Licensed, professional home inspectors serving the Harding Park (Bronx) neighborhood, offering a broad range of services for our residential customers.
If you’ve been around the block a few times, then you’ll know all about home inspections. A detailed home inspection protects you the prospective home owner against those obvious problems that every home has. While the inspection is not fool proof, an inspector worth his or her weight in gold should be able to pinpoint the primary systems that could be ready to break on you as a new home owner. A good inspector will narrow down the likelihood of system failure greatly.
Simply put, a home inspection is a formal detailed evaluation of the accessible and visible systems and components within a house (electrical, plumbing, roofing, heating and cooling, structure, etc.) and is intended to give the client a clearer understanding of the house’s overall state. Call today to book your home inspection in Harding Park at 332-334-7701 or Request a Quote. You’ll be glad you made the call.
More often than not, the inspection is a homebuyer who asks for an inspection of the home she or he is serious about purchasing. An inspection of the home provides data so that decision makers can question or confirm details about the home questioned or confirmed, and can uncover expensive-to-repair and serious defects that the owner/seller may not be aware of. A home inspection is not a property’s appraisal value. The inspection does not point out any repair costs for defects the inspector finds. Similarly, it makes not claim that the home and its systems complies with local building codes or protects a client in the event something inspected fails.
Side Note: Warranties may be purchased to cover many items.
Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as an exhaustive evaluation, but rather an evaluation of the property at this point in time, taking into account normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. A home inspection can also include Radon gas testing, water testing, energy audits, pest inspections, pool inspections and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are used (less often) by a seller prior to putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems that they are unaware of, and also by homeowners simply wanting to prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value high, and care for their homes.
The following are areas that inspectors pay close attention to when inspecting your home:
1. Serious defects, such as large differential cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not supported or installed correctly, and others. These items are costly to fix, which are items requiring more than two percent of the buy price to fix.
2. Items that could lead to major defects – a beam that was not tied in to the structure properly, a roof flashing leak that could get bigger, or damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion.
3. Safety hazards, such as lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), exposed electrical wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, no safety railing on decks above 30 inches, etc.
Your property inspector will counsel you on what to do about these issues. She may recommend a formal evaluation on more matters – by licensed or certified professionals who are specialists in the problem areas. For example, your inspector will recommend you phone a licensed building engineer if they find areas of the home that are misaligned, as this could indicate a major structural deficiency.
Home Inspections are only done by a buyer after he or she signs a contract, right?
This is patently false! As you might find when you continue reading, a home inspection can be used for ad hoc inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by a current homeowner, a proactive technique by homeowners to create their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the problem of the potential home.
Homeowners, particularly, can take advantage of obtaining a home inspection before listing the home. Here are only a several advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner may make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush after the contract is signed.
· The homeowner is going to be alerted to any safety issues found in the house before they open it down for open house tours.
· The homeowner will take the report and make it into an advertising piece for the home.
· A home inspection can help the homeowner become more objective as it pertains to setting a fair price on the home.
Most homebuyers lack the knowledge, skill, and objectivity needed to inspect a property themselves. In other words, they think they know their homes, but they really don’t. When you use services of an expert home inspector, they gain an improved comprehension of the problem of the property; especially whether any items don’t “abjectly affect the home’s living space” or “function as intended” or “warrant more detailed attention” by a qualified specialist. Understand that the home inspector is really a generalist and is broadly been trained in every home system.
It’s a good idea for you to personally be present through the inspection – whether you’re a home buyer, seller, or homeowner. With you there, the inspector can show you any defects and explain their importance along with explain maintenance features which will be helpful in the future. In the event that you can’t be there, it’s no problem because the report you receive is going to be very detailed. If you are not present, then you ought to be sure to ask your inspector to explain anything that is unclear in the report. Also see the inspection agreement carefully so you understand what is covered and what’s not covered in the inspection. If you have a problem with the inspection or the report, you should raise the difficulties quickly by calling the inspector, usually within 24 hours. If you would like the inspector to go back after the inspection to show you things, this can be arranged and is advisable, however, you could be charged extra since a second walkthrough not part of the inspection, unless, of course, you make that a part of your home inspection contract
However, it’s important to let the inspector do the work you’re paying for. We love our customers, but we also know that constant interference and interruptions (some might even call it nagging) make the inspection painfully slow. Jot down your questions and ask them after the inspector has presented you with a report.
This depends upon the condition and size of the home. You can approximate 1.2 hours for every thousand sq. ft. For example, a 2,400 square foot unit would take about 3 hours. If the company also writes the report while in your home, that will take an extra sixty minutes. These numbers aren’t set in stone because you really want the inspector to do a complete job without being hurried.
Since condominiums are individual units within a building, owners pay assessments to a also is on the hook for maintaining the community boilder or HVAC. In smaller condo buildings, many owners have their own boiler that suffices for the HVAC that a building would normally provide. Home owners are responsible for everything inside the unit including walls, appliances, balconies, porches, plumbing, and electrical. There are fewer items to inspect, but getting an inspection from someone qualified is still critical. As you know well, HOAs are a fickle bunch to be brutally honest. And they’re all so very different, even within a city. Ask us about it and we’ll be blunt with you. If we can inspect your condo, we’ll do it; if we can’t, we’ll also let you know. We believe honesty is always the best policy and we live by it.
The following list (of systems and inspection items) is not exhaustive. Not all of these may be in the inspection you get, but the inspector will be following a standardized check list for the home:
* Heating equipment and controls
* Distribution systems and ducts
* Fire places
* Air Conditioning and controls
* Windows and window gaskets
* Windows, doors, patios, walkways, walls
* Foundation, basement, and crawlspaces
* Plumbing fixtures and systems
* Electrical outlets, GFCI, and grounding
* Fire detectors
* Indoor doors and hardware
* Kitchen appliances (dishwasher, range/oven/stovetop/hoods, microwave, disposal, trash compactor)
* Laundry appliances (washer and dryer)
* Grading and site drainage
* Entry stairs, handrails
* Bricks, masonry
* Landscaping
* Retaining walls
* Roofing, flashings, chimneys, and attic
Some tests which aren’t a part of the standard inspection often require an extra charge.
· Gas Line Leak Test
· Swimming Pool and Spa Inspection
· Water Quality Test
· Mold Screening
· Sprinkler System Test
· Septic System Inspection
· Radon Gas Test
· Termites
Your brand-new home has dozens of systems and about 10,000 parts – from cooling and heating to ventilation and to appliances. When these systems and appliances interact, all is well with the world. Weak links in the system, however, can produce problems resulting in a loss in value and shortened system/component lifecycle. Would you buy a used car with no reputable and qualified mechanic looking at it? Your house is far more complex, and to really have a thorough inspection that is documented in a report arms you with substantial information which to make informed decisions.
This is the first question asked but the answer tells the least about the grade of the inspection. Fees are based based on size, age and several other aspects of the home. Inspection fees from a professional professional home inspector generally start just under $350. The average fee for a 2000 sq. foot home nationally is approximately $300-$450 for just the inspection. In the Bronx neighborhoods, it will probably run you an extra 20%. But consider what you are getting for that price. Who can put a price on peace of mind?
Most people imagine that all things are inspected exhaustive on inspection day. This misunderstanding is mainly responsible for many a homebuyer to become upset with their inspector. The inspections we do will not be exhaustive and there’s a valid reason for this.
Should you hire individual licensed experts in heating and cooling, electrical, plumbing, engineering, etc. to inspect your house, it would take about 13 hours and cost you about $2000! It is much more practical (and affordable) to employ an established inspector that has a general information about home systems, knows what to look for, and can recommend further inspection by a specialist if needed. Your inspector is likewise following very specific guidelines issued by national or state organizations as he/she inspects your home. These guidelines are meticulously written to protect both your house as well as the inspector.
Here are some examples, I am told to NOT turn systems on if these were off during the inspection (for safety reasons); we aren’t ready to move furniture (might harm something); banned to turn on water should it be off (possible flooding), and banned to get rid of through a sealed attic hatch (possible damage). The negative effects of the practice is the fact that by not operating a control, by not seeing in the furniture, and failing to get into your attic or crawlspace, we’re going to might miss identifying a problem. However, placed into perspective, the likelihood of missing something serious for this reason is reasonably low. There are more goods that more than 95% of inspectors consider outside a standard inspection, and these include inspecting most things that are not bolted down (installed from the home) for instance electronics, low voltage lighting, space heaters, portable air conditioners, or specialized systems for instance water purifiers, security systems, etc.
A housing lottery has closed a mixed-use condominium in the Bronx, one of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods. For the first time in more than a decade, a housing lottery will close at the end of the month, officials said.
The community of Clason Point in Harding Park is located in the area where Long Island Sound joins the East River and is one of the most sought after areas in New York City. It is reminiscent of the Hudson Valley in New Jersey and Westchester County in the Bronx, with reed inlets and small houses and bungalows at the confluence of the East and Bronx, while its topography is also influenced by the Pugsley Creeks and Westchester Creeks. It is a mix of residential and commercial buildings, as well as a number of restaurants, shops and bars.
The border of the Soundview River, which runs clockwise from the north, is the border of the Bronx River, and the boundaries of Harding Park are the boundaries of the Hudson River, the East River and the Westchester River, as well as the South Bronx and Eastchester County. Starting from the north, clockwise, the Soundview and Bruckner Border are on the east side of the river, north of Roosevelt Avenue and south of the West Side Highway, while from the south, it is at the west end of Hudson Street, east of Broadway and west of New York City Boulevard. Starting with the north side of the Bronx and shifted clockwise, the boundaries of Harding Park were the east, west, south and east sides of the Harlem River, both located in the East Bronx. The Sound View border, which started from the north and ran clockwise, was on Westside Avenue, just off the west side of Long Island Sound.
The border ran clockwise from the north along Soundview Avenue, which once stretched from Westchester and Morrison Avenues, between Sound View and Bruckner, to the construction of the Bronx River Parkway. Harding Park was once described as a residential area specific to the public park, while Clason Point was designated as a geographical peninsula. The five boroughs of New York City and Eastchester County were located along the east, west, south and east sides of Hudson Street, with the five boroughs remaining separate.
Most properties in Harding Park have guarded driveways that are inspired by their location in the middle of the park. This gives you a touch of isolation, and if you are keen on easy access to public transportation, a Harding Park apartment could be a good choice.
Since the carriages arrived in 1910, public access has been a major attraction for residents and visitors to the park, but also for tourists. There is even an NYCFerry take-off and landing point on the corner of Park Avenue and Broadway, and there is a bus stop on the north side of the street, just a few blocks from the parking lot.
Turn right onto Soundview Avenue and enter a bungalow built in the 1920s by Thomas Higgs and named after Warren G. Harding, then the president. Behind the bushes is a rocky breakwater that separates the lagoon of Harding Park from the East River.
The Bronx River Parkway has not yet been extended to this corner of the Bronx, and the drainage line runs along Soundview Avenue. Although the streetscape is different, Harding Park seems to be independent from the rest of the Bronx, because in other parts of New York it is cut off from the water by the East River and its Hudson River waterway, cutting off the water from the rest of its district. It borders Westchester Avenue, which serves as the main thoroughfare between the borough’s two largest cities, Manhattan and Brooklyn, and the Hudson Valley.
The neighborhood follows the mouth of the Bronx River and shares a shoreline with the Hudson River and its tributary, the East River. The neighborhoods are inadequately connected by the convenient access to public transportation via Westchester Avenue and Soundview Avenue, one of New York’s most popular streets.
Where neighborhoods lack public transportation, Harding Park makes up for it by being close to the Hudson River and the East River. Some residents are leaving their Harding Park apartments to find more inviting shopping in Manhattan.
If you want to work with a professional, it is very easy to contact a Harding Park real estate agent or one of the many other real estate agents in the area. Descriptions, photos, demographics and statistics of the properties, including the latest information on the location and price of the property, are available. With Point2 you can easily browse through the pages and quickly get a general overview of properties and prices. Stay up to date with the latest news and information about new listings in your area by simply saving your search and receiving daily or weekly emails of your choice from point 2 with links to all current listings that meet your criteria as soon as they become available.
If you are searching for a professional, affordable, and reliable town home, condo, or home inspection in Harding Park, look no further. We get that you have choices and we’d be honored to send one of our inspectors to inspect your home and property. We are committed to getting the job done right and making you a satisfied customer. Email or call one of our staff members now (332-334-7701 or Request a Quote) to book an appointment.
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