Licensed, professional home inspectors serving the East Elmhurst Queens neighborhood, offering a broad range of services for our residential customers.
If you have been around, then you’ll know all about home inspections in East Elmhurst. A quality 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 her weight in gold should be able to pinpoint the primary components that could be ready to become a problem for you as a new home owner. A good inspector will narrow down the possibilities of system failure considerably.
Simply put, a home inspection is an evaluation of the accessible and visible components and systems within a house (structure, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, roof, etc.) and is meant to give the customer a better understanding of the unit’s overall state. Call 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, the inspection is a homebuyer who asks for an inspection of the home he or she is serious about buying. An inspection of the home delivers data so that decision makers can question or confirm details about the home questioned or confirmed, and can uncover serious and/or expensive-to-repair defects that the seller/owner may not be aware of. It is not an appraisal of the property’s value. The inspection does not address any repair costs for defects the inspector finds. Similarly, a home inspection makes not claim that the home and its systems complies with local code or protects a customer in the event something inspected fails.
Sidenote: You can buy warranties to cover several items in the home.
Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as a final 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. An inspection of the property can also include, for extra fees, Radon testing, pest inspections, pool inspections, water testing, energy audits, and other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also done (less often) by a homeseller before 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 keep the home investment value as high as possible, care for their homes, and prevent surprises.
The following are areas that inspectors pay close attention to when inspecting your property:
1. Major flaws, such as large cracks in the home’s foundation; building out of level or plumb; decks not supported or installed correctly, and others. These are items that are costly to fix, which are systems needing over 1.9% of the purchase price to repair.
2. Items that could lead to major flaws – a roof flashing 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 lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), exposed electrical wiring in bathrooms and kitchens, lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, etc.
Your inspector should be able to counsel you on what to do about these areas of concern. He/she may recommend a formal evaluation on matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For instance, your inspector will advise you call a licensed building engineer if he/she finds areas of the property that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a major structural problem and one that might cost thousands of dollars to fix
Home Inspections are always paid for by a buyer after they sign a contract, right?
This is simply not true! As you might find when you read on, a home inspection may be used for interim inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool by a current home owner, a proactive technique by sellers to create their house more sellable, and by buyers wanting to ascertain the problem of the potential home.
Home owners, specifically, can take advantage of obtaining a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a some of the advantages for the seller:
· The seller will soon be alerted to any safety issues found in the house before they open it down for open house tours.
· A home inspection can help the seller be more objective as it pertains to setting a reasonable price on the home.
· The seller can make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry after the contract is signed.
· The seller will take the report and ensure it is into a marketing piece for the home.
Sure, you could do it yourself. Unfortunately, most homebuyers lack the objectivity, skill, and knowledge necessary to inspect a house themselves. In other words, they think they know their homes inside and out, but they really don’t. When you use services of a qualified home inspector, they gain a better knowledge 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 attention” by a qualified specialist. Understand that the home inspector is really a generalist and has broad training and experience in most of the major home systems.
It’s wise for you to be present throughout the inspection – whether you are a buyer, seller, or home owner. With you there, the inspector can explain to you any defects and explain their importance in addition to mention maintenance features that will be helpful in the future. If you can’t be there, it is not a problem because the report you obtain will soon be very detailed. If you are not present, then you should be sure to ask your inspector to spell out anything that’s not yet determined in the report. Also read the inspection agreement carefully so you understand what is covered and what is not covered in the inspection. If there is a trouble with the inspection or the report, you must raise the problems quickly by calling the inspector, usually within 24 hours. If you’d like the inspector to return after the inspection showing you things, this is 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 agreement
However, it’s important to let the inspector do the job you’re paying for. We love our customers, but we also know that constant interruptions and interference make the process unnecessarily slow. Jot down your questions and ask them after the inspector has presented you with a detailed report.
Since condominiums are individual units within a 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 building itself (exterior walls, lighting, roof, etc.) is also on the hook for maintaining the community boiler system or HVAC. In smaller condo buildings, many home owners have their own mini-boiler that suffices for the HVAC that a building would normally provide. Owners are responsible for everything inside the condo unit including porches, electrical, balconies, walls, and appliances. There are fewer items to inspect, but getting an inspection from someone qualified is still a must. As you know well, HOAs are a fickled lot, to be honest. And they’re all so very different, even within a city. Ask us about our policy and we’ll be honest 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 receive, but the inspector will be following a standard checklist for the property:
· Heating equipment and controls
· Ducts and distribution systems
· Fireplaces
· Heating and air conditioning
· Heat controls and pumps
· Safety items such as railings, TPR valves, egress, etc.
· Ceilings, walls, floors
· Kitchen cabinets, counters, and floors
· Windows and window gaskets
· Windows, doors, patios, walkways, walls
· Foundation, basement, and crawlspaces
· Garage walls, doors, and doors
· Electrical panels, electrical system
· Electrical outlets, GFCI, and grounding
· Smoke detectors
· Indoor doors and hardware
· Kitchen appliances (microwave, range/oven/stovetop/hoods, dishwasher, trash compactor, disposal)
· Laundry appliances (dryer and washer)
· Ventilation systems and Insulation
· Site drainage and grading
· Driveway
· Decks
· Bricks, masonry
· Landscaping
· Retaining walls
· Soffits, eaves, and fascias
Some tests that aren’t part of the standard inspection usually incur an additional charge.
· Radon Gas Test
· Water Quality Test
· Termite Inspection
· Gas Line Leak Test
· Sprinkler System Test
· Swimming Pool and Spa Inspection
· Mold Screening
· Septic systems
· Alarm System
Your home has lots of systems and about 9800 moving pieces – from cooling and heating to ventilation systems and to appliances. When they 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 lifecycle. Would you get a used car with out a qualified mechanic looking at it? Your house is far more complex, and to have a thorough inspection that’s documented in a written report arms you with substantial information on which to make informed decisions.
Plenty of people believe the entire home is inspected complete on inspection day. This misunderstanding is responsible for many a homebuyer to be upset with their inspector. The inspections we perform will not be exhaustive and there’s a great reason for this.
Should you hire separate licensed experts in heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical, engineering, etc. to inspect your home, it would take about fifteen hours and run you around two grand! It is a bit more practical (and affordable) to hire an established inspector who has a general information about home systems, knows what to consider, and can recommend further inspection by a specialist if needed. Your inspector can be following very specific guidelines issued by state or national organizations as he/she inspects your home. These guidelines are written to safeguard both the home as well as the inspector.
For instance, we have been instructed to not turn systems on if they were off prior to the inspection (for safety reasons); we aren’t ready to move furniture (might harm something); banned to turn on water if it’s off (possible flooding), and banned to interrupt via a sealed attic hatch (possible damage). The down-side of this practice is that by not operating a control, by not seeing in the furniture, and to not get to the crawlspace or attic, we’re going to might miss identifying a problem. However, place into perspective, the possibilities of missing something serious therefore is quite low. There are additional products which about 94% of inspectors consider outside a regular inspection, including inspecting most things which are not bolted down (installed inside home) like electronics, reduced voltage lighting, space heaters, portable air conditioning units, or specialized systems like water purifiers, home security systems, etc.
An emerging hot spot in Queens has everything New York City needs, but you may never want to cross the river. Queens is home to some of the best places to live in the city, and offers everything from great restaurants and bars to great shopping and great parks. In East Elmhurst, Queens, there are many great neighborhoods to choose from, and you might never have wanted it any other way.
A small part of East Elmhurst is classified as a separate district of Whitestone, Queens, which means that some children attend a different school district from the rest of the city’s public school system. There is no public high school in East Elkhurst, but students can apply to schools outside the New York public school system, and Queens is also home to several colleges, including New York State College of Art and Design and the Queens Institute of Technology (QIT).
East Elmhurst is an area stretching from 70th St. to 112th Pl. From west to east and east to west. To the north, the Jackson Heights border is pretty good – defined at 90th Street. After all, 11369 is a neighborhood bordering North Corona and East Elkhurst, as well as the neighborhoods of Whitestone, Queens and Queens, New York City. The two areas form the East Elmhurst estate agent’s “call” – what estate agents call “North Corona” and “Elmhurst” – and they are both located to the east and west, with the exception of a small part of the neighbourhood to the south.
The Long Island City district is near Manhattan and takes only about ten minutes by train. The F line ends at Jamaica Estates, and if you’re too far from Midtown, you can take the subway to Manhattan.
Elmhurst Care Center is a 240-room senior citizen apartment community located on the corner of Queens Blvd. extension. Care Facility is located in the Woodside neighborhood of Wood Side, New York, and is a 280-bed senior citizen housing complex. If you are looking for a hotel in East Elmhurst, you can also look for the Comfort Inn near LaGuardia Airport, which is just a few blocks away.
Although Elmhurst’s demographics have changed over the years, it is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City, and is considered the second and ethnically diverse neighborhood in the city after the LIC. The neighborhood includes a mix of high-quality apartments, affordable apartments, restaurants, shops and restaurants. This Queens neighborhood is just a short drive from Midtown Manhattan, not to mention the Long Island Railroad. There are also a number of restaurants that you can reach if you live there, making most commuting a breeze.
The district is, however, one of the most ethnically diverse in New York City and the second most diverse in the city after the LIC.
The neighborhood in Queens is also different in their family – oriented and similar to Brooklyn, they tend to be quieter and more familiar. There are many hipsters wandering East Elmhurst, as well as some of the most expensive, competitive and gentrified neighborhoods in the city. The neighborhoods on the east side of Queens, such as East Elmhurst and the west side, are both more expensive and competitive than the rest of New York City, but they are also more diverse in terms of ethnicity, race, gender, age, ethnicity, and income. Similar to Manhattan, East Harlem has many different types of apartments, from hipster to upscale, from cheap to affordable.
Overall, East Elmhurst is very charming and the neighborhood offers great value to residents, visitors and potential buyers alike.
Generally, Queens is a gentrified Brooklyn, but it is one of the most diverse and dynamic neighborhoods in New York City. However, this is the only district with a high proportion of low-income residents.
The high cost of buying a home is not one of the benefits of living in New York, but it is many. If you want to buy your home in the beautiful state of New York, you will find that there are many options in East Elmhurst, Queens. In this area of Queens and other neighborhoods there is a wide selection of homes for sale.
It feels more suburban, but has many amenities such as shopping, restaurants, parks and other amenities. As in the rest of Queens, apartments and older townhouses in Ridgewood tend to be larger than the average Manhattan or Brooklyn resident, so they will cost less. You can see this in East Elmhurst, Queens and other parts of New York. In this part of the city, there tends to be a large number of residential buildings, especially on the east side of Manhattan and the west side.
What you will find when you visit or move to this neighborhood is one of the most populated neighborhoods in America. It is home to many fine restaurants, bars, hotels, restaurants and shops, as well as a large number of restaurants.
If you are searching for a professional, reliable, and affordable home, condo, or townhome inspection in East Elmhurst, look no further. We get that you have choices and we’d be honored to send one of our inspectors out to inspect your home and property. We are committed to getting the job done right and making you happy. Call or email one of our staff members now (332-334-7701 or Request a Quote) to book an appointment.
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