Clearwater Tampa St. Petersburg Home Inspection

Advice for consumers on choosing a home inspector in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Cleawater

Posted via email from Clearwater St. Petersburg Tampa Home Inspection News

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Steals & Deals

Steals & Deals

The free enterprise system is great and there are many online and offline savings oportunities. On the other hand, you need to know where they are, when they expire and how to get them. This section will be growing rapidly, If you have some, send them in!

Mark Cramer

Mark Cramer Inspection Services, Inc.

492 20th Ave.

Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785

727-595-4211

Advice for consumers on choosing a home inspector in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Cleawater

Posted via email from Clearwater St. Petersburg Tampa Home Inspection News

Home Safety Resources

Home Safety Resources

We sometimes take it for granted. Our safety in our homes and community is never assured. From unsafe products to community policing activities we hope to show you how to get involved and build a safer household, neighborhood and community at large.

Mark Cramer

Mark Cramer Inspection Services, Inc.

492 20th Ave.

Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785

727-595-4211

Advice for consumers on choosing a home inspector in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Cleawater

Posted via email from Clearwater St. Petersburg Tampa Home Inspection News

Show AND Tell: How-To Videos For Home Projects

Show AND Tell: How-To Videos For Home Projects.

Editors Disclosure: we do not have an advertising relationship with the producer or distributor of these videos. They are offered as valuable and trusted resources. We thank Lowe's for their public service.

Many times the best way to improve your home's value is to add mini-renovations and upgraded components. These Lowes' videos feature step-by-step instructions and will guide you through the most popular home improvement projects.

Bath

How To Replace a Bath Exhaust Fan

Doors & Windows

Exterior

Flooring

Interior

Kitchen

How To Install a Kitchen Faucet

Mark Cramer

Mark Cramer Inspection Services, Inc.

492 20th Ave.

Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785

727-595-4211

Advice for consumers on choosing a home inspector in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Cleawater

Posted via email from Clearwater St. Petersburg Tampa Home Inspection News

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

How To Choose a Clearwater Home Inspector

Many consumers believe that all home inspectors are licensed and trained. Nothing could be further from the truth. In Florida at present, anyone can buy an occupational license and call themselves a Clearwater home inspector. Caveat Emptor. Home inspectors will be licensed in Florida in 2011, but virtually everyone practicing now will be Grandfathered in.

There are huge differences between home inspectors. Like all professions or trades, the majority are rather mediocre. A small percentage are spectacularly bad. An even smaller percentage are very, very good. You want one of the very good ones. Your home is often the largest investment of your life. Take some time to make sure you are hiring someone you can trust to do an excellent job and to look out for your interests above all others.

A referral from a friend or co-worker is good place to start. But you should still do a little more homework before choosing an inspector.

The majority of homebuyer's rely on their real estate agent for a referral to an inspector, but there's an inherent conflict of interest present. Here's a dirty little secret. Many home inspectors are dependent upon agent referrals to stay in business. As a result, they tend to minimize defects to keep the referring agents happy. Obviously, this is not in your best interest.

Many agents categorize inspectors into three groups:

The inspectors they recommend when it's their listing. These are the guys with poor eyesight and dull pencils.
The inspectors they recommend when they're acting as buyer's agents.
The inspectors they recommend to their relatives. This is the inspector you want. He's the one they NEVER recommend, except when a friend or relative is buying a home.

This may be the only business where the referring marketplace punishes those who do the best job!

Of course not every agent is waiting to take advantage of you, there are certainly ethical agents who want their clients to get the best inspection possible. If you are comfortable with your agent, by all means listen to their advice. But you still might want to use the following list of questions to make sure your making the right decision.

Check with the Better Business Bureau for unresolved complaints. You might also want to check with your local court system for judgments entered against the company. Try searching Google.com for "Judgment" and your County name.

Here's a list of questions you can use to make sure you are hiring a qualified home inspector.

How long have you been in business?

Experience counts in this business. There is absolutely, positively no substitute for experience. Don't hire anyone who's been in business for less than five years. On the other hand, there are inspectors who have been around for years who do a crummy job. With no training and little or no continuing education, they often don't realize how sub-standard they are.

Do you have any other qualifications?

Most good inspectors have other credentials, such as a contractor’s license or certification from a Building Code Organization.

Do you have any formal training?

The majority of home inspectors don't. Most of us get formal training at weekend seminars or conferences. Good home inspectors sit through more than 50 hours of educational sessions each year.

What did you do before you got into the inspection business?

A background in construction or engineering is preferable. The more experience your inspector has, the better. Avoid someone who was selling shoes last year.

Will you be doing my inspection personally?

Make sure you know who will be doing your inspection. You want the boss, not a trainee.

What Associations do you belong to?

If your home inspector doesn't belong to a couple of home inspection associations, he's operating in his own little world of limited knowledge and experience. ASHI members agree to inspect to a recognized Standard of Practice and agree to adhere to a Code of Ethics. Don't even think of hiring someone who's not a member of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Learn more about ASHI here.

Don't be confused by "certifications" sold by trade organizations. Many require nothing more than a check. Beware of organizations claiming their members are the world’s greatest. I personally know of two dogs that became certified home inspectors. Here's an investigative report on one association: http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/team4/3405354/detail.html

What Standard do you use for inspecting?

Many uneducated inspectors don't use any recognized standard of practice. The ASHI Standard of Practice are the most widely recognized. In Florida, the FABI standards of practice parallel the ASHI Standards.

How long will the inspection take?

There's no one right answer to this question. Each inspection is different. Older or larger homes take longer. Homes on slabs are easier than homes with crawl spaces. At minimum, any home will take 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours of time to perform the inspection and write the report. We sometimes spend 5 or 6 hours or more on a larger or older home.

Can I attend the inspection with you?

Make sure your inspector allows you to attend the inspection. If not, be wary. Being at the inspection and seeing the problems will greatly increase your understanding of the problems.

Do you carry insurance?

Most real estate contracts make the buyer liable for any damage done by the inspector. Make sure he carries liability insurance.

Can I see a sample report?

Looking at a sample report is the single best method of comparing home inspectors. Much of what we do involves written communication. The report is the work product of the Clearwater inspector. Make sure it's in a well-organized format you can understand. Be sure it all makes sense.

The report should identify problems, explain their implications and make recommendations for action to address the problem.

If the inspector is reluctant to show you a sample of his work, run. Click here to see our samples: Sample Reports

Do you take photographs?

The most advanced inspectors take digital photos of defects and print them, often on site. Photos make it easier for everyone to understand the problem. Especially when the problem is where you can't get to it. Like the roof or the crawl space.

Do you market to Real Estate Agents? What percentage of your business comes from Real Estate Agents?

Be wary of anyone who receives more than half of their referrals from agents. They may be worrying about the next referral more than they are worrying about your new home.

How much do you charge?

Fees vary widely. You'll find that Clearwater inspectors who have been around a long time and do a good job tend to charge more. It's like anything else. You get what you pay for. In fact, you can probably judge the skill level of the inspector by the price he charges.

And in this case, you want the best, not the cheapest. Most real estate contracts require the seller to repair defects found during the inspection. Missing even one of these defects will end up costing you money. Need more convincing? Think about this. If your low price inspector misses even one important item, you won’t have saved money, hiring a low priced inspector will have cost you money! Remember, most home inspectors have no formal training!

Posted via email from Clearwater St. Petersburg Tampa Home Inspection News

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Maytag, Amana, Jenn-Air, Admiral, Magic Chef, Performa by Maytag and Crosley Dishwasher Recall

Maytag Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Dishwashers

Units: About 1.7 million in the United States

Manufacturer: Maytag Corp. of Newton, Iowa or Maytag Corp. of Benton Harbor, Mich.

Hazard: An electrical failure in the dishwasher's heating element can pose a serious fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has received 12 reports of dishwasher heating element failures that resulted in fires and dishwasher damage, including one report of extensive kitchen damage from a fire. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes Maytag(r), Amana(r), Jenn-Air(r), Admiral(r), Magic Chef(r), Performa by Maytag(r) and Crosley(r) brand dishwashers with plastic tubs and certain serial numbers. The affected dishwashers were manufactured with black, bisque, white, silver and stainless steel front panels. The brand name is printed on the front of the dishwasher. The model and serial numbers are printed on a label located inside the plastic tub on a tag near the left side of the door opening. Serial numbers will start or end with one of the following sequences.

SERIAL number STARTING with: NW39, NW40, NW41, NW42, NW43, NW44, NW45, NW46, NW47, NW48, NW49, NW50, NW51, NW52, NY01, NY02, NY03, NY04, NY05, NY06, NY07, NY08, NY09, NY10, NY11, NY12, NY13, NY14, NY15, NY16, NY17, NY18, NY19

SERIAL number ENDING with: JC, JE, JG, JJ, JL, JN, JP, JR, JT, JV, JX, LA, LC, LE, LG, LJ, LL, LN, LP, LR, LT, LV, LX, NA, NC, NE, NG, NJ, NL, NN, NP, NR

Sold at: Department and appliance stores and by homebuilders nationwide from February 2006 through April 2010 for between $250 and $900.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers, disconnect the electric supply by shutting off the fuse or circuit breaker controlling it, inform all users of the dishwasher about the risk of fire and contact Maytag to verify if their dishwasher is included in the recall. If the dishwasher is included in the recall, consumers can either schedule a free in-home repair or receive a rebate following the purchase of certain new Maytag brand stainless-steel tub dishwashers. The rebate is $150 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB7759, MDB7609 or MDBH979; or $250 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB8959, MDB8859, MDB7809 or MDB7709. Consumers should not return the recalled dishwashers to the retailer where purchased as retailers are not prepared to take the units back.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Maytag at (800) 544-5513 anytime, or visit the firm's website at www.repair.maytag.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to:

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10255.html

Note that checking appliances for recall is not part of a home inspection.

Mark Cramer

Mark Cramer Inspection Services, Inc.

492 20th Ave.

Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785

727-595-4211

Advice for consumers on choosing a home inspector in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Cleawater

Posted via email from Clearwater St. Petersburg Tampa Home Inspection News

Sunday, May 30, 2010

CPSC Names Worst Chinese Drywall Offenders

CPSC Identifies Manufacturers of Problem Drywall Made in China

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is releasing today the names of the drywall manufacturers whose drywall emitted high levels of hydrogen sulfide in testing conducted for the agency by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). There is a strong association between hydrogen sulfide and metal corrosion.

Of the samples tested, the top ten reactive sulfur-emitting drywall samples were all produced in China. Some of the Chinese drywall had emission rates of hydrogen sulfide 100 times greater than non-Chinese drywall samples.

"Homeowners who have problem drywall in their homes are suffering greatly", said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "I appeal to these Chinese drywall companies to carefully examine their responsibilities to U.S. families who have been harmed and do what is fair and just".

At the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue meetings in Beijing May 24-25, U.S. officials pressed the Chinese government to facilitate a meeting between CPSC and the Chinese drywall companies whose products were used in U.S. homes, and which exhibit the emissions identified during the testing procedures. The Strategic and Economic Dialogue represents the highest-level bilateral forum to discuss a broad range of issues between the two nations.

The following list identifies the top 10 drywall samples tested that had the highest emissions of hydrogen sulfide, along with the identity of the manufacturer of the drywall and the year of manufacture, from highest to lowest.

Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co. Ltd.: (year of manufacture 2005) China
Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
Shandong Taihe Dongxin Co.: (2005) China
Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2006) China
Shandong Chenxiang GBM Co. Ltd. (C&K Gypsum Board): (2006) China
Beijing New Building Materials (BNBM): (2009) China
Taian Taishan Plasterboard Co. Ltd.: (2009) China
Shandong Taihe Dongxin Co.: (2009) China

Other Chinese drywall samples had low or no detectable emissions of hydrogen sulfide as did the drywall samples tested that were manufactured domestically. They include: Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin: (2009) China; Tiger ***ShiGao JianCai***liangpianzhuang: (2006) China; USG Corporation: (2009) U.S.; Guangdong Knauf New Building Material Products Co. Ltd.: (2009) China; 3/8" drywall manufacturer uncertain (date uncertain): China; Knauf Plasterboard (Wuhu) Co. Ltd.: (2009) China; CertainTeed Corp.: (2009) U.S.; Georgia Pacific Corp.: (2009) U.S.; Dragon Brand, Beijing New Building Materials Co. Ltd.: (2006) China; CertainTeed Corp.: (2009) U.S.; Pingyi Baier Building Materials Co. Ltd.: (2009) China; Sample purchased in China, manufacturer unknown: (2009) China; Panel Rey S.A.: (2009) Mexico; Lafarge North America: (2009) U.S.; National Gypsum Company: (2009) U.S.; National Gypsum Company: (2009) U.S.; Georgia Pacific Corp.: (2009) U.S.; Pabco Gypsum: (2009) U.S.; Temple-Inland Inc.: (2009) U.S.; and USG Corporation: (2009) U.S.

Last month, CPSC released the results of drywall emissions tests by LBNL. The studies showed a connection between certain Chinese drywall and corrosion in homes. In addition, the patterns of reactive sulfur compounds emitted from drywall samples show a clear distinction between certain Chinese drywall samples manufactured in 2005/2006 and other Chinese and non-Chinese drywall samples.

To date, CPSC has spent over $5 million to investigate the chemical nature and the chain of commerce of problem drywall. Earlier this year, CPSC and HUD issued an identification protocol to help consumers identify problem drywall in their homes. Last month, CPSC and HUD issued remediation guidance to assist impacted homeowners.

See the chart (pdf) listing drywall chamber test results.

Original post is here: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10243.html

Mark Cramer

Mark Cramer Inspection Services, Inc.

492 20th Ave.

Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785

727-595-4211