Licensed, professional home inspectors serving the Parkchester (Bronx) neighborhood, offering a broad range of services for our residential customers.
If you have been around for a while, then you’ll understand the need for home inspections. A quality home inspection in Parkchester protects you the prospective home owner against the 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 pinpoint the primary components that could be ready to break down on you as a new home owner. A great inspector will narrow down the probabilities of system failure greatly.
Typically and simply put, a home inspection is a formal professional evaluation of the visible and accessible components and systems of a home (structure, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, roof, etc.) and is intended to give the client a clearer understanding of the house’s general condition. Phone today to schedule an appointment at 332-334-7701 or Request a Quote. You’ll be glad you made the call.
More often than not, it is a buyer who requests an inspection of the home he or she is serious about purchasing. A home inspection delivers data points so that decisions about the purchase can be questioned or confirmed, and can uncover serious and/or expensive-to-repair defects that the owner/seller may not be aware of. A home inspection is not an appraisal of the property’s value. The inspection does not point out the cost of repairs for defects the inspector finds. Similarly, an inspection of the home makes not claim that the home and its systems complies with local building codes or protects a client in the event an item inspected fails in the future.
Note: You can purchase warranties to cover a multitude of items in the house.
Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as an exhaustive evaluation, but rather property evaluation on the day it is inspected, taking into account normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. An inspection of the property can also include for extra, Radon testing, pest inspections, pool inspections, water testing, energy audits, and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are paid for (less often) by a seller before listing the property to see if there are any hidden problems that they are unaware of, and also by home owners simply wanting to keep the home investment value as high as possible, care for their homes, and prevent surprises.
The following are aspects that inspectors pay attention to during an inspection:
1. Major defects, such as large differential cracks in the home’s foundation; building out of level or plumb; decks not supported or installed properly, and others. These items are expensive to fix, which are entire systems needing over two percent of the purchase price to fix.
2. Things that could lead to serious defects – damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, a roof flashing leak that could grow larger, or a support beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as no safety railing on decks above 30 inches, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), exposed wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, etc.
Your property inspector should advise you about what you should do about these areas of concern. He/she may recommend an evaluation on serious matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For instance, your inspector will advise you phone a licensed building engineer if he/she finds sections of the property that are misaligned, as this could indicate a serious structural problem.
Home Inspections are only conducted by a buyer once they sign a formal contract, right?
This isn’t true! As you might find once you continue reading, a home inspection may be used for ad hoc inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool by a current home owner, a proactive technique by homeowners to create their house more sellable, and by buyers wanting to ascertain the problem of the potential home.
Home owners, particularly, can benefit from finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a several advantages for the seller:
· The seller knows the home! The home inspector will have the ability to get answers to his/her questions on the real history of any problems they find.
· A home inspection may help the seller be much more objective in regards to setting a reasonable price on the home.
· The seller usually takes the report and ensure it is into a marketing piece for the home.
· The seller will be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it up for open house tours.
· The seller may make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush following the contract is signed.
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. Utilizing the services of a qualified home inspector, they gain an improved understanding 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. Remember that the home inspector is a generalist and is broadly been trained in every home system.
It’s wise for you to personally be present through the inspection – whether you’re a homebuyer, seller, or homeowner. With you there, the inspector can point out any defects and explain their importance along with mention maintenance features which will be helpful in the future. In the event that you can’t be there, it’s no problem considering that the report you receive will be very detailed. If you are not present, then you ought to be sure to ask your inspector to describe anything that’s not yet determined in the report. Also browse the inspection agreement carefully so you know what is covered and what is not covered in the inspection. If there is a problem with the inspection or the report, you need to raise the issues quickly by calling the inspector, usually within 24 hours. If you would like the inspector to return following the inspection to show you things, this is often arranged and is recommended, 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 home inspection contract
However, it’s very important for you to let the inspector do the job you’re paying for. We love our clients, but we also know that constant interference and interruptions (some might even call it nagging) make the process unnecessarily slow. Write down your questions and ask them after the inspector has presented you with a detailed report.
This depends on the size and condition of the entire home. You can usually figure 1.2 hours for every thousand sq. ft. For instance, a 2600 sq.ft. house would take around 3 hours. If the company also writes the report at your home, factor in an extra 30-50 minutes. These figures aren’t set in stone because you really want them to do a thorough inspection without being rushed.
Since condominiums are individual units within a condo building, homeowners pay a monthly assessment fee to a HOA or home owners association or condo association, which pays for the upkeep and maintenance of all exteriors including the building home owners association is also on the hook for maintaining the HVAC. In smaller condo buildings, many home owners have their own boiler that acts as the HVAC that a building would normally provide. Home owners are responsible for everything inside the condo unit including walls, appliances, balconies, porches, plumbing, and electrical. There are fewer items to inspect, but getting an inspection from someone who knows what they’re doing is still critical. As you know well, HOAs are a fickled lot to be brutally honest. And they’re all very different, even within a neighborhood. Ask us about it and we’ll be honest 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 be following a standardized checklist for the property:
· Electrical system, panels
· Electrical outlets, GFCI, and grounding
· Smoke detectors
· Ducts and distribution systems
· Drive ways
· Heat pumps and controls
· Kitchen appliances (microwave, trash compactor, range/oven, dishwasher, disposal)
· Laundry appliances (washer and dryer) if being sold with the house
· Heating equipment and controls
· Site drainage and grading
· Eaves, soffits, and fascias
· Walls, doors, windows, patios, walkways
· Landscape
· Retaining walls
· Kitchen cabinets, counters, and floors
· Windows and window gaskets
· Roofing, flashings, chimneys, and attic
· Heating and air conditioning
· Interior doors and hardware
· Walls, floors, ceilings
· Safety items such as egress, TPRV valves, railings, etc.
· Masonry
· Entry stairs, handrails
· Decks
· Plumbing systems and fixtures
· Garage walls, doors, and doors
Other tests that aren’t part of the initial inspection sometimes require an extra fee.
· Radon Gas Test
· Water Quality Test
· Termite Inspection
· Sprinkler System Test
· Swimming Pool and Spa Inspection
· Mold Screening
· Septic systems
· Alarm System
Your new home has lots of systems and approx. 9900 parts – from heating and cooling to ventilation and to appliances. When these systems and appliances interact, you’ve got peace of mind. Weak links in the machinery, however, can produce assorted problems leading to a loss in value and shortened component lifecycle. Would you purchase a used car without a reputable mechanic taking a look under its hood? Your property is far more complicated, and to have a thorough inspection that’s documented in a written report arms you with substantial information on which to create informed decisions.
This really is usually the first question asked but the answer tells the least about the quality of the inspection. Fees are based according to size, age and many other aspects of the home. Inspection fees from an avowed professional home inspector generally start under $350. An average fee for a nineteen hundred sq. foot house around the country is about $350-$425 for just the inspection. In the Bronx, it will probably run you an extra 30% or more. But think about what you are getting for that price. Who can put a price tag on peace of mind?
A lot of people assume that the entire home is inspected complete on inspection day. This misunderstanding is mainly responsible for many a homebuyer to be upset utilizing their inspector. The inspections we all do aren’t exhaustive and there is a great reason for this.
When you hire individual licensed experts in cooling and heating, electrical, plumbing, engineering, etc. to examine your house, it might take about thirteen hours and cost you about two grand! It is much more practical to employ an experienced inspector who’s got a general familiarity with home systems, knows things to search for, and can recommend further inspection by an experienced if needed. Your inspector is also following very specific guidelines issued by state or national organizations as he/she inspects your home. These guidelines are written in order to protect both your home and also the inspector.
For example, we’re directed to NOT turn systems on if these were off prior to the inspection (for safety reasons); we are really not in a position to move furniture (might harm something); not allowed to turn on water when it is off (possible flooding), and not allowed to get rid of by using a sealed attic hatch (possible damage). The down-side of the practice is the fact by not operating a control, by not seeing within the furniture, and not receiving to the attic or crawlspace, we are going to might miss identifying a problem. However, placed into perspective, the odds of missing something serious due to this is very low. There are other items which more than 95% of inspectors consider outside a regular inspection, for example inspecting most things which aren’t bolted down (installed within the home) such as electronics, low voltage lighting, space heaters, portable air conditioning, or specialized systems such as water purifiers, security alarms, etc.
Parkchester is a planned residential neighborhood originally developed by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and located in the central Bronx of New York City. The neighborhood has an average household income of $55,000 and has attracted waves of immigrants from the Middle East, Africa, South America, Asia, Europe and the United States.
According to data from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an estimated 26% of low-income households live in Parkchester, compared to a median income of $37,377 in New York City as a whole. According to a report by the city’s Office of Community Development, median household income in the Bronx in 2014 was $37, $377 compared with $35,071 in Manhattan and $34,843 in Brooklyn. Park Chester apartment complexes have an average per capita income of about $25,000, compared with $19,500 in 2010, but still below the national average.
Semantics aside, more than 80% of residents have a college education, and, while Parkchester is new and spacious, most of the complexes are condominiums, belying the fact that tenants still live there for much less than a home buyer in Manhattan or Brooklyn might expect. Although new, spacious and affordable, apartments rent for about $1,500 a month, compared to $18 to $28 for similarly equipped apartments in New York City.
This month marks 78 years since the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company unveiled its plans for Parkchester, New York’s second-largest neighborhood. It consists of 112 residential buildings on 129 hectares and today houses 8,000 condominiums and rental apartments occupied by more than 40,000 inhabitants. The neighborhood is diverse, with median household income of just over $57,000 a year, but it tends to attract those who prefer to live in Manhattan but find prices too high. Each building here has solidly built apartments, similar to those in Washington Heights, with a mix of single-family and condominiums.
Those who want to live in Manhattan usually settle in the West Bronx, but Parkchester has more apartments for rent. One bedroom has a median rent of $1,450, while two bedrooms have a median rent of about $1,775, according to the National Association of Realtors. Homes sell for about the median $173,5000, with some homes in Metropolitan Oval having $180,000.
Residents of Parkchester’s apartment complexes reflect the district’s changing ethnic makeup. Some live with people who have immigrated from other parts of New York, such as the Bronx and Queens, and others live in Manhattan.
Williamsburg Houses are atypical of social housing in New York, with shop windows very similar to those in Parkchester. The low-rise buildings are infused with a range of values, depending on the location in the neighborhood, such as about $1,500 to $2,000 a month for a two-bedroom apartment. In the different parts of the neighborhood there are different types of housing, from single-family houses to two- and three-room apartments.
Since the 1920s, Metropolitan Life has been building structured communities to lead structured lives, starting in Parkchester and the Bronx. In fact, the community served as a model for other neighborhoods in New York City, including Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, as well as other parts of Manhattan.
Today, many of these houses are being renovated and offered as rental accommodation to the growing low-income population in the area. Of the 171 apartments built in Parkchester, 171 are single-family homes, and many residents have access to affordable housing, such as the one Ocasio-Cortez raised their young children in.
I wrote Parkchester: The Bronx’s Tale of Race and Ethnicity and challenged myself to write a story about the history of affordable housing in the Bronx of New York City. Consider what the city looked like when it was built, how it fell in hard times, and what it can teach us to address the challenges of providing affordable housing in this city and elsewhere. Smaller communities are the best option because they offer affordable prices but do not offer the same level of amenities as larger communities, such as schools, parks and public transportation.
If you are searching for a affordable, reliable, and professional home, condo, or town home inspection in Parkchester, look no further. We get that you have choices and we’d be happy to send out one of our inspectors to inspect your home and property. We’re committed to getting the job done right and making you a satisfied customer. Email or call one of our staff now (332-334-7701 or Request a Quote) to book an appointment.
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