by fixing thing he noticed that I didn't
before they get any worse.
Ed
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Note 474.8 Building Inspectors 8 of 21
CAVEAT::WOLFE "Lee Wolfe" 22 lines 13-NOV-1986 10:01
-< Nor'East = top notch! >-
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re .7
Hope this isn't too late but... G. P. Morin of Nor'East also
did my inspection in Milford Ma. nearly 4 years ago. He saved me
nearly $4k at closing time!
He has a list of credentials as long as your arm. At the time
he did my inspection he was the 'head' (President, Senior whatever)
of the officiating board for home inspections required to meet
the criteria for G.I. Bill loans. Nor'East gives you what must
be a 10 page document with all sorts of neat info to take along
at closing time. (For an extra fee he will also attend the closing.)
Nor'East has branch offices in Framingham, but Morin lives in
Orange Ma. He did come down to Milford for me back in 83'. At
the time I paid $135 ($10 of which was for the Lead Paint inspection).
BTW - I did all the repair work myself for all the 'faults'
he found. I ended up spending $1.5k for parts but when you consider
he saved me $4k, I'm $2.5k the better for it!
Lee Wolfe
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Note 474.10 Building Inspectors 10 of 21
DRAGON::ENORRIS "What is it, Miss Pfeffernuss?" 4 lines 1-DEC-1986 08:54
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Nor'Eastern Home's phone is 617-620-1512. He's not there most of
the time but has a answering machine. He'll get back to you.
Ed
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Note 474.12 Building Inspectors 12 of 21
HPSMEG::LUKOWSKI "The Monday that wouldn't quit!" 29 lines 3-FEB-1987 11:29
-< Here's a good inspector. >-
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re: .11
I used Hallmark back in October (that's fairly recent) and was
very pleased. Even the realtor was surprised how thorough the guy
was. Prior to this, the realtor had considered all home inspectors
the same...useless. The inspector's name is Bob Giroux and the
charge is/was $175 which included termite inspection. He checks
all areas that he can gain access to. I don't know what inspectors
normally do but I was surprised when he opened the electrical panel
to verify that the service was 100 Amps and not just labeled as
such. He opened the water heater panel to check for insultion.
He opened the FHA furnace to see if the add-on humidifier was defective
and causing it to rust out the furnace (he said he had seen this
happen too many times in the past so it was worth checking).
He checked for insulation in the walls and attic. He recommended that
I add more insulation in the attic as well as venting and explained to
me how to do both. I don't know if other inspectors do these things but
I thought that some of these were beyond the call of duty. As I
said before, he is very thorough and I highly recommend him. By
the way, he is in Shrewsbury. If you want any more details let
me know.
Out of curiosity, I would like to hear from others how thorough/not
thorough their home inspectors were. Maybe this information will
help others in choosing an inspector or at least know what questions
to ask before hiring one.
-Jim
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Note 474.15 Building Inspectors 15 of 21
TOYBOX::BENNETT "blue skies and tailwinds..." 21 lines 16-FEB-1987 11:57
-< Don't write off Area Home Insp. >-
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I tried Mr. Gerry Morin of Nor'East, based on recommendations from
this file. He was adequate, but he did have a real
"more-knowledgeable-than-thou" attitude and wouldn't admit to having
overlooked certain items I pointed out to him. Adequate, but certainly
not exceptional.
My favorite home inspector is still Gabe Valenti at Area Home
Inspectors. I know others in this file have had bad experience
with Area, and I can't vouch for the company, but if you insist
on Gabe, you won't be disappointed. He is knowledgeable, thorough,
and will explain things in as much detail as you care to listen
to.
I was somewhat displeased with the written report from Nor'East.
It was merely a checklist, with appropriate comments scratched in
here and there. Gabe, on the other hand, sends you a multi-page
transcription of his thoughts, observations, and suggestions. I
found this to be much more useful.
-Steve
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Note 474.16 Building Inspectors 16 of 21
MORMPS::WINSTON "Jeff Winston (Hudson, MA)" 12 lines 16-FEB-1987 18:25
-< Qualified yes for G. Morin >-
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Well...I used Gerry Morin just last Saturday, and I can sympathize
with those who say that he is apparently not overly thorough (checks
most rather than ALL of the outlets, etc). However, I found his
attitude quite friendly, and as advertised, he seems to zero in quite
clearly on the biggie-type concerns. In this house, the weaknesses
were the electrical system, and the roof. He took the time to make
sure I understood the situations quite thoroughly, answered all the
questions I had (even when I called him later in the day) and his
report, while not verbose, was quite concise and to the point w.r.t.
any problems he found. I'll let you know after I move in, but I
walked away feeling that if there were any major gotchas, he would
have found them (ignorance is bliss, no?) /j
|
| 2016.7 | Probe - Worcester MA | ALIEN::WEISS | Trade freedom for security-lose both | Mon Apr 11 1988 18:23 | 14 |
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Note 474.14 Building Inspectors 14 of 21
AGNT99::BROSNIHAN "BRIAN" 6 lines 4-FEB-1987 14:11
-< sorry.... name n/a >-
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I got this number from a friend who said they were very pleased:
Probe in Worcester area. Tel# 755-2220 ...she paid $140.00 and the
guy was there for 3 hours. I plan to use them on a house we will
make an offer on this Friday.... if the seller accepts the offer
that is.
BB
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| 2016.8 | Robert Gleason - Weston Ma | ALIEN::WEISS | Trade freedom for security-lose both | Mon Apr 11 1988 18:25 | 24 |
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Note 474.18 Building Inspectors 18 of 21
RUBY::LALIBERTE 16 lines 13-APR-1987 18:38
-< RECOMMENDATION FOR INSPECTOR >-
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We can recommend an excellent home inspector : Robert Gleason of
Weston.
We bought our home 8 years ago in Acton. I forget how we got this
man's name but he was great. About a year after we used him, he
was mentioned in Boston Magazine, quite favorably.
He was extremely thorough, down to earth , and honest. He made
himself available for advice after the home inspection and my
husband did call him a few times... he was always
very patient. I think he was in business for himself but also
taught at Brandeis. I also believe he was into buying and
renovating homes himself, so he knew his stuff.
I can't recommend him highly enough. I hope he is still around.
|
| 2016.9 | Rudy Stuart - Acton Ma | ALIEN::WEISS | Trade freedom for security-lose both | Mon Apr 11 1988 18:28 | 24 |
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Note 474.20 Building Inspectors 20 of 21
HELIX::DENHAM 2 lines 24-AUG-1987 09:26
-< Vote for Stuart >-
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Used Rudy Stuart to inspect the place we just bought in Chelmsford.
Did a good job. Thorough, very willing to explain and advise.
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Note 474.21 Building Inspectors 21 of 21
MAY11::WARCHOL 6 lines 26-AUG-1987 13:43
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I'll give Rudy Stuart another recommendation. I sold him the house
he's living in now and he did a good job looking it over before he
bought it. Very nice to deal with.
Nick
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| 2016.10 | Don't use the inspector the realtor recommends | PSTJTT::TABER | Reach out and whack someone | Tue Apr 26 1988 12:47 | 19 |
| I don't know anything about Boston Home Evaluators, but I would like to
pass on a little tip: it's not wise to use an inspector that has been
recommended by your realtor. The inspector is supposed to be working
for you. The realtor is working for the seller. If the inspector feels
that they got the job because of the realtor, that's a conflict of
interest, and is bad.
Go through the Yellow Pages, or a recommendation in this file, contact
an inspector yourself and make the arrangements. That wat, they know the
job came from you, and will work to protect your interests. Be there
when the inspector arrives, and stay with them. (no sense letting the
realtor or seller get him off in a corner somewhere.)
Most inspectors will get you off someplace quiet and ask if you really
want to buy the house. If you say no, they'll flunk it. If you say
yes, they'll tell you what you're up against. I always look at that as
a case of them working for my interests.
>>>==>PStJTT
|
| 2016.11 | Investment Protection Services - Hollis NH | ARCHER::TRACEY | | Mon Jun 20 1988 13:51 | 23 |
| We used a firm out of Hollis N.H. call Investment Protection Services
Inc. (David Caldwell) to inspect two homes we were interested in
buying. He found a major problem in the first house that would have
cost us a bundle if we hadn't had a pro do the inspection. That
was key to us deciding to continue looking for another house.
He was extremely thorough and explained everything as he proceeded.
He took about 2-3 hours to inspect a large colonial and checked
electric boxes, all systems, all applicances, chimney's etc. They
also arrange for pest and radon testing which was very convenient.
Total tab for the inspection was $200. I believe. Pest and radon
fees were extra. They also provided a complete report with all systems
and features of the house rated on a scale of excellent to poor.
Real Pro's, I'd give them a strong endorsement.
By the way we used Stuart/Henry out of Milford also, they specialize
in older homes. They did a nice job on an old victorian we owned
in Massachusetts. I learned a few things about the house I'd lived
in for 10 years. The handwritten report could have been better.
These reports are somewhat subjective, but they can have a bearing
on a price negotiation.
Dave
|
| 2016.17 | Probe - Worcester | HPSTEK::DVORAK | Drink Grim,the Decoffeenated Caffeine | Tue Apr 04 1989 21:04 | 31 |
| 2012
We used Probe home inspection (Worcester), based on the recommendation
of another Deccie. It is a one-man business, the guy (Gill Brust)
apparently used to be a builder but now has knee (and probably back)
problems. The guy did 2 houses for us, (one in Blackstone) on two
separate occasions. The first house had 3 different kinds of insects
in it, the second one we bought.
He took about 4 hours at each house, and the sellers Realtor HATED him
on sight, which is a good sign. He also gave us good advice ( A first
time home buyer needs all he can get) on how to terminate the first
agreement, based on the inspection, and pointed out to us that the
sellers Realtor is NOT entitled to a free copy of the inspection..
which they of course asked for (and did not get! :^) ). The sellers
Realtor then wanted the seller to offer us half the cost of the
inspection to get a copy...
We had the strong impression that he cared about the present and future
well-being of his clients, and were very pleased with his services. He
also gave us DIY advice on how to fix some of the problems he found
with the house we bought. We'll be using him if/when we buy again.
Whomever you pick to do the inspection-- Please don't pick the person
the sellers Realtor recommends! There is too much potential for
conflict of interest. Same goes for your real estate lawyer...
To sum up- Probe is a great service if you are a buyer. But if you are
a seller, you're going to cringe when he drives up.. 8^).
George Dvorak
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| 2016.18 | Mel Chalfen, Newton | CLOSET::T_PARMENTER | Former Sage Fellow | Wed Apr 05 1989 20:49 | 23 |
| We had our building inspected before we made a bid and we included the
inspection, photographs, cost estimates to fix, and all as part of our
bid. The sellers got a copy for free, but it saved us thousands. Our
offer for the house was the seller's price minus the cost of fixing
everything the inspector found.
The law in Mass. is that the seller's real estate agent does not have
to assiduously seek out problems with the building being sold, but if
the agent knows of any problems, he's obliged to tell prospective
purchasers about those problems. We delivered information about a
whole bunch of problems to the seller's agent and suddenly, competing
bids were withdrawn and new bids, much lower, started coming in. And
we got the house.
The inspector was Mel Chalfen of Newton, and boy, do the real-estate
agents hate him. They call him "Kill-a-deal-Mel". His reports are
complete and technically accurate. He's an engineer. The reports
include relevant laws and codes and estimates of the high and low cost
of repairing defects. He missed nothing, from the dimmest corner of
the basement to the top of the chimney. I'd recommend him
unreservedly. He's expensive and worth it. He taught many of the
other home inspectors in the area.
|
| 2016.20 | Gil Brust, PROBE Home Inspections | STROKR::DEHAHN | | Fri Jun 30 1989 18:31 | 17 |
|
I would also recommend Gil Brust from Probe Home Inspections in
Worcester. Gil covered all the bases and found many small things that I
would not have thought of to check. Nothing was important enough to
take issue with the seller but I felt that if there was, he would have
found it. He also took the time to draw pictures of how to fix up the
small problems he found. Since there were no show stoppers what I got
most out of him was his assessment of the structure and the details of
it's construction. He related this to me in terms of the codes and
laws which was most helpful. He also extended his service past the
inspection day, if i have any other questions about what he found after
we move in he said I was free to call him and he'd go over it with me.
He knows about HOME_WORK and does a lot of work for Digital people.
He's a nice guy, too.
Chris deHahn
|
| 2016.21 | Able home inspection - Saugus | BUFFER::LOMBARDI | Chuck Lombardi | Tue Jan 02 1990 11:29 | 15 |
| A very good choice for HOME INSPECTION for the NORTH SHORE and inside the 495
general vicinity is ABLE HOME INSPECTION.
DENNIS R. ROBITAILLE
ABLE HOME INSPECTION, INC.
SAUGUS, MASS.
(617) 231-0236
|
| 2016.22 | Chris Monahon, Newton/Watertown/Waltham | DAVE::MITTON | MS-DOS: 50M sold, 15M per year | Tue Jun 05 1990 00:16 | 27 |
| My former roommate and myself both used:
P. Christopher Monahon, Jr
National Home Inspection Service
31 Sterns St, Newton MA.
617-923-2300
My roommate used him for a Cambridge condo in fairly good shape.
But he found a furnace flue that wasn't slanting upwards by an inch!
I used him on a house in Lexington. The broker (and another broker
we spoke to) knew him from other jobs in the area. He is very
through (though some of the quirks in the additions on this place
gave him fits and threw off the timing) and gives a hand written report
on the spot after about a ~2.5 hour inspection. Basic rate is $225 for
building and pest. Lead paint "spot" testing and Radon is extra.
(Real lead paint testing requires a lab)
Chris is very friendly, he suggests that you accompany him while he is
inspecting and he will comment as he goes. I recommend this so you can
ask questions and get better explanations on-the-spot. I followed him
around with a camera, and cleared the way into a crawl space for him.
My roommate mentioned that his father was a home inspector also, so
experience must run in the family.
Dave.
|
| 2016.23 | Antique specialist? | NATASH::HYATT | | Mon Jul 09 1990 20:42 | 8 |
| Can anyone recommend a top home inspector who specializes
in antiques? House is ~150 yr old brick w/ clapboard
addition, in Lancaster MA. We really need someone who
knows their sh*t when it comes to old houses.
Thanks,
Mike
|
| 2016.24 | Home Inspection Association, Inc. | CARTUN::VHAMBURGER | Whittlers chip away at life | Tue Jul 10 1990 12:32 | 36 |
| This note was buried inside another note when these requests were
consolidated......I doubt Sally will mind my posting it here again.
Vic H
================================================================================
Note 148.2 NEEDED: Inspector for 100 yr old home 2 of 3
HEADS::OSBORN "Sally" 27 lines 2-MAY-1986 16:31
-< Another Home Inspector >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home Inspection Association, Inc.
Donald A. George, PE (Professional Engineer)
Office Home
80 Boylston St 99 Haverhill St
Boston 02109 Methuen 01844
(617) 227-8882 (617) 688-2750
He inspected the 1820s colonial I purchased in 1976. Stuff he
said would go wrong in the next two years did. Stuff he said
would last for five years did. Stuff he said not to worry about
didn't give any grief. He recommended a paint job immediately;
that didn't happen, things went from mediocre to bad to worse
since it was original wood clapboards (pronounced claburd).
My knowledge only extends from 1976 to 1982 on that house.
He inspected the 1900s Victorian I purhcased in 1981. Stuff he
said would go wrong in the next two years (like the roof) did.
Stuff he said to ignore hasn't changed. He predicted a paint job
for 1983; we will paint the trim this year; it has aluminum
siding.
He gave me the kindest words of anyone about the furnace:
"it was probably new when they put it in."
I think he charged $300 or 350 for an hour's tour and a six page
typed report. I will use him again and again!
|
| 2016.25 | Home Inspector/Engineer Needed! | VAXWRK::OXENBERG | You Know You Know | Mon Oct 22 1990 13:27 | 7 |
|
Would anyone out there recommend an engineer/home inspector? This
would be for a house in Roslyn, NY, which is located on Long Island.
Thanks in advance.
Phil
|
| 2016.26 | Paul Cornell - Accurate Inspection Tewksbury MA. | TPVON::VON | Gregg von Sternberg - TPSG Design Consulting | Sat Apr 18 1992 16:35 | 217 |
| 2016.27 | Moderator action taken and explained | SENIOR::HAMBURGER | One more imbecile than I counted on! | Sun Apr 19 1992 02:37 | 19 |
| As moderator, I have set the previous note hidden in accordance with
Digital policies. We cannot have a discussion of contractors, inspectors,
etc, by name in this file that cast dispersions, however obliquely, on
those contractors or inspectors. I understand the authors' wish to discuss
the problems of differing opinions between contractors, inspectors, etc,
but those discussions must be of a generic nature, NO NAMES, PLEASE!
I think the problem is fair game for discussion, but bringing names into
the note will accomplish nothing other than to get HOME_WORK into hot water
and get the note summarily set hidden or deleted by myself or other
moderators.
Please reread the Digital policy by Mr. Ron Glover that is posted in one of
the early policy notes for this file or send mail to the moderators to get
clarification.
Thanks,
Vic H, Moderator
|
| 2016.28 | Home Inspectors - perspective needing in dealing with | TPVON::VON | Gregg von Sternberg - TPSG Design Consulting | Mon Apr 20 1992 18:06 | 214 |
|
This note is being written by the seller of a home recently
inspected. I wanted to share the following experience to allow
other employees who may be considering hiring any home inspector
so from this experience they may consider the need to weigh the
information which is provided as the results of the inspector.
This note is not intended to turn people away from hiring an inspector.
In fact if the inspector my wife and I had hired when we bought our
home four years ago had done his job more thoroughly then, we would
find ourselves with less issues in selling our home today.
The format of the this note is a selection of statements made by
the inspector and the subsequent estimates and feedback from
contractors resulting from these statements.
The house inspected was 110+/- years of age residing in Newburyport Ma.
All the notes below are related to inspector's findings within the
basement of the home. It is not my intent to reflect the whole contents
of inspector's report here but more the salient issues to give
substantiation to the lead paragraph of this note.
Main basement:
o The bottom of the stairs are rotted. All treads need to be replaced.
Remove the bottom step and pour a concrete one in its place for
support.
(stated as fact and determined resolution - note builders
comment below)
o Some asbeatos insulation is present on the old furnace.
(stated as fact - note local oil companies and local contractors
have reviewed the this for removal and have stated to the contrary)
o The forward sill needs to be replaced and rear sill of the right side
of the main house should also be replaced.
(stated as fact and determined resolution - note builders
comment below)
o Wood support posts should be replaced with non-compressive
lally columns.
(stated as fact and determined resolution - note builders
comment below)
o Joist under the stairs should be supported every four feet.
(stated as fact and determined resolution - note builders
comment below)
o 2" x 6" joist should all be sistered to increase the integrity
of all floors accessible.
(stated as fact and determined resolution - note builders
comment below)
o The main beam should be sistered with an 8"x8", supported by
footed lally columns. (adjacent beam does not line up under
the wall upstairs and therefore does not serve to adequately
replace the main beam.)
(stated as fact and determined resolution - note builders
comment below)
Crawl space:
o At least 2/3rds of all sills show evidence of structural compression
due to moisture or insect damage.
o The crawl space needs to be vented.
(stated as fact and determined resolution - note builders
comment below)
o Damage to many points is extensive enough to be warrant replacement
or sistering of existing framing.
(stated as fact and determined resolution - note builders
comment below)
o The foundation will not support a second floor
(stated as fact and determined resolution - note builders
comment below)
Given the above findings the home inspection was terminated by the
prospective buyer within the basement. At a later point the buyer
suggested bringing in contractors to access the work needed to be
done on inpector's report and make a determination as to how then to
proceed in the deal.
Four contractors were brought in. I can only reflect the findings
of three here since two were obtained by the prospective buyer
and only one of the buyer's contractor reports were made available
to myself.
From the buyer's contractor number one the above work stated by
the inspector was estimated to cost $5375- . That does not include
an additional $5140- which would address all issues stated by the
inspector's report like the doubling of the crawl space foundation
wall inorder to be able to support a second story $2,850 and other
extras. Contractor one appeared to find the inspectors report a
convenient work sheet upon which to hang a dollar figure for each
item listed.
The second contractor for the buyer found none of the work on
the list above for the basement under the main house needed to be
done and disagreed with inspector's findings. He positioned
himself as an old house person. He stated that the sill under the
main house was sound and that he would not do work on it if asked
because the disruption to the house that would cause far exceeded
any benefit gained in doing any replacement. The main beam work
was sufficiently supported in the repair which had previously been
done and the sistering of all the joist was viewed as unnecessary.
Eric stated that these houses were built like ships with white pine
and although the construction was not to todays standards they
were built to last. The crawl space was an area where he did express
the need to do sill work. I don't have detail or a work estimate
to his compare with either inspector's findings or contractor one's
estimate, but given that the work which contractor one has estimated
to be $1525- in the main basement doesn't need to be done from
his view then there is $1525- difference there.
The first of the contractors we brought in was number three. Number
three provided an estimate for the replacing 65' of sill
(the main house and in the crawl space) and reframing under the crawl
space. This estimate came to $3880-.
The following note was written by number four - a Carpenter Builder.
which was the second contractor which we brought in.
<start>
After reading the inspector's report and observing the
various deficiencies that he brings to light, it is my
opinion that, generally speaking, he is dramatizing very
common situations found in older homes. I did not see
any of the conditions he described as being serious in
nature, although I do agree with the necessity of replacing
the sills in the rear of the one-story (crawl space) section of
the house at some point in the near future.
In specifically addressing some of the issues he raised, I
would not deem it necessary to replace all the basement
stair treads. Certainly the bottom tread is shaky and the
top tread has a patch that could use repair. The driveway
side sills (main house) that he claims need to be replaced
only show 1" of decay, leaving more than enough structural
integrity to support it's load. In regards to replacing the
wood supports with steel columns, the inspector appears to
have little knowledge of the compressive strength of wood
parallel to the grain. I quote from R. Bruce Hoadley, the
nation's leading wood technologist:
"Calculations of supporting members of buildings show
a wide margin of overdesign in compression parallel to
the grain. I cannot remember ever seeing a failure or
hearing of one, due to compression stress parallel to
the grain. A chair made with 1.5" diameter hickory
legs could support 32,430 lbs. Wood is surprisingly
strong in compression parallel to the grain."
Also, the joist under the stair is more than adequately
supported. Addressing the issue of the main beam, that
I believe he calls for an additional 8x8 underneath:
there is some decay at the bottom of this beam, but the
two additional beams that were added more than compensates
for whatever strength may have been lost in the main beam.
It's hard to understand concern over a beam's strength
when you jump on the floor above and there is less deflection
than what is allowed under modern codes. Sistering new 2x6 to
the old joist hardly seems an efficient thing to do when the
floor appears to be stiff enough as is. The crawl space does not
necessarily need to be vented. Studies show that often times
vents introduce more moisture than they eliminate. Leveling the
grade and installing a vapor retarder is definitely a good idea,
however. The ability of the foundation to support any potential
second story should be addressed by a structural engineer, not
by a builder or an inspector.
Back on a more general note, the sill and framing problems
are not nearly as serious as the report portrays. There are
many, many years of life left in some of the components he
says should be replaced.
<end>
Four's estimate was $600- to replace the rear sill and 8-10' on each
side sill within the crawl space area.
In Summary:
I can not assume that any of the above may have killed the deal on
my house. Deals come and go for many reasons and some people are
just not suited for some homes or visa-versa. I won't say that the
inspector did his job incorrectly I'll defer to the experts for that
as I would hope that inspector would. I will not assume either that
some of the contractors were trying to ride the fear and ignorance of
the buyer and seller in this case. One thing I do take a stand on here
is that there were a broad range of opinions stated above which when
reduced to dollar figures went from substantial to insignificant in
relative terms. I leave it to you to judge who the experts are. I hope
the above was enlightening for some, it was surely educational for
myself. If nothing else is read from this read "Beware the Experts!".
regards,
Gregg von Sternberg
|
| 2016.29 | Inspector needed for Nashua - Soon! | LANDO::BERGERON | | Fri Apr 24 1992 15:19 | 27 |
|
Hi! I am looking for recommendations for a Home Inspector in the
Nashua, NH area.
The house that would be inspected is approx. 47 years old.
If recommendations were offered, it would be helpful if phone numbers
and est. costs were included.
We need to have the house inspected within the next 7 days, so the
sooner the recommendation, the better.
We're first time home buyers and it would be nice to get a thorough
house inspection and know exactly what we're getting into.
Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.
Serena
(a mortgage, a move and a marriage, all within the next 5 months! Talk
about STRESS!!!!) :)
|
| 2016.30 | Gil Brust, PROBE good reference | FSOA::BERICSON | MRO1-1/L87 DTN 297-3200 | Thu Apr 30 1992 16:50 | 8 |
| Another thubs up for Gil Brust, Probe... Yesterday he saved me
thousands of dollars. He really know his business... know what to look
for. "Hmmm southern pine spanning 16 feet... that's maxed out lets
check upstairs we should see some sag" We did. "Sawdust here, lets pry
up the insulation and look for leakage" There was. "The design of that
chimney near the house will trap snow." etc etc. I'm buying my fourth
house and thought I was reasonably savy... NOT! When you see a pro at
work you know it.
|
| 2016.31 | Paul Cornell | KAHALA::FULTZ | ED FULTZ | Tue Jun 09 1992 18:19 | 4 |
| I am looking for the phone number for Paul Cornell. Anyone have it?
Ed..
|
| 2016.32 | Xref to REAL_ESTATE | VIA::SUNG | Live Free or Live in MA | Wed Jun 10 1992 15:30 | 5 |
| See note 73 in TALLIS::REAL_ESTATE
73 SAFETY::WALKER 2-FEB-1987 81 *** Official Home Inspector Referral Note ***
-al
|
| 2016.33 | Paul Maida - Plaistow NH | BRAT::PAQUETTE_L | | Wed Jun 17 1992 20:41 | 19 |
| Paul Maida just inspected a house I'm thinking about purchasing (a bank
forclosure) and I'm very pleased w/ the quality of work that was done.
If he hadn't removed insulation in the cellar I never would have known
the extent of rot and carpenter ant damage that had been done on what
the real estate agent claimed was "almost perfect condition" and a
"real steal".
He gives you a 30 page report on the premeisis immediately following
the inspection. I'm extremely impressed with the fact that I've been
able to call him several times since then and he has returned all my
calls and answered my questions.
The inspection took almost 3 3/4 hours (for a 26'X44' split).
The cost was $190 for the inspection and $50 for the radon test. The
bank is going to have to invest $3500 +- to get the home into good
enough condition for me to buy it. (Definitely well worth the $ for an
inspection!)
Paul's # are 1-800-669-3809 and (603)382-3839.
|
| 2016.34 | Home Inspector Don Poole Sr. Framingham, Ma. Excellent! | EMDS::MANGAN | | Wed Jul 08 1992 13:46 | 1 |
| Home Inspector Don Poole Sr. Framingham, Ma. Excellent!
|
| 2016.35 | | RANGER::PESENTI | Only messages can be dragged | Mon Jul 13 1992 12:02 | 2 |
| I used Don Poole Sr. back in '84 when I bought my house in Lunenburg. I second
the recommendation. Excellent!
|
| 2016.36 | Northeast Inspection Services, Peterborough NH | ABSISG::CHIQUOINE | AFoolAndHisMoneyAreSoonElected | Mon Jul 13 1992 23:56 | 10 |
| Northeast Inspections Services, Peterborough, NH.
I'll tell you up front that Geoff Aldrich is a friend of a friend,
but I'm also familiar with his work both as a seller and a buyer. When
we sold our house last year I hired him to inspect my then future
home. Apparently the buyer of my house decided to follow my lead and
hired him as well. Geoff has many years experience in the building
trade and was very forthcoming with comments and advice about my new
house (he didn't hide anything from the buyer of my last house either
:-)).
|
| 2016.37 | Maida Home Inspection, Plaistow, Nh | TNPUBS::MACKONIS | For a time,I rest in the grace of the world, and am free..." | Wed Jul 15 1992 17:12 | 18 |
| I will have to declare myself another satisfied cutomer of Paul Maida. I am
in the process of purchasing an "old" home and his inspection was both
thorough and professional.
He arrived about an hour and half before I did and had already done a lot of the
roof and crawl space inspection before I got there. Then we walked through the
balance of the house and he went over all the areas with me as well as com-
pleting a written report that was ready at the end of the inspection.
He was extremely helpful as was his wife Sandy who takes care of the calls and
is very good about answering questions that pop up either before or after the
actual inspection.
Paul is located in Plaistow, NH
1-800-669-3809
dana
|
| 2016.38 | SEPTIC Inspecter | JLOCKE::CALDERA | | Fri Mar 18 1994 17:55 | 20 |
| Don't know if this should be under Septic Systems or under Home
Inspecters.
I was looking at a place in Wayland had Don Poole Sr. do the home
inspection, he is still as good as he was, great guy and knows what he
is doing. House passed.
I then had the SEPTIC SYSTEM inspaected by Lakeside Sewerage Service,
Inc. out of Marlboro. GOOD thing I did, it failed B I G time. The
property abutted wetlands. The system was not a "System" it was
2 cesspool with a connecting pipe. Gary the guy that did the
inspection said it would be about a $15,000 job, I had that confermed
by others. The seller was not willing to make any concessions, so I
got out of the deal. Lakeside Sewerage Service, Inc. was very
professional, the selling broker called him and tried to get him to
change his report, and he said he was a professional and he was
sticking to what he had written and would not change even under the
great pressure the broker exerted. I am still in the market so I will
use him again. (508)485-1063.
|
| 2016.39 | Ace Home Inspections | FREEBE::SPARGO | | Tue Mar 29 1994 19:50 | 14 |
| I found an excellent home inspector for the central MA area. I had him
(Tim) come out to look at a 35yr old cape in Princeton MA, and he found
a number of problems that I would have missed:
Water temp. to high
Bathroom GFI's not wired properly
Roof in need of repair
Floor in back of toilet rotten (I wouldn't have crawled back there)
and worst of all, termites and carpenter ants infesting one whole
wall.
Ace Home Inspections
Gardner, MA
(508) 630-2178
1-800-474-7007
|
| 2016.40 | Help... | KUZZY::LEBLANC | | Mon May 16 1994 16:35 | 16 |
|
Does anyone have any experience with the following inspectors:
Don Poole
Tiger Insurance
Professional Home Inspectors
Also, should a 'specialized' inpsecotr be used for septic systems
or are the 'better' inspectors capable of performing the septic
exam???
Thanks for your help,
Ken
|
| 2016.41 | | DFSAXP::JP | And the winner is.... | Wed May 18 1994 11:34 | 8 |
| I had DOn Poole do my house about 10 years ago. He was very good. Did
a thorough inspection. There were LOTS of little things that he talked
about as he did the inspection. I strongly recommend following him
with a notepad, as he'll rattle off lots of little tips for doing minor
and major repairs and touchups.
As for septic inspection, that's usually done by the person who pumps
it out.
|
| 2016.42 | Something for FREE!(no kidding!) | WMOIS::FLECK_S | Love me, Love my dogs, cats, etc. | Wed Jun 19 1996 13:22 | 27 |
|
I would like to recommend that every homeowner have an audit
done by Mass-Save. I had them come to my house last night and
what they do is go around your house and tell you where to save
money. Everything is FREE! The guy wrapped my hot water heater,
put a new shower head on(2 1/2 gal.) put a new thing on my kitchen
faucet and put a new light bulb in one of my lights. They also
test your furnace and make recommendations to make it run more
efficient. This whole thing takes about 1 1/2 hours, but its
well worth it and its FREE! The guy came at night, after work
which worked well for me.
If you have electric heat, you'll make out like
a bandit! They will insulate areas that need it and caulk(?)
windows etc. They audited my friends house(elec.heat) and
they did about $7000. worth of work for FREE! The auditor
told me they do do more for electric heat customers seeing
Mass Electric sponsers this audit.
Here's the info I have and feel free to contact
me off line for more info.
MASS-SAVE, INC.
200 Fifth Ave. Waltham MA 02154
617-890-7788 1-800-649-7788 Fax:617-890-7530
p.s. they will come back and do a checkup if you make repairs
or have someone come in and make repairs.
also I believe this is in Massachusetts only.
Sue Fleck
|
| 2016.43 | | 19096::BUSKY | | Wed Jun 19 1996 14:08 | 15 |
| > windows etc. They audited my friends house(elec.heat) and
> they did about $7000. worth of work for FREE! The auditor
Such as...?
It's a good program and they do through in a few free-bees to get
you going and thinking about conservation. For example, the low
flow shower heads, probably worth about $5, the low wattage light
bulb, maybe $10 or so and the water heater wrap, probably cost
them $15 or so. And they throw in the labor to install them.
But what did they do that was worth $7,000! Insulate the whole
house?
Charly
|
| 2016.44 | | MROA::MACKEY | | Wed Jun 19 1996 14:28 | 20 |
| They also did a lot at my house. pressure tested the house for leaks
etc. They ended up spending the entire day. I needed more insulation
in my crawl spaces and they would have had another crew come out to
do that. All I would have to either do myself or pay them to do was
install 3 roof vents before they would add the insulation. I never
botherer. They have two plans, the one for the normal owner where
they do small stuff like mentioned in .42 then the more agressive one
if you heat by electric. You must qualify by usage for this. The
funny thing was they had called me 2 years in a row. I have two meters
one for the house and one for a barn that really is used for the pool
filter. We have electric but really heat by coal. they would not
qualify the meter associated with the house but would the barn, I
think they actually would have insulated my barn. The next year they
called again and I did not mention the barn having a meter. this is
when they came out and did the house, They were confused at why the
meter was listed as rear because the could not find the apartment
on the house. I never told them what it really was. I did notice there
paperwork showed in big letters that the meter labeled FRONT does
NOT QUALIFY. After they were done he asked me what the front meter
was and I said it was the barn. But it really was the house.
|
| 2016.45 | Maybe not 7K, but they do a lot! | ICS::GREENE | | Wed Jun 19 1996 15:34 | 25 |
| We had an energy audit performed a couple of years ago. I don't recall
the name of the organization, it was mentioned as a free service in one
of our electric bills. Our house has electric heat.
Similar to .43 and .44, we had the pressure test; had the maximum
number of energy saving lights given to us; had some weatherstripping
installed for a couple of doors; as well as replacement of the shower
head and 2 or 3 sink faucet heads. When they checked the attic, we
found out that it appeared to have the original insulation that was
installed when the house was built, ~25 years ago - ~6" worth! We did
qualify for free insulation to be blown in, provided that we get the
house upgraded to include a couple of ridge vents as well as soffit
vents. We gladly paid them to have them come back and install the
vents, and bring the installation up to current standards. Apparently
our consumption combined with the previous owners qualified us.
I remember the day that they came with the insulation. They arrived
in a van for the employees and their equipment, as well as a separate
Ryder truck for the insulation. When they were done, they had blown in
90 30 pound bags of insulation! I'm not sure how much 90 bags of
insulation is worth, but to me it was well worth the ~$200 to install
the vents.
kjg
|
| 2016.46 | Just passing along info. | WMOIS::FLECK_S | Love me, Love my dogs, cats, etc. | Wed Jun 19 1996 15:43 | 5 |
|
My friend is the one who quoted $7000. They insullated the garage,
and attic and did many other things. Maybe 7000 is a high figure but
considering the labor (all day) I'm sure it totaled up to be quite
high. Sue
|
| 2016.47 | | WRKSYS::MACKAY_E | | Wed Jun 19 1996 16:38 | 14 |
|
We had them come by years ago. The pipe insulation was great.
But forget about the shower head and the light bulbs for us.
We tried the shower head for a couple weeks and I was so
frustrated with it. It took me 2 x as long to rinse the shampoo
and conditioner off my hair, time worths more than money to me,
spending extra time in the shower each day isn't my idea of
"improvement". The light bulbs bothered my eyes, so we used them
in closets!
Eva
|
| 2016.48 | | NOTIME::SACKS | Gerald Sacks ZKO2-3/N30 DTN:381-2085 | Thu Jun 27 1996 20:20 | 6 |
| > The light bulbs bothered my eyes, so we used them
> in closets!
Since they're fluorescents, they use a significant amount of electricity
to start up. They don't make much sense in applications like closets
where they're only on for brief periods.
|
| 2016.49 | maybe twice the electricity for one second | EVMS::MORONEY | It's alive! Alive! | Thu Jun 27 1996 21:48 | 4 |
| They use a little more energy than "on" but not significant. They may not
have the rated life by going through many off-on stages, however.
-Mike
|