Common defects, materials, and conditions found in older New England homes.
Masonry chimneys are near and dear to my heart, and also something of a scourge to my existence as a home inspector. I’ll explain both sides of that in a minute, but first, a little context on why New England…
Nothing gets a buyer’s heart rate up like opening a basement door and finding an electrical panel with faded labels, a hand-scrawled circuit list, and antique looking wiring. Sometimes that is a real reason to worry. Sometimes it is a…
This is a question I’ve heard plenty of times. Without knowing how a home inspector “grades” a house, it’s pretty easy to imagine the inspection as some kind of test — the house either passes or fails, and everybody waits…
If you don’t find sloped floors charming, stay away from old houses. That’s not a knock on old houses. I love old houses. I’ve spent the better part of twenty years working on them, I live in one, and I…
You just got your home inspection report and your first question is the same one almost every buyer asks: “Okay, but what’s this going to cost me to fix?” That’s a completely reasonable question. You’re making a huge financial decision,…
You’ve probably seen the lists. “Top 10 home inspection red flags!” Foundation cracks, old wiring, water stains — fine, sure, those matter. But here’s what most of those lists won’t tell you: whether a crack is a problem or just…
Most people don’t think about getting a home inspection unless they’re buying or selling a house. That makes sense — that’s when someone tells you to do it, hands you a number, and you show up and sign things. But…
