Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [inspection]

98 questions
22
votes
5 answers

How can I monitor my roof to detect roof leaks before they cause damage?

A lot of questions have been asked about how to locate a leak in a roof, but you can only locate a leak that you know exists, and the first noticeable sign that there is anything wrong might be drywall damage in your living space. By this point, the…
interfect
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5 answers

What precautions should I take before moving my family into a pre-1978 (lead-paint-era) house?

I am about to sign a lease and move with my family, including a 3 mo old and 2 yr old, into a home that was built in 1944. The house is in good condition and has been repainted at least once in the last decade. The lessors are required to inform me…
David LeBauer
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14
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3 answers

Something in my home is making my family sick. How do I determine what it is?

My wife and I moved into a new rental house two months ago. Our small dog, my wife, and myself have all started experiencing symptoms such as headaches, runny nose, constant congestion, cold-like swelling in the sinuses, neck, and throat, general…
Bryson
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14
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7 answers

What's the least intrusive way to find out what's in a wall?

I'm getting ready to mount a flatscreen TV on our living room wall and would like to route various cables through it (e.g. surround sound speakers, HDMI, etc). I appreciate the AWESOME tips here, but I think I'm missing something important: How can…
Mike B
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What are some of the best books/resources on home inspection for first time home buyers?

I'm looking at buying my first home. Considering the amount of money involved, it seems logical to make sense the inspection is solid. (I've seen a few "Holmes Inspection"s to have the reinforced.) I know "Holmes Inspection—Everything you Need…
Bill
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10
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3 answers

I need to get up on roof anyway, so what should I inspect while I'm up there?

I noticed a filthy tree rat (squirrel) poking its head out from a hole in my gutter leaf guards today. Gotta get up on the roof to clean and repair that mess. Since I'm two stories up already, what else should I inspect while I'm up there? So far I…
Freiheit
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Dwelling code imposition on landscape stairs

I just had a retaining wall and patio installed in my back yard. There is a stairway set in the retaining wall with nine steps. We just had what was supposed to be the final sign-off, and got a different inspector who is new to the town. She is…
Matt Auger
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9
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1 answer

What should I look for during a deficiency walkthrough?

I'll be taking possession of a brand new town house next month and we'll be doing a deficiency walkthrough to catch any issues before we move in. This is not a home inspection, but our ability to get the builder to fix any deficiencies from the…
Gary Richardson
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8
votes
1 answer

Should I leave outlet covers on or off for electrical inspector?

I've got an electrical inspection scheduled for 4 circuits I added to my garage. I did the work myself and my city uses the most current NEC. All wiring is running in open stud walls in my garage. I scheduled the inspection shortly after energizing…
ench
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4 answers

What happens if I let my building permit expire?

TLDR: I pulled a permit for my house, now the inspectors are looking for more things wrong with my house than the permit pertains to. I want them out. What are the repercussions to letting the permit expire? I plan to sell the house sometime in the…
Tyler M
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Is the ability to save pictures worth it in an inspection camera?

I am about to run a whole ton of communication cable in an existing two-story house, and so I am considering buying an inspection camera to help with this. As I started looking around, they range in price from about $75 on sale to $800. I'm not a…
gregmac
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4 answers

How do I choose a Home Inspector and Inspection?

I'm purchasing my first house, and I'm researching into the inspection process. I'd like to ensure a good inspection/inspector: Reading reviews could be valuable, but given that defects may not reveal themselves until years later, reviews may just…
Nathan Merrill
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5 answers

Are licensed "builders" required to pull permits

Looking into remodeling a basement in a major US city. The basement height is too low to meet code and I have been told that it is extremely unlikely that the city would grant a variance. I have talked to 4 contractors/design companies and none of…
StrongBad
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2 answers

What does the inspector mean by "Hot and Neutral are not separated"?

In an inspection report on my house, the inspector said "hot and neutral" are not separated. I think he meant "neutral and ground" are not separated. I've attached the picture, is that the case?
themidnightwill
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Inspector told me to match breaker size to appliance

questioning what an electrical inspector told me and hoping for a bit more detail. Back story: I installed a hot tub in my backyard (NYC, NY) and hired an electrician to run a 208V circuit out to it. I asked the electrician to run 6AWG cable in…
natsuki_2002
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