David Home Inspection: California: Los Angeles

Making repairs to your home can be a great way to increase your equity as well as make you more comfortable. Many individuals who own homes put off repairs due to the high price of hiring contractors but a few minor improvements can greatly increase the value of your home and not all of the repairs have to be completed by a hired hand either. That are many simple improvements that you can do your self for very little money.

Painting the exterior of your home as well as the interior can greatly increase the value of your home and your property. Interior paint can be purchased at your local home improvement store for less than twenty dollars per can and exterior paint only runs a bit more. Not only will painting make your home more aesthetic as well as increase the value of your home but such improvements will raise overall property value by increasing your homes curb appeal.

landscaping cheep and easy, big impact. Although there are many homeowners who spend large amounts on their landscaping it can be done for much less. A quick trip to your local nursery will afford you an array of lower cost options for your landscaping. If you have a lot of patches in your yard a little grass seed can go a long way as well. Mulch is fairly inexpensive as well and can be a beautiful addition to any landscaping design. If plants from a nursery are a little out of your budget you can always buy seeds and start your own plants and flowers from scratch. It may take a little more effort to get them going than if you buy from a nursery but you can have just as beautiful plants and for much less of the cost.

If your house doesn't necessarily need to be painted pressure washing is a great and low cost alternative. Pressure washing can also improve the look of your driveway and other exterior elements as well. This also works great for siding and porches and decks. People are often amazed at how much dirt their houses and exterior elements can collect and how much of a difference it makes when cleaned. Pressure washing is one of the cheapest and easiest improvements you can make to your home.

Finally, going around your home and making sure everything is secured and attached correctly can also make a big difference in the appearance of your home. Railings, awnings, shutters and broken stairs can be a major problem when it comes to the apperance and value of your home.

By making these few simple changes to your home and your property you can greatly increase the value and income potential of you biggest investment. After all isn't this the real reason so many individuals take that step into home ownership? Increase your profit potential by making a few easy repairs to your home today.

David Home Inspection Services

626-629-8499

We Proudly Serve The Areas Of

West Covina, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside County California

A funny and new interview by the great Laurie March, project manager and interior designer in Los Angeles.

Ten Possible Home Inspection Deal Breakers… and a Little Chat with the Guy Under Your House

I’ll admit- I’m insanely curious about homes. When I’m at friends houses, I ask the kind of questions that earn me blank looks, head-scratching, and an occasional eye-roll over my obvious enthusiasm for the things many people overlook. But nobody beats out a Home Inspector when it comes to an eye for detail…

If you’re a Realtor in LA, you probably know David Salvato- with David Home Inspection. He’s one of those people that seems to magically be everywhere, a featured Home Inspector on Active Rain, and I love his juicy updates on Twitter describing conditions good and bad in homes all over LA.

Today I grill David in honor of first time home buyers- and giving them some sound advice, with a quick Q &; A followed by some of David’s Home Inspection Deal Breakers.

Laurie March: David… I’m guessing you either have to be majorly methodical to be a home inspector. Where’d you get your patience?

David: I get my patience by remaining focused on the task at hand. I inspect every home as if it were one I was buying for myself. As the owner of David Home Inspection my name is on every inspection and I take that very seriously.

Laurie March: How do you feel about buyers who want to be present for your inspection?

David: I love it! I guess I must have been a teacher in another life or something. I truly enjoy sharing the details of the home inspection with the potential buyers.

Laurie March: Gimmie the dirt. What’s the worst thing you’ve seen on an inspection?

David: I would have to say by far the worst thing I’ve ever seen was a complete cutaway of a roof truss system to make room for a non-permitted bonus room. The roof could have collapsed on the occupants. The Home was deemed uninhabitable by the local building department. It took an investor to remove all the damaged trusses and rebuild it.

Laurie March: Woah. I’m guessing with banks taking ownership of so many homes you’re seeing some crazy conditions in REO properties. What’s the deal?

David: Conditions vary with location- and the amount of time the home is left unattended. It’s not uncommon for a Home Inspector to find things like the Heating and Air Conditioning systems removed. Vinyl doors and windows missing. Copper plumbing and electrical wires pulled out. I recently inspected a home where $6,000 in pool equipment had been stolen!

Your bonus: DHI’s Top Ten Reasons Buyers Walk Away:

1. Foundation cracks that are beyond normal. Small hair line cracks are considered normal – caused by the shrinking and settlement of the concrete itself. Larger cracks are sometimes caused by large tree roots or poor soil conditions.
2. Mold. At times mold will come up on the report. Mold in large amounts can be caused by long term roof leaks, plumbing and irrigation damage- and the health effects attributed to major mold exposure may be serious.
3. Asbestos. Any home built before 1978 will contain asbestos of some type, unless it’s been removed already. In older homes where the new owner wants to renovate, it is best to know where the asbestos laden products are and call a pro to remove them. This can impact a renovation budget heavily.
4. Lead. For young families with small children a home with lead paint can be a big issue. Many times I find paint peeling or flaking off- leaving small bits of paint that can be ingested by children. The lead paint removal process is a expensive, and takes time.
5. A Bad Roof. The roof system is one of the most important parts of the house. Replacing a roof can cost thousands and in some case even over ten thousand. Wood damage under the roof will cause the replacement price to escalate quickly.
6. Wood destroying insects and organisms. Subterranean termites are the most common termite in the United States. A mature colony has from 80K to 400K workers. (eek! Something tells me they’re not lazy either…) The average colony can consume a one foot length of 2×4 in 118 days. Other unfriendly suspects inclue the Powder post beetle, the Carpenter bee, and the Carpenter ant. Long term infestation by any of these pests can lead to the loss of structural integrity.
7. Household pests. (uh. Yuck…) Rats and mice are the most common finds in Southern California homes. This is especially true in homes that have a lot of fruit trees and date palms. Rodents can cause thousands of dollars in damage to the homes systems and equipment. They can eat the insulation off electrical and control wires, can nest in and destroy HVAC ducts as well.
8. Missing or damaged systems and equipment. Plumbing, electrical and HVAC equipment are some of the first things taken. Many homes are being sold as is- Bank Owned. When homes are left unattended they are subject to thieves removing HVAC equipment appliances, copper wire and plumbing.
9. Signs of past fire damage. Even after repairs have been made many people can’t get past the feeling of bad luck that comes with a home that’s been involved in a house fire.
10. Death or Murder in Home. (major eek!) We saved the worst for last. Everyone has seen Amityville  Horror. Never meet anyone who went through with the purchase of a home after this kind of disclosure.

Seen something wild? Bought or sold a house somebody died in? Shoot us a comment!

Los Angeles Home Inspector Illustrates The Gravity Flush Toilet

The gravity flush toilet design is found in most homes. With a simple design and relatively few moving parts, repairs are usually fairly cut and dry. The lack of any mechanical parts (like those found in pressure-assisted toilets) makes the repairs fairly inexpensive as well. The toilet works on principals of gravity, hence the name. Water housed in a tank above the bowl is released into the bowl, causing water to push through the trap, thus emptying the bowl of its contents.

When the handle is pushed down the lever arm pulls the flapper chain up. The flapper then lifts, releasing the water in the tank into the bowl. As the tank empties with water, flapper goes down.

David Home Inspection Services

626-629-8499

We Proudly Serve The Areas Of

West Covina, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside County California

Los Angeles Home Inspector Illustrates Gable and Cathedral Roof Framing.

Balloon framing of gable walls is common in new home construction. It is usually done when there is a cathedral or vaulted ceiling in the room.

I would not recommend this framing method to a rookie carpenter or the average DIY person. A basic knowledge of conventional roof framing is required to lay out and complete this task.

The standard wall height, roof pitch, rafter size, and stand of the common rafter must all be known before beginning the layout procedure. Armed with this information an experienced carpenter can complete the layout procedure in 5-10 minutes. 

Balloon framing replaced the labor and skill intensive method of post and beam construction with it's skeleton held together by mortise and tenon. Believed to have been first introduced in Chicago sometime in the early 1830'.

This method of wood frame construction greatly reduced the amount of skill and labor required by post and beam construction. It made constructing homes and outbuildings more affordable for the average American of the time period. Balloon framing most certainly aided in the westward expansion of America. The overnight boom town's of the old west were built this way.

Balloon framing got it's name from the old post and beam tradesmen. When they were first introduced to this method they were convinced it would be blown away in the first strong wind just like a balloon. With it's long skinny framing member's and only held together with nails. The name stuck and has endured to this day. It was replaced by a method called platform framing in the mid 1950's. Platform framing is the most commonly used method to this day.

David Home Inspection Services

626-629-8499

We Proudly Serve The Areas Of

West Covina, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside County California

Los Angeles Home Inspector Describes The Differences In The Common Outlet. 

A two prong duplex outlet. This receptacle is commonly used in older homes that were wired with a two wire system. This outlet does not have a ground wire. A big mistake that Do It Yourselfer's make is they replace this type of outlet with the more modern and common three prong outlet shown below.

The three prong duplex outlet is one of the most common recepticals one will find in a modern home. The outlet slots are polarized so the plug can only go in one way. It is important that when a three prong outlet is used that the ground terminal be effectively grounded. When a home is inspected for sale a great home inspector will check to insure the outlet is properly grounded.

The GFCI duplex outlet is used in such areas as kitchens, baths, garages and outdoor location. The National Electrical Code (NEC) is a fantastic reference for the proper location and operation of such devices. This safety device is a life safety device. It was designed to protect from electrical shock in wet locations. During a home inspection your home inspector will test the operation of the GFCI devices in the home. Not all inspectors test the device according to the NEC guidelines. Specialized equipment is needed to properly test this type of safety device. We have all seen Inspectors with a outlet testing devices that plugs into the outlet. They commonly have a push button on top. This tester will only" test trip " the the GFCI device. Some Inspectors use the test button on the device itself. This methods of testing is old school and non effective. David Salvato Expert Author and owner of David Home Inspection Services in Los Angeles County says "Trip times and fault currents must also be measured." You will find that most home inspectors don't own this highly technical equipment. At David Home Inspection we understand that life safety devices are a very important component in the home and should be thoroughly tested. We use GFCI as well as ARC fault test equipment on every home inspection. Realtors, Home Buyers and sellers know after we inspect a home the safety devices have also been properly inspected and tested.

David Home Inspection Services

626-629-8499

We Proudly Serve The Areas Of

West Covina, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside County California