Licensed, professional home inspectors serving the Laconia (Bronx) neighborhood, offering a broad range of services for our residential customers.
If you’ve been around as long as I have, then you’ll know all about home inspections. A quality home inspection protects you the buyer against those obvious problems that every home has. While the inspection is not fool proof, an inspector worth his/her weight in gold will be able to identify the primary components and systems that could be ready to break on you as a new homeowner. A good inspector will narrow down the probabilities of system failure considerably.
Typically and simply put, a home inspection is a formal detailed evaluation of the accessible and visible components and systems within a house (structure, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, roof, etc.) and is intended to give the customer a clearer understanding of the house’s overall state. Phone today to book an inspection at 332-334-7701 or Request a Quote. You’ll be glad you made the call.
Most often, it is a buyer who requests a formal evaluation of the home’s condition he or she is serious about buying. A home inspection delivers data points so that decisions about the purchase can be confirmed or questioned, and can uncover serious and/or expensive-to-repair defects that the homeseller may not be aware of. A home inspection is not an appraisal of the property’s value. The inspection does not address any repair costs for defects the inspector finds. Similarly, an inspection of the property makes not claim that the home and its systems complies with local code or protects a customer in the event an item inspected fails in the future.
Sidenote: You can buy warranties for many items in the home.
Don’t consider a home inspection as a complete evaluation, but rather an evaluation of the property on the day it is inspected, taking into account normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. A home inspection can also include for extra, Radon gas testing, water testing, energy audits, pest inspections, pool inspections and many other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are used (less often) by a homeseller prior to listing the property to see if there are any hidden problems that they are unaware of, and also by homeowners simply wishing to care for their homes, prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value as high as possible
The following are areas that inspectors pay close attention to when inspecting your home:
1. Safety hazards, such as lack of safety railing on decks more than 30 inches off the ground, lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), bare wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, etc.
2. Things that could lead to serious defects – damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, a roof leak that could grow larger, or a support beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
3. Serious defects, such as large cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported correctly, etc. These are items that are pricey to repair, which we classify as systems needing over two percent of the buy price to repair.
Your property inspector should be able to advise you about what to do about these issues. She may recommend a formal evaluation on more issues – by certified and/or licensed professionals who are specialists in the defect areas. For example, your inspector may advise you phone a licensed building engineer if they find areas of the home that are misaligned, as this could indicate a major structural problem.
Home Inspections are just done by a buyer once they sign a contract, right?
This is not true! 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 home owner, a proactive technique by home owners to create their home more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the condition of the potential home.
Sellers, specifically, can take advantage of obtaining a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a several advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner will make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry following the contract is signed.
· The homeowner will soon be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it up for open house tours.
· The homeowner usually takes the report and allow it to be into an advertising piece for the home.
· A home inspection will help the homeowner become more objective when it comes to setting a good price on the home.
Most homebuyers lack the information, skill, and objectivity needed to inspect a home themselves. In other words, they think they know their homes, but they really don’t. Using the services of an expert home inspector, they gain an improved knowledge of the condition of the property; especially whether any items do not “abjectly affect the home’s living space” or “work as intended” or “warrant more detailed attention” by a qualified specialist. Understand that the home inspector is just a generalist and is broadly trained in every home system.
It’s a great idea for you to be present through the inspection – whether you are a homebuyer, seller, or homeowner. With you there, the inspector can point out any defects and explain their importance along with point out maintenance features that will be helpful in the future. If you can’t be there, it is not a problem because the report you receive will soon be very detailed. If you’re not present, then you ought to be sure to ask your inspector to describe anything that’s unclear in the report. Also browse the inspection agreement carefully which means you know what is covered and what’s not covered in the inspection. When there is a problem with the inspection or the report, you need to raise the problems quickly by calling the inspector, usually within 24 hours. If you’d like the inspector to return following the inspection showing you things, this is often arranged and is a good idea, however, the inspector could charge you extra since it’s not part of the inspection, unless, of course, you make that a part of your initial contract.
However, it’s important for you to let the inspector do the work you’re paying for. We love our clients, but we also know that constant interruptions and interference (some might even call it nagging) make the inspection unnecessarily slow. Jot down your questions and ask them after the inspector has presented you with a report.
This depends upon the size and condition of the entire home. You can usually figure 1.3 hours for every thousand sq. ft. For example, a twenty five hundred sq. ft. house would take around three hours. If the inspector also prepares the report at your home, factor in an extra 60 minutes. These numbers are not set in stone because you really want the inspector to do a complete job without being hurried.
Since condos are units within a condo building, owners pay a monthly assessment fee to a also is on the hook for maintaining the community boiler system or HVAC. In smaller condo buildings, many home owners have their own boiler that acts as the HVAC that a building would normally provide. Owners are responsible for everything inside the unit including electrical, plumbing, porches, balconies, appliances, and walls. There are less items to inspect, but getting an inspection from someone qualified is still a must. As you well know, HOAs are a fickled bunch. And they’re all very different, even within a city. Ask us about it and we’ll be blunt with you. If we can inspect your unit, 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 items may be in the inspection you receive, but the inspector will follow a standard check list for the home:
* Heating equipment and controls
* Ducts and distribution systems
* Fireplaces
* Air Conditioning and controls
* Heat controls and pumps
* Kitchen floors, cabinets, counters
* Window systems
* Doors, walls, patios, walkways, windows
* Basement, crawlspaces, and foundation
* Garage doors, walls, and floor
* Plumbing systems and fixtures
* Electrical panels, electrical system
* Electrical outlets, GFCI, and grounding
* Smoke detectors
* Interior doors and hardware
* Kitchen appliances (microwave, trash compactor, range/oven, dishwasher, disposal)
* Laundry appliances (dryer and washer) if being sold with the house
* Insulation and ventilation systems
* Grading and site drainage
* Entry stairs, handrails
* Decks
* Bricks, masonry
* Landscaping
* Retaining walls
* Roofing system
* Eaves, soffits, and fascias
Some tests that are not part of the initial inspection typically require an extra fee.
· Swimming Pool and Spa Inspection
· Mold Screening
· Gas Line Leak test
· Septic System Inspection
· Alarm System
· Sprinkler System test
· Water quality test
· Termites
· Radon gas test
Your new home has lots of systems and approximately 9900 moving pieces – from cooling and heating to ventilation and to appliances. When they work together, all is well with the world. Weak links in the machinery, however, can produce a myriad of problems resulting in a loss in value and shortened component lifecycle. Would you purchase a used car with no qualified mechanic taking a look under its hood? Your house is far more complicated, and to truly have a thorough inspection that’s documented in a written report arms you with substantial information on which to make informed decisions.
This is usually the first question asked but the answer tells the smallest amount of about the quality of the inspection. Fees are based according to size, age and several other areas of the home. Inspection fees from an avowed professional home inspector generally start just over $350. A typical price for a nineteen hundred sq. ft. home around the country is about $300-$500 for just the inspection. In the Bronx neighborhoods, it’ll probably run you an extra 20%. But consider what you are getting for that price. Who can put a price tag on peace of mind?
The majority of people feel that the entire home is inspected comprehensive on inspection day. This misunderstanding is mainly responsible for many a homebuyer to be upset with their inspector. The inspections we do are not exhaustive and there is a good reason for this.
Should you hire separate licensed experts in cooling and heating, electrical, plumbing, engineering, etc. to examine your home, it will take about 14 hours and cost you around two grand! It may appear far more practical to use a professional inspector that has a general familiarity with home systems, knows what to look for, and can suggest further inspection by an experienced professional if needed. Your inspector is additionally following very specific guidelines issued by national or state organizations as he/she inspects your home. These guidelines are meticulously written to protect both the house as well as the inspector.
For example, we’re instructed to NOT turn systems on if they were off before the inspection (for safety reasons); we aren’t able to move furniture (might harm something); against the rules to turn on water if it’s off (possible flooding), and against the rules to get rid of through a sealed attic hatch (possible damage). Obviously of your practice is that often by not operating a control, by not seeing below the furniture, and failing to get enough in to the attic or crawlspace, we might miss identifying a problem. However, placed in perspective, the chances of missing something serious due to this is pretty low. There are more products which 94% of inspectors consider outside an average inspection, for example inspecting most things who are not bolted down (installed within the home) like electronics, low voltage lighting, space heaters, portable air conditioners, or specialized systems like water purifiers, security systems, etc.
Laconia Nursing Home is a senior citizens “apartment community in the Bronx, New York City, USA, at the intersection of Allerton Avenue and Bronxwood Boulevard. Hispanic, predominantly Hispanic neighborhood south of Allerton Avenue, and exists in a neighborhood with a high concentration of low-income residents and a small number of seniors. It exists in the east of the city, in an area with a high poverty rate and high crime rate.
The area is being monitored by 49th Precinct, located at the intersection of Allerton Avenue and Bronxwood Boulevard, south of the nursing home. The border begins in the north and moves clockwise, on the east side of the Bronx – Bronx Parkway in New York City, and begins from south to north, running north to south along Bronx Wood Boulevard and south to north along all other streets in the neighborhood. The remarkable parks of a district, including Bronx Falls Park and South Bronx Park, are located one mile (1.5 km) away in each direction. The boundaries are the south and north sides of Bronx Avenue, from north to south, from west and east to west, beginning in the north or clockwise. There are also a number of apartment buildings scattered throughout the neighborhood, as well as several apartment buildings near the nursing home.
Although the neighborhood is on the border between the city and the suburb, it is a great place to find an affordable place to live. Moving into an apartment in Laconia is always a safe and affordable option, whether you want to start a family or live alone.
It is important to understand the conditions and character of the neighborhood, but it is equally important to understand the incomes of the residents. Although some districts may be relatively prosperous overall, they are very different, dominated by conscripted military personnel and people who earn their living in agriculture, fishing, or other professions. Some neighborhoods with lower-than-average incomes may even have higher levels of poverty than the federal poverty line of $18,000 a year. This helps you understand how people, especially children, can live in a neighborhood with a high percentage of those living at or below the federal government’s poverty line, which is extremely low. What is wonderful is the sheer diversity of the neighborhood, which allows you to find a neighborhood that suits your lifestyle and desires.
For a more convenient trip to Manhattan, some residents have the option of taking the BxM10 express bus that runs along Eastchester Road. Others can take a train, bus or bike for a day trip to the West Side Highway or the East River Parkway. The neighborhood is so located that many residents do not have to drive their own car.
Hill Rd is a commuter area with 45 minutes to an hour commute – a commute for 42.6% of working residents and 16.2% of residents also use the bus for their daily commute to work. The neighborhood is characterized by the number of residents who travel to work by train every day, which can be the best way to get to work. Laconia Apartments are for those who appreciate simply living in the outskirts and not commuting quickly to the city. In fact, many of them travel more than two hours by bus or bike from their homes to get to work more cheaply and environmentally friendly.
The percentage of children under 18 living in the 10469 ZIP code is slightly above average compared to other areas of the country. Because of its low graduation rate in high school, the area has a higher percentage of people attending college than other parts of New York.
While 20% of the population in Laconia live below the poverty line, Allerton says 21% live in poverty, up from 14% in 2012. One in eight (12%) residents are unemployed, compared with 7% for the city as a whole and 7.5% for New York City residents, according to the Census Bureau. About one in four residents of the 10469 postcode (18.6%) also live below the poverty line, compared to 3.7% and 2.8% respectively.
The Concourse area has the highest proportion of the city’s total violations, at about 4 percent, and Crown Heights has a larger share. Flatbush has the highest rate of violations in Brooklyn, at about 2% of rental homes, but the Upper West Side also has lower rates. West Harlem has Manhattan’s highest rate of violations, at 2.4 violations per rental household, which is the second highest in the city. The small borough of Tremont had the highest rate of house burglaries among rented households at 2.6 per cent. Washington Heights had a high rate of violations, at 4.2 percent of the total city, and the Lower East Side (which also has the lowest rate) had 1.5 percent.
If you are searching for a professional, reliable, and affordable home, condo, or townhome inspection in Laconia, look no further. We get that you have choices and we would be honored to send one of our inspectors to inspect your property. We’re committed to getting the job done right and making you happy. E-mail or phone one of our staff (332-334-7701 or Request a Quote) to book an appointment.
