WHAT IS A HOME INSPECTION?Written by Mike Plank
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The average time for an inspection on a typical 3-bedroom home usually takes 2 to 4 hours, depending upon number of bathrooms, kitchens, fireplaces, attics, etc., that have to be inspected. Inspections that take less than two hours typically are considered strictly cursory, "walk-through" inspections and provide client with less information than a full inspection. Many inspectors belong to national inspection organizations such as ISHI, ASHI, and NAHI. These national organizations provide guidelines for inspectors to perform their inspections. All inspectors provide clients with reports. The least desirable type of report would be an oral report, as they do not protect client, and leave inspector open for misinterpretation and liability. Written reports are far more desirable, and come in a variety of styles and formats. The following are some of more common types of written reports: 1. Checklist with comments 2. Rating System with comments 3. Narrative report with either a checklist or rating system 4. Pure Narrative report Four key areas of most home/building inspections cover exterior, basement or crawlspace areas, attic or crawlspace areas and living areas. Inspectors typically will spend sufficient time in all of these areas to visually look for a host of red flags, telltale clues and signs or defects and deficiencies. As inspector completes a system, major component or area, he/she will then discuss findings with clients, noting both positive and negative features. The inspected areas of a home/building will consist of all of major visible and accessible electro-mechanical systems as well as major visible and accessible structural systems and components of a building as they appeared and functioned at time and date of inspection. To locate a home inspector near you go to American Home Inspector Directory a national database of home inspectors. Their directory list home inspection companies by state or zip code. Search for you home inspector is free. They have members from ASHI, NAHI. ISHA and independent inspection organizations. Article submitted by American Home Inspector Directory American Home Inspector Directory - Home Inspectors Nationwide National Directory of Home Inspectors. Search our database of Home Inspectors Free - Information on Home Inspections, Home Loans and Home Inspection Organizations. http://www.americanhomeinspectordirectory.com
Article submitted by the American Home Inspector Directory http://www.americanhomeinspectordirectory.com/
| | A Collection of Unrelated Thoughts - Volume OneWritten by Terry Mitchell
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If someone brags about you in front of others, it could be as hazardous as bragging about yourself. There's always a chance that one of listeners will become jealous and bring to light some unflattering things about you. I get a little aggravated when I drive past a church building displaying words "full gospel" on its marquee. It makes me think its members believe other churches just provide a "partial gospel." Many of us, including myself, often lose sight of fact that money is merely a means to an end, not an end in itself. I think whole idea of convicting Martha Stewart and sending her to prison is totally ludicrous and unjust. Those federal prosecutors made a mountain out of a mole hill. I don't see how what she did really hurt anyone. She was afraid of being prosecuted for a violation of some petty insider trading law. That's understandable to me. No, it's not moral or ethical, but why should it be illegal? There are so many more serious things people are doing now that need to be addressed instead. Why not go after some real criminals instead of harassing a woman for lying about something that almost anyone else in her situation would have lied about? The jails are already so overcrowded with dangerous people who really need to be there that they have to let some of them out way too early. So how much sense did it make to send Martha Stewart to prison? None. It was nothing more than a witch hunt. He who has never told a lie, cast first stone at Martha Stewart! The scary thing about folks up in Canada is that they are now coding political correctness into law. When you are asked to do something on job, no matter how difficult, never say it is impossible. There will always be some young phenom who will come along and figure out a way to do it and make you look like a fool. Why do most American women think cellulite is so awful? Those who are constantly telling others to "not be afraid" or to "have more courage" aren't being realistic. Many fears do not respond to logic or reason. You can tell a lot about a person's integrity by watching him or her at a grocery store. If he/she gets into "12 items or less" line with more than 12 items and/or leaves his/her cart just anywhere in parking lot without returning it to cart-return, he/she sends out a very negative message about himself/herself. That message is: "I'm either too lazy or too indifferent to be bothered with doing things correctly.” For those of you who are like me and not all that smart, best way to act intelligently is to observe what smart people and dumb people around you are doing and act accordingly. We all know who smart ones are and who dumb ones are. If something is being done by most of smart people and not being done by most of dumb people, then by all means do it. Conversely, if something is being done by most of dumb people and not being done by most of smart people, then by all means don't do it. It can't get any simpler than that. I don't like to collect a lot of "things." I've always held to belief that more you have, more you have to worry about. There are only two possible reasons why I would even be remotely interested in being extremely wealthy. One would be fact that I could afford to hire out all jobs that I either couldn't do or didn't want to do myself. Stuff like car repair and maintenance, home repair and maintenance, and home decorating would be in that category. The other would be that I could get almost unlimited "do-overs" when making decisions about major purchases. Most of us really have to sweat a major purchase like a home or a car. We know that if we make a mistake and buy something we are not happy with, we cannot easily turn around and sell it without taking a major financial hit. If I was extremely wealthy, on other hand, I could easily discard a home or car that I was dissatisfied with or had grown tired of and get another one without really suffering financially.Author’s Note: Like title implies, this work is a collection of unrelated thoughts. As such, you may use any or all items from this work. If you use this work in its entirety or choose to use more than one item, you must include title and resource box as usual. However, if you decide to use just one item from this work, title is not required and you may substitute following for resource box: -- Terry L. Mitchell, Hopewell, VA. Also, please remove this note.
Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, and trivia buff from Hopewell, VA. He operates a website - http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media.
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