Licensed, professional home inspectors serving the Astoria Heights Queens neighborhood, offering a broad range of services for our residential customers.
If you’ve been around as long as I have, then you’ll recognize the need for home inspections. A quality home inspection in Astoria Heights 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 pinpoint the major systems that could be ready to break on you as a new homeowner. A competent inspector will narrow down the probabilities of system failure greatly.
Typically, a home inspection is a formal detailed evaluation of the visible and accessible systems and components within a home (plumbing, heating and cooling, electrical, structure, roof, etc.) and should give the customer a better understanding of the home’s overall condition. Call 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 homebuyer who asks for a formal evaluation of the home’s condition they are serious about buying. An inspection of the home 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 homeseller may not be aware of. A home inspection is not a property’s appraisal value. The inspection does not address 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 customer in the event an item inspected fails in the future.
Side note: You can purchase warranties to cover many items in the home.
Don’t consider an inspection of the home as an exhaustive evaluation, but rather an evaluation of the property at this point in time, considering normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. A home inspection can also include for extra of course Radon testing, pest inspections, pool inspections, water testing, energy audits, and many other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are done (less often) by a seller before listing the property to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by home owners 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. Major flaws, such as large differential 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 fix, which are entire systems requiring over 1.8% of the purchase price to fix.
2. Items that could lead to serious flaws – i.e., a roof leak that could grow larger, damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, or a beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as bare wiring in bathrooms and kitchens, lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), etc.
Your inspector should counsel you about what you should do about these areas of concern. She may recommend a formal evaluation on serious matters – by licensed or certified professionals who are specialists in the defect areas. For instance, your inspector may advise you phone a licensed structural or building engineer if he/she finds areas of the home that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a serious structural problem.
Home Inspections are merely conducted by a buyer after they sign a contract, right?
This isn’t true! As you will discover whenever you keep reading, a home inspection can be utilized for ad hoc inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool by a current homeowner, a proactive technique by home owners to produce their home more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the problem of the potential home.
Sellers, particularly, can benefit from obtaining a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a few of the advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner is going to be alerted to any safety issues found in your home before they open it down for open house tours.
· A home inspection can help the homeowner be much more objective in regards to setting a good price on the home.
· The homeowner could make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush following the contract is signed.
· The homeowner will take the report and allow it to be into an advertising piece for the home.
Most homebuyers lack the information, skill, and objectivity had a need to inspect a house 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 a much better comprehension of the problem of the property; especially whether any items don’t “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 been trained in every home system.
It’s wise for you to personally 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 in addition to point out maintenance features that would be helpful in the future. If you can’t be there, it’s no problem considering that the report you obtain is going to be very detailed. If you’re not present, then you need to be sure to ask your inspector to describe anything that’s not yet determined in the report. Also see the inspection agreement carefully so you understand 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 issues quickly by calling the inspector, usually within 24 hours. If you would like the inspector to come back following the inspection to show you things, this can be arranged and is a good idea, however, you could be charged extra since a second walk through not part of the inspection, unless, of course, you make that a part of your home inspection contract
However, it’s 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 painfully slow. Write down your questions and ask them after the inspector has presented you with a report.
Since condominiums are units within a single building, owners 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 actual (roof, exterior walls, lighting) is also responsible 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 condominium including porches, electrical, balconies, walls, and appliances. 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, Home Owners Associations 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 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 get, but the inspector will be following a standard checklist for the home:
· Air Conditioning and controls
· Heat pumps and controls
· Laundry appliances (dryer and washer)
· Doors, walls, patios, walkways, windows
· Windows and window gaskets
· Soffits, eaves, and fascias
· Drainage and grading
· Insulation and ventilation systems
· Landscaping
· Retaining walls
· Heating equipment and controls
· Ducts and distribution systems
· Driveway
· Indoor doors and hardware
· Roofing system
· Safety items such as railings, TPR valves, egress, etc.
· Walls, floors, ceilings
· Handrails, entry stairs
· Masonry
· Basement, crawlspaces, and foundation
· Garage, garage walls, floor, and door operation
· Plumbing fixtures and systems
· Electrical system and panels
· GFCI, outlets, electrical grounding
· Fire detectors
Some tests which are not part of the original inspection sometimes incur an additional charge.
· Mold Screening
· Radon gas test
· Swimming Pool and Spa Inspection
· Septic System Inspection
· Gas Line Leak Test
· Water quality test
· Termite Inspection
Your new home has a large number of systems and over 10,000 pieces – from cooling and heating to ventilation and to appliances. When these systems and appliances interact, you’ve got peace of mind. Weak links in the system, however, can produce assorted problems leading to a loss in value and shortened system/component lifecycle. Would you buy a used car without a reputable and qualified mechanic looking at it? Your home is far more complex, and to have a thorough inspection that’s documented in a report arms you with substantial information on which to create informed decisions.
The majority of people assume that all things are inspected comprehensive on inspection day. This misunderstanding is mainly responsible for many a homebuyer to generally be upset because of their inspector. The inspections we do are usually not exhaustive and there is a great reason for this.
For those who hire individual licensed experts in hvac, plumbing, electrical, engineering, etc. to examine your property, it’d take about 14 hours and cost you around two grand! It is much more practical to get an established inspector who may have a general knowledge of home systems, knows what to consider, and can recommend further inspection by a specialist if needed. Your inspector can also be following very specific guidelines issued by national or state organizations as he/she inspects your home. The guidelines are carefully written to protect both your home and also the inspector.
For instance, we have been directed to not turn systems on if these were off during the time of the inspection (for safety reasons); we are not in a position to move furniture (might harm something); not allowed to turn on water if it is off (possible flooding), and not allowed to interrupt by using a sealed attic hatch (possible damage). The negative effects in this practice is by not operating a control, by not seeing beneath the furniture, and enough sleep. to the crawlspace or attic, we might miss identifying a problem. However, placed in perspective, the odds of missing something serious for this reason is rather low. There are other products that about 95% of inspectors consider outside an average inspection, for example inspecting most things aren’t bolted down (installed in the home) for instance electronics, reduced voltage lighting, space heaters, portable ac units, or specialized systems for instance water purifiers, security systems, etc.
You may never want to cross the river, but this emerging hot spot in Queens has everything that makes New York City special. With rents that are prohibitively high in most other parts of the city, Queens offers residents of New York City an oasis of affordable housing. Queens offers some of the best places to live in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island and even the Bronx. If you are moving to Queens, it is a good place to move because it is close to everything New York has to offer, from restaurants and bars to shopping and entertainment.
If you just want to be across the East River and have spectacular views of Manhattan, then Long Island City and Astoria is just what you need. There are a lot of great restaurants, bars, shopping and entertainment in the area, and rents are relatively affordable compared to other parts of New York.
If you’re interested in living in an up-and-coming neighborhood, check out Crown Heights in Brooklyn.
If you’re still unsure which lifestyle best suits your neighborhood, check out some of the best neighborhoods in Queens, as mentioned here. Continue reading to find out which areas of New York are right for you and discover more in this beautiful part of New York City. The city that never sleeps, the city of dreams and never sleeps, a city full of adventure and adventure in the heart of Manhattan.
If you’re looking for a classic New York vibe, Greenwich Village is the perfect place to explore, with its eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, bars, cafes and restaurants.
Downtown Brooklyn is not short of inventory and is located in the heart of one of New York’s liveliest neighborhoods. It is a historic district that includes a mix of historic buildings, shops, restaurants, bars and cafes, as well as a variety of restaurants.
If you’re nervous about moving to New York, if you want to leave your quiet suburban life, consider buying a house in east Queens. If you’re looking for one of the most diverse places in the city to buy a home, look no further than New Yorkers in Astoria Heights.
The district, one of the last fully built in New York, has seen population growth as its communities have become very diverse and it is connected to the city’s most important transportation system, the subway system. As for transportation, Washington Heights is served by the Queens Transit Authority (QTA) and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the Staten Island Ferry. Queens had the look of a suburb, depending on which community you were in. Although Queens is part of the “city” of New Yorkers, it is very different from other parts of Queens, where houses are built in a much more diverse way.
Astoria and Long Island City may be adjacent, but the two northwest Queens neighborhoods are different in many ways. While one foot is planted in Queens with excellent diversity, the other has had its fair share of problems, including crime, crime and poverty.
The rest of New York includes the address, but the name of the borough is embedded in the other boroughs of New York City. House and house numbers do not necessarily have to be separated, but only the number of houses in a neighborhood and the address of the street. If so, the city will always be in Queens, as will the name and number that are hyped, even if it is outside Queens.
The entire Queens Community District 1, including Astoria and parts of Long Island City, is bordered by the Bronx to the east and Upper Ditmars, the East River and the Queens River to the west. Rikers Island is in the Bronx because New York City took it over from Long Island City by annexing the South Bronx and merging it into Queens. Astoria Heights and Upper East Mars are bordered by Queens Boulevard, Queens Avenue, East 57th Street and Queens Road.
The Astoria is located in the middle of Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside, on the east side of the Queens River, south of Queens Boulevard and the East River.
The Astoria is a great place to live if you live in New York but are not sure where it is or where to stay? If you are on the market for a new home or looking for property in Astoria, there is no better way to get to know the neighborhood than to take a look inside it first.
Generally, the Astoria is pretty safe, except for the 21st Street project, but Brooklyn Heights is a good deal. Queens has many prime neighborhoods for affordable housing in New York, including the Upper East Side, Midtown Manhattan and the Bronx. New York City has nine Chinatowns: the big three include Chinatown in Manhattan, Flushing and Sunset Park. Queens is a prime area for the affordability of the city and is home to some of the best affordable housing in New York.
If you’re searching for a affordable, reliable, and professional home, condo, or town home inspection, your search is over. We get that you have choices and we’d be honored to send out one of our inspectors to inspect your property. We are committed to getting the job done right and making you a satisfied customer. Call or email one of our staff members now (332-334-7701 or Request a Quote) to book an appointment.
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