Sunday, April 1, 2012

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·         Open house Sunday April, 01 2012 between 12-4 pm. This is not on the MLS.  3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath Townhouse/Condo, 1540 sq ft, 2 car garage, views of sattle back mountains, less than 2 miles from the beach. Cross streets are Alicia and crown valley. The street name is "Via Corona".

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Inspecting Townhomes in Tustin, CA

HOME INSPECTIONS IN TUSTIN, CA

Today, we would like to talk about the importance of maintaining the exterior features of your home.  More times often than not, our home inspectors in Tustin run across issues that many homeowners fail to keep up.  This applies to both people living in Single family residences and for those living in Townhomes. There is a common misconception for townhome owners that if repairs are needed in the “common” areas of the property, then the Association is responsible for these repairs.  This is not necessarily true. The folks here at Ingraffia Home Inspections have compiled a simple, yet very important list of “common area” features that may be the responsibility of the homeowner.

Roofs:

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Roof defects are huge on townhouses.  Many times, nobody knows about the defect yet, or in some cases, someone knew about a problem and made several unsuccessful attempts to repair it.

Tree branches should never touch roofs; they cause problems ranging from roof damage to allowing pests and vermin to gain easy access to crawlspaces, walls and vents.  This is like leaving your door wide open for anyone to walk in.

Decks & Patios:

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Home inspectors find more problems with decks than with any other component of a home.  With townhouses, decks are often the sole responsibility of the homeowner; if you see a bunch of different decks in various states of repair, it’s usually a dead giveaway that the deck is the owner’s responsibility, not the association.

When all the decks look identical, it’s pretty safe to say that the decks are the responsibility of the association, but it’s still important to know that your deck was properly constructed and safe for use.  An extremely common defect that I find on decks is improper nails used at the joist hangers; it doesn’t matter if it’s a townhouse or not. An improperly attached deck is the number one cause of deck collapses.

During your inspection, we will look for any missing nails, joist hangers, and anything that may look out of place. Don’t be the victim of an injury due to a poorly maintained deck.

Exterior Maintenance:

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On townhouses, exterior maintenance is obviously the responsibility of the townhouse association, but again, is the association aware of the big projects that are going to cost a lot of money?  If not, this means an assessment for the owners.

From inspecting rot and mold on wood retaining walls and fences to rusted and damaged metal railways and gates, allow Ingraffia Home Inspections to help assess and determine who should be responsible for these types of repairs.

In conclusion, the best thing you can do when living in a Townhome association is to be informed of your rights and know where your responsibilities lie for exterior repairs and maintenance.  Also remember that an Association may not know about these needed repairs unless someone tells them. Avoid the costly repairs that you may be on the hook for and inform the proper personnel to bring immediate attention to the issues before someone can get hurt.

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Tuesday, September 6, 2011

The Home Inspection Process in Fountain Valley

For consumers who aren’t 100% sure on what a home inspector in Fountain Valley does, the folks at Ingraffia Home Inspections have scoured the Internet, looking for a great informational video defining the home inspection process. We are certain that you will be completely satisfied with the report you will receive from our inspectors, and invite you to call (714) 371-8422 when you are ready to start the home inspection process before you sell or buy a home.

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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The Weird Things You Find on an Inspection

Being a home inspector isn’t always the most glamorous job available, but sometimes we run across items during an inspection that are an ultimate risk factor, dangerous, and sometimes down-right funny. We have searched the web to find a few examples (although I’m sure there are MANY more) of what NOT to accept as a “repair” from a local handyman, contractor or ANYONE you pay to work on your home. If your spouse is a DIY’er, make sure the repair does not wind up like these.

Whenever you are working with outdoor electricity, you must ensure that the wiring is properly covered. Using electrical tape to cover the wiring with caps to connect the lines is not a smart, or even legal way to connect an exterior plug. Even the receptacle itself is not the right grade.

Note: when installing outdoor plug outlets, be sure they are GFI rated and are properly covered with a lid when not in use. Any exposure to water may cause significant damage to your electrical system and may even cause a fire.

Look closely. Can you spot what’s wrong in this picture? Look closer. That’s it! Why on earth would there be an electrical outlet IN THE SHOWER? Other than being extremely dangerous, this is prohibited by building codes.

The best way to resolve this issue would be to re-route the outlet to outside of the shower stall, possibly on a neighboring wall that the wires currently share.

 

Having exposed LIVE electrical wiring is very dangerous to all occupants. Having a LIVE electrical wire next to your gas meter can be deadly. The slightest leak combined with an electrical surge can be devastating and can be an ututer disaster.

If at any time you see live, uncovered electrical wires, call a licensed and certified electrician immediately.

 

Ingraffia Home Inspections is dedicated to ensuring that your future home is completely safe and free from quick fixes that may cost you thousands of dollars in repairs later down the line. Call us today at (714) 371-8422 and let our home inspectors in Westminster save you from the local handyman who may be your worst nightmare.

Posted via email from IngraffiaHomeInspection's posterous

The Weird Things You Find on an Inspection

Being a home inspector isn’t always the most glamorous job available, but sometimes we run across items during an inspection that are an ultimate risk factor, dangerous, and sometimes down-right funny. We have searched the web to find a few examples (although I’m sure there are MANY more) of what NOT to accept as a “repair” from a local handyman, contractor or ANYONE you pay to work on your home. If your spouse is a DIY’er, make sure the repair does not wind up like these.

Whenever you are working with outdoor electricity, you must ensure that the wiring is properly covered. Using electrical tape to cover the wiring with caps to connect the lines is not a smart, or even legal way to connect an exterior plug. Even the receptacle itself is not the right grade.

Note: when installing outdoor plug outlets, be sure they are GFI rated and are properly covered with a lid when not in use. Any exposure to water may cause significant damage to your electrical system and may even cause a fire.

Look closely. Can you spot what’s wrong in this picture? Look closer. That’s it! Why on earth would there be an electrical outlet IN THE SHOWER? Other than being extremely dangerous, this is prohibited by building codes.

The best way to resolve this issue would be to re-route the outlet to outside of the shower stall, possibly on a neighboring wall that the wires currently share.

 

Having exposed LIVE electrical wiring is very dangerous to all occupants. Having a LIVE electrical wire next to your gas meter can be deadly. The slightest leak combined with an electrical surge can be devastating and can be an ututer disaster.

If at any time you see live, uncovered electrical wires, call a licensed and certified electrician immediately.

 

Ingraffia Home Inspections is dedicated to ensuring that your future home is completely safe and free from quick fixes that may cost you thousands of dollars in repairs later down the line. Call us today at (714) 371-8422 and let our home inspectors in Westminster save you from the local handyman who may be your worst nightmare.

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Monday, August 8, 2011

Your Reliable Home Inspector in Lake Forest - Ingraffia Home Inspections

The home inspector you hire in Lake Forest says a lot about who you are. When you call on Ingraffia Home Inspections at (714) 371-8422, you will choose a company that is dedicated to providing you with the utmost home inspection service. For the better part of a decade, our technicians have been providing Orange County and the rest of Southern California with unsurpassed real estate inspections.

While most people choose to go with an inspection company that offers the lowest price, they may not always be getting the best deal. You’ve heard the slogan “You get what you pay for”, and the same goes for home inspection companies that offer a bid substantially lower than other companies. Unfortunately, many crucial items may be missed, including foundation cracks, mold and mildew, or even stress cracks in the home’s frame.

When IHI arrives at your home, we will look over the condition of your home’s foundation, structure and overall property, such as any pools, spas, and other mechanical equipment you may have. You can get a better idea of all of the services we offer and our pricing by visiting our Items Inspected page of our website, as well as our pricing page.

Ingraffia Home Inspections is very competitively priced in today’s market, and will ensure that we will find all of the areas of your home that need attention. So whether you are looking to purchase a home and want a pre-purchase inspection, or you are looking for a new home purchase inspection, we can help. Our staff is ready for your call to (714) 371-8422 and we want your home inspection in Lake Forest to be successful.

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Your Reliable Home Inspector in Lake Forest - Ingraffia Home Inspections

The home inspector you hire in Lake Forest says a lot about who you are. When you call on Ingraffia Home Inspections at (714) 371-8422, you will choose a company that is dedicated to providing you with the utmost home inspection service. For the better part of a decade, our technicians have been providing Orange County and the rest of Southern California with unsurpassed real estate inspections.

While most people choose to go with an inspection company that offers the lowest price, they may not always be getting the best deal. You’ve heard the slogan “You get what you pay for”, and the same goes for home inspection companies that offer a bid substantially lower than other companies. Unfortunately, many crucial items may be missed, including foundation cracks, mold and mildew, or even stress cracks in the home’s frame.

When IHI arrives at your home, we will look over the condition of your home’s foundation, structure and overall property, such as any pools, spas, and other mechanical equipment you may have. You can get a better idea of all of the services we offer and our pricing by visiting our Items Inspected page of our website, as well as our pricing page.

Ingraffia Home Inspections is very competitively priced in today’s market, and will ensure that we will find all of the areas of your home that need attention. So whether you are looking to purchase a home and want a pre-purchase inspection, or you are looking for a new home purchase inspection, we can help. Our staff is ready for your call to (714) 371-8422 and we want your home inspection in Lake Forest to be successful.

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