Florida Building Inspection Services

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General contracting

Front Elevation, Florida Building Inspection Services, 877-382-0811

Water Damage Front Elevation, Florida Building Inspection Services 877-382-0811

A/C Disconnect Bypassed, Florida Building Inspection Services 877-382-0811

Ground Rod, Ralph Spurlock, Florida Certified Home Inspector, 877-382-0811

Roof, Ground Observations, Ralph Spurlock, Registered FHA 203K Consultant 877-382-0811

Damaged Skylight No Cricket, Ralph Spurlock, State of Florida Certified General Contractor, Miami Florida 877-382-0811

Missing Shingles, Home and Building Inspections, 877-382-0811

Damaged Roof Vent, Toll Free 877-382-0811

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The Home Affordable Refinance Program or HARP was first introduced in the year 2009 by the US President. It was aimed at helping 4-5 million underwater homeowners get mortgage refinancing. Ultimately, the HARP program was able to help only 900,000 mortgage borrowers get their mortgages refinanced. As the original program had not been able to serve the majority of the underwater homeowners, some changes were brought into the program as recently as last year.

The changes in HARP

 Due to the continued drop in home values, the refinance problem increased. The complaints against HARP  increased  with many people reporting that their paperwork was lost. The government for some time, had been planning changes and expanded HARP in the month of October of 2011. These changes are now supposed to cater to an increased number of homeowners. Beginning in November 2011, the banks were to start using the new government criteria  intended to make more mortgage borrowers eligible for refinancing through the HARP program.

The HARP program has been made easier for the borrowers. The ceiling on the amount to which homeowners can borrow against the value of their home has been changed. The banks are now required to take back the home loans from the government. In bringing such a change, the Federal Housing Finance Agency is supposed to help about  900,000 or more of underwater homeowners. These homeowners may be able to see themselves out of the tough situation which they have been going through in getting their homes refinanced, thereby almost doubling the size of the Home Affordable Refinance Program. 

The savings from now on are going to be really great. For, if you have mortgage of around $100,000 at 6% interest and if you can get it refinanced at a rate of 4%, you may be able to save almost $100 per month.

Moreover, according to the new changes the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac won’t be able be able to charge the high fees that they have been charging until now. The administration has also raised the loan-to-value cap to 125 percent. So, it is true that most of the underwater homeowners may be able to get their homes refinanced.

Though many analysts of the program have welcomed the change but as is the case with most of the situations and proposals that are being introduced, some are opposing the program. Some of the analysts have started to criticize the changes in the program because they believe that it won’t be able to cater to all of the homeowners with low-interest rate refinance mortgages. Amongst the 22 million of the homeowners who may be eligible for the government backed refinancing program, almost 70 percent of them are already making the mortgage payments at an interest rate of 5% or more. The interest rates of the conventional mortgages are now  close to 4%.

However, the economists argue that it is unrealistic to expect that the program is going to help all  borrowers. While there are some people who always remain wary of the government programs, there are others who are going to be put off by the upfront application fees and the burdensome paperwork. In addition, those who already have home equity loans and maybe second home mortgages may face tougher situations with regards to refinance approvals. Moreover, as the mortgage refinance programs are totally optional, the lenders may even be able to add-on some restrictions along with the eligibility criteria of getting the refinance done.

Florida Certified Home Inspector

Licensed & Insured

In addition to being a state of Florida certified home inspector I am a registered FHA compliance inspector and a state of Florida certified general contractor with over 40 years of building experiences in Florida. My company Concept Building Systems, provides four point home inspections, home owner insurance inspections, windstorm inspections in the state of Florida to the insurance industry, real estate professionals, home buyers and others.

On request we will provide FHA compliance inspections and FHA 203K consulting services-nationwide. 

Fees for a four point inspection are $175.00 plus travel expenses. We provide standard inspections state-wide for a fee of $275.00 plus travel expenses. Our wind mitigation inspection fees start at $125.00.  

These are pro forma fees addressing a one story, single family residential property of 2500 square feet or less.

Additional charges may apply for larger properties. A written quotation for all inspections will be provided. Travel expenses paid in advance upon execution of an inspection agreement. Travel expenses will include forty-five cents ($0.45) per mile plus room and board where overnight stay is necessary. 

Call 877-382-0811 for more information.

Or fill out our contact form and someone will call you back promptly

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Florida Certified Home Inspector

The following is a pictorial description of  a home inspection that I performed in SW Dade County for a young couple purchasing their first home.

The husband called and we made an appointment to meet with  him, his wife, the seller’s realtor and their infant child (mention the infant child because of the photos of the pool) you will understand why when you get to that section of this article.

Again as mentioned earlier my inspection began with a walk-around the exterior of the house. The house and property were in reasonably good condition. During the inspection of the outside of the house I found a few things that has become standard operating procedure to the  South Florida building and development industry.

Temporary Electric

The first thing I noticed was that the builder had never disconnected and removed the temporary power and removed the power pole. This could be a hazard to children and adults alike. I also noticed that their was an electrical junction box remaining and located just above ground which was a trip and fall hazard. The window sills again were not provided with positive drainage away from the bottom of the window.

Water is very close to being a universal solvent. By that I mean given enough time and the right conditions water will dissolve almost anything. Continuing my inspection of the exterior of the house. At the pool there was no barrier to prevent a small child from falling into the pool and drowning. This is now law. A pool must be equipped with a fence as a safeguard against this unfortunate occurrence. The obvious reason for the enactment of such a law was the regularity with which it happened.

Pool without A Barrier

The pool equipment was on and running the pool circulation was good. The previous owner had kept the kept the pool and pool equipment in good repair. I found no problem with the pool other than the missing barrier. This is something that the buyer and the seller might be able to talk about at or before closing. My job as a buyer rep is to bring these things to the attention of the prospective buyer which is what I do.

Next I went on the roof and made a few notations in my report. In my opinion the roof was in good shape. I did not find a lot to be concerned with there. Other than a small nail that I removed and plugged, the roof was excellent.

Found One Nail In The Roof

Roof Is In Good Condition

I simply recommended to the buyers that a pressure wash with about a 2500 psi pressure washer starting from the high point of the roof a working down slope would add to the life of roof by removing any accumulated mold, mildew or fungus and return the roof to a like new appearance.

Time to move to the inside of the house. Looking at the electrical panel. Checking for proper operation and location of ground fault interceptors (GFI). Checking the operation and proper size of egress windows in the bedrooms , exterior doors,  locking devices. Check the floor to be reasonably level. I look for smoke detectors as required by law. Look at the condition of convenience outlets, operation of the plumbing and plumbing equipment, water heater(s), A/C operation throughout the house. Other things that should be checked is garage door openers, ceiling insulation and if I am able to navigate the attic area above the ceiling I will look for the proper straps and cross bracing in the attic.The electrical panel was in good shape.

Panel Looks Good

Cover Plate Missing

The electrical panel was in good shape but I found that several cover plates for convenience outlets were missing. Also in the kitchen one of the GFI did not operate properly. I found missing smoke detectors.

GFI Not Working Properly

Missing Smoke Detector

Ground fault  a ground interceptor is required within three feet of all kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks, washing machines and any other such wet area with electrical service provided within that proximity.

Water Damage In North Bedroom

In the north bedroom I found something that was a mystery to me. As I previously stated and advised the owner the roof was in excellent shape. Yet in this bedroom I saw evidence of water intrusion. I frankly told the buyer that I did not understand this and did not have a clue how the water was entering this bedroom. When examined the attic area I tried to get to the area of this bedroom but could not due to obstructions in the attic area. The next house I build (I am a state of Florida certified general contractor) I will strongly advise my customer that attic obstructions should be avoid whenever it feasible to so.

I entered the attic space and investigated it as much as possible. I checked insulation, cross bracing and ceiling stripping, all of which are important to the structural integrity of the roof particularly in the event of a hurricane.

Ceiling Insulation R-19

Cross Bracing At Gable Ends

There is a subscript to the water in the bedroom thing. A week later we had one of those torrential downpours so common to living in South Florida. The new owner called me and said that he saw puddles of water on the floor of this bedroom. He asked that I come out and re-investigate, which I did . Still I could not find a reason for the roof leaking. I suggested that since that area of the ceiling would need replacing,  we should remove it to determine the exact location of the leak. Sometimes a leak in a roof is in an area somewhat removed from where the evidence of the leak is visible. This is due to the property of surface adhesion that water has. In other words, it can come through the roof at one location and sticking to the surface of a wood member it can travel down that member to a location below the leak,  then drips on the ceiling and floors below.

When I removed the ceiling it was obvious there was a substantial leak in the roof that I previously reported as being in  “excellent condition”.

By taking a measurement from the inside of the fascia board to the point of the leak that we could now  see and climbing the roof  again I closely examined the roof at the same distance.

I was further perplexed by the fact that there was  absolutely no observable damage to the roof in this area. I began groping around pulling at the edges of the singles. Low and behold the edges of exactly two of the shingles could be lifted from those shingle predecessors. So with a hard rain accompanied by blowing wind  these shingles would lift. The water entered. Of the entire roof these  two shingles had not been manufactured with enough adhesive for them to remain in place under such conditions. I glued them down and it has several months since with no new telephone calls.

Florida wind mitigation form page 1 of 4 (877)382-0811

If you are a home owner with a mortgage in the state of Florida you must have home owner’s insurance. Before hurricane Andrew struck south Florida on August 24, 1992, home owner’s insurance was very reasonably priced. I can’t say for sure what the average price of home owner’s insurance was, but I can tell you that mine was $600.00 dollars per year. Today for the same house with the same features it’s $3,600.00 dollars per year and this is for a significantly reduced policy coverage.

The good news is that Florida home owners can get a reduced-discounted policy. The bad news is that they can do so only if their home has/meets certain insurance industry mandated structural upgrades and standards. To be eligible for the discounts most homes built before 1994 would need to be retrofitted to comply with these insurance industry requirements. In south Florida homes built after 1994 have been built with these upgrades in place as required by revised building codes.

Florida wind mitigation form page 2 of 4 local (305) 251-5889

Discounts are calculated and analyzed by the insurance companies in accordance with structural upgrades found to be incorporated in the structure.  An inspection must be performed by a state of Florida general contractor or engineer and certified by that person to be present in the home at the time of the inspection.

If the home owner is to be granted the reduced cost insurance, the home must meet the required standards each of which is rated under and by a point system. Below is a summary of the items that will be inspected and should be installed present at the home if an insurance discount is to be awarded to the home owner.

Windows & Doors

Wind mitigation form page 3 of 4

Garage Doors

Garage doors must have an NOA (Notice Of Acceptance).

Exterior Walls of Hollow Core Masonry

The cores in a hollow concrete block wall must be reinforced with one number 5 reinforcing rod and the core and rod concreted filled at 4 feet center to center spacing. It should be noted here that most homes built before 1994 will not have this structural feature. The fact that they don’t does not mean a discount will be denied the owner is simply means that the owner will not receive the amount of discounted insurance that another with the reinforcing in the wall would receive.

The Roof-Roof Configuration

Wind mitigation form page 4 of 4

To receive the full discount for the roof covering it should consist of either shingles or be a metal roof. Here I’m going interject my opinion by stating I believe that a standing seam metal roof is the best available for the south Florida environment and propensity for hurricane events. This and a “hipped roof” configuration will provide the owner with a chance at the best discount the insurance company has to offer. Until put to the test and passing, I view a shingled roof with a jaundiced eye.

Roof Structure

Now the inspector should gain access to the attic space able the ceiling of the house. There he is going to check the thickness to the deck material, the spacing of the structural roof members, “trusses”, nail spacing, nail size and suitability of truss anchors at the exterior walls. Those homes with gabled ends must be cross braced.

We not only perform wind mitigation inspections. We are also state of Florida certified general building contractors since 1973. This means that we will perform the inspection and work with your insurance agent to give you a list of things to do that will be the best home modifications you can do to get the most home owner insurance discounts for the home repair dollars you spend. 

10 Easy Ways to Save Energy in Your Home by Nick Gromicko, Ben Gromicko, Rob London and Kenton Shepard

Most people don’t know how easy it is to make their homes run on less energy, and here at InterNACHI, we want
to change that. Drastic reductions in heating, cooling and electricity costs can be accomplished through
very simple changes, most of which homeowners can do themselves. Of course, for homeowners who want to take
advantage of the most up-to-date knowledge and systems in home energy efficiency, InterNACHI energy auditors
can perform in-depth testing to find the best energy solutions for your particular home.

Why make your home more energy efficient? Here are a few good reasons:

•Federal, state, utility and local jurisdictions’ financial incentives, such as tax breaks, are very
advantageous for homeowners in most parts of the U.S.
•It saves money. It costs less to power a home that has been converted to be more energy-efficient.
•It increases the comfort level indoors.
•It reduces our impact on climate change. Many scientists now believe that excessive energy consumption
contributes significantly to global warming.
•It reduces pollution. Conventional power production introduces pollutants that find their way into the air,
soil and water supplies.

1. Find better ways to heat and cool your house.

As much as half of the energy used in homes goes toward heating and cooling. The following are a few ways
that energy bills can be reduced through adjustments to the heating and cooling systems:

•Install a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans can be used in place of air conditioners, which require a large
amount of energy.
•Periodically replace air filters in air conditioners and heaters.
•Set thermostats to an appropriate temperature. Specifically, they should be turned down at night and
when no one is home. In most homes, about 2% of the heating bill will be saved for each degree that the
thermostat is lowered for at least eight hours each day. Turning down the thermostat from 75° F to 70° F,
for example, saves about 10% on heating costs.
•Install a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat saves money by allowing heating and cooling
appliances to be automatically turned down during times that no one is home and at night. Programmable
thermostats contain no mercury and, in some climate zones, can save up to $150 per year in energy costs.
•Install a wood stove or a pellet stove. These are more efficient sources of heat than furnaces.
•At night, curtains drawn over windows will better insulate the room.

2. Install a tankless water heater.

Demand-type water heaters (tankless or instantaneous) provide hot water only as it is needed. They don’t
produce the standby energy losses associated with traditional storage water heaters, which will save on
energy costs. Tankless water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank. When a hot water
tap is turned on, cold water travels through a pipe into the unit. A gas burner or an electric element heats
the water. As a result, demand water heaters deliver a constant supply of hot water. You don’t need to wait
for a storage tank to fill up with enough hot water.

3. Replace incandescent lights.

The average household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting. Traditional incandescent lights convert
approximately only 10% of the energy they consume into light, while the rest becomes heat. The use of new
lighting technologies, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), can reduce
the energy use required by lighting by 50% to 75%. Advances in lighting controls offer further energy savings
by reducing the amount of time that lights are on but not being used. Here are some facts about CFLs and

LEDs:
•CFLs use 75% less energy and last about 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
•LEDs last even longer than CFLs and consume less energy.
•LEDs have no moving parts and, unlike CFLs, they contain no mercury.

4. Seal and insulate your home.

Sealing and insulating your home is one of the most cost-effective ways to make a home more comfortable
and energy-efficient, and you can do it yourself. A tightly sealed home can improve comfort and indoor air
quality while reducing utility bills. An InterNACHI energy auditor can assess leakage in the building
envelope and recommend fixes that will dramatically increase comfort and energy savings.

The following are some common places where leakage may occur:
•electrical receptacles/outlets;
•mail slots;
•around pipes and wires;
•wall- or window-mounted air conditioners;
•attic hatches;
•fireplace dampers;
•inadequate weatherstripping around doors;
•baseboards;
•window frames; and
•switch plates.

Because hot air rises, air leaks are most likely to occur in the attic. Homeowners can perform a variety
of repairs and maintenance to their attics that save them money on cooling and heating, such as:

•Plug the large holes. Locations in the attic where leakage is most likely to be the greatest are where
walls meet the attic floor, behind and under attic knee walls, and in dropped-ceiling areas.
•Seal the small holes. You can easily do this by looking for areas where the insulation is darkened.
Darkened insulation is a result of dusty interior air being filtered by insulation before leaking through
small holes in the building envelope. In cold weather, you may see frosty areas in the insulation caused
by warm, moist air condensing and then freezing as it hits the cold attic air. In warmer weather, you’ll
find water staining in these same areas. Use expanding foam or caulk to seal the openings around plumbing
vent pipes and electrical wires. Cover the areas with insulation after the caulk is dry.
•Seal up the attic access panel with weatherstripping. You can cut a piece of fiberglass or rigid foamboard
insulation in the same size as the attic hatch and glue it to the back of the attic access panel. If you
have pull-down attic stairs or an attic door, these should be sealed in a similar manner.

5. Install efficient showerheads and toilets.

The following systems can be installed to conserve water usage in homes:

•low-flow showerheads. They are available in different flow rates, and some have a pause button which shuts
off the water while the bather lathers up;
•low-flow toilets. Toilets consume 30% to 40% of the total water used in homes, making them the biggest
water users. Replacing an older 3.5-gallon toilet with a modern, low-flow 1.6-gallon toilet can reduce usage
an average of 2 gallons-per-flush (GPF), saving 12,000 gallons of water per year. Low-flow toilets usually
have “1.6 GPF” marked on the bowl behind the seat or inside the tank;
•vacuum-assist toilets. This type of toilet has a vacuum chamber that uses a siphon action to suck air from
the trap beneath the bowl, allowing it to quickly fill with water to clear waste. Vacuum-assist toilets are
relatively quiet; and
•dual-flush toilets. Dual-flush toilets have been used in Europe and Australia for years and are now
gaining in popularity in the U.S. Dual-flush toilets let you choose between a 1-gallon (or less) flush for
liquid waste, and a 1.6-gallon flush for solid waste. Dual-flush 1.6-GPF toilets reduce water consumption by
an additional 30%.

6. Use appliances and electronics responsibly.

Appliances and electronics account for about 20% of household energy bills in a typical U.S. home. The
following are tips that will reduce the required energy of electronics and appliances:

•Refrigerators and freezers should not be located near the stove, dishwasher or heat vents, or exposed to
direct sunlight. Exposure to warm areas will force them to use more energy to remain cool.
•Computers should be shut off when not in use. If unattended computers must be left on, their monitors should
be shut off. According to some studies, computers account for approximately 3% of all energy consumption in
the United States.

•Use efficient ENERGY STAR-rated appliances and electronics. These devices, approved by the U.S. Department
of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Program, include TVs, home theater systems,
DVD players, CD players, receivers, speakers, and more. According to the EPA, if just 10% of homes used
energy-efficient appliances, it would reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 1.7 million acres of
trees.
•Chargers, such as those used for laptops and cell phones, consume energy when they are plugged in. When
they are not connected to electronics, chargers should be unplugged.
•Laptop computers consume considerably less electricity than desktop computers.

7. Install daylighting as an alternative to electrical lighting.

Daylighting is the practice of using natural light to illuminate the home’s interior. It can be achieved
using the following approaches:

•skylights. It’s important that they be double-pane or they may not be cost-effective. Flashing skylights
correctly is key to avoiding leaks;
•light shelves. Light shelves are passive devices designed to bounce light deep into a building. They may be
interior or exterior. Light shelves can introduce light into a space up to 2½ times the distance from the
floor to the top of the window, and advanced light shelves may introduce four times that amount;
•clerestory windows. Clerestory windows are short, wide windows set high on the wall. Protected from the
summer sun by the roof overhang, they allow winter sun to shine through for natural lighting and warmth; and
•light tubes. Light tubes use a special lens designed to amplify low-level light and reduce light intensity
from the midday sun. Sunlight is channeled through a tube coated with a highly reflective material, and
then enters the living space through a diffuser designed to distribute light evenly.

8. Insulate windows and doors.

About one-third of the home’s total heat loss usually occurs through windows and doors. The following are
ways to reduce energy lost through windows and doors:

•Seal all window edges and cracks with rope caulk. This is the cheapest and simplest option.
•Windows can be weatherstripped with a special lining that is inserted between the window and the frame.
For doors, apply weatherstripping around the whole perimeter to ensure a tight seal when they’re closed.
Install quality door sweeps on the bottom of the doors, if they aren’t already in place.
•Install storm windows at windows with only single panes. A removable glass frame can be installed over an
existing window.
•If existing windows have rotted or damaged wood, cracked glass, missing putty, poorly fitting sashes, or
locks that don’t work, they should be repaired or replaced.

9. Cook smart.

An enormous amount of energy is wasted while cooking. The following recommendations and statistics illustrate
less wasteful ways of cooking:

•Convection ovens are more efficient that conventional ovens. They use fans to force hot air to circulate
more evenly, thereby allowing food to be cooked at a lower temperature. Convection ovens use approximately
20% less electricity than conventional ovens.
•Microwave ovens consume approximately 80% less energy than conventional ovens.
•Pans should be placed on the matching size heating element or flame.
•Using lids on pots and pans will heat food more quickly than cooking in uncovered pots and pans.
•Pressure cookers reduce cooking time dramatically.
•When using conventional ovens, food should be placed on the top rack. The top rack is hotter and will cook
food faster.

10. Change the way you do laundry.
•Do not use the medium setting on your washer. Wait until you have a full load of clothes, as the medium
setting saves less than half of the water and energy used for a full load.
•Avoid using high-temperature settings when clothes are not very soiled. Water that is 140° F uses far more
energy than 103° F for the warm-water setting, but 140° F isn’t that much more effective for getting clothes
clean.
•Clean the lint trap every time before you use the dryer. Not only is excess lint a fire hazard, but it will
prolong the amount of time required for your clothes to dry.
•If possible, air-dry your clothes on lines and racks.
•Spin-dry or wring clothes out before putting them into a dryer.

Homeowners who take the initiative to make these changes usually discover that the energy savings are more
than worth the effort. InterNACHI home inspectors can make this process much easier because they can perform
a more comprehensive assessment of energy-savings potential than the average homeowner can.

I performed a preliminary inspection today for a customer considering buying a home in Miami Lakes Florida. When yesterday, he called I went to Google Earth and inserted the address given. Judging by what I saw on-screen of my computer and as one born in Miami Florida I knew a few things about this building without going out to physically look at the property. From the address given I knew that this house had been built on muck land which for hundreds of years had been the eastern edge of the Everglades. This meant that the property was of a very low elevation as compared to neighboring properties just a few miles east. I also knew when the rains come in torrents during the summer and sometimes the winter months the combination of the low elevation of the property and the significant inability for this type of soil to percolate (drain) with any degree of proficiency could be and has in fact been problematic in these areas.

During the initial telephone conversation with the prospect buyer, my customer I was advised the subject was only five or six years old. The view of the property on Google Earth was of a two-story dwelling with upstairs and downstairs living area and a one story attached garage. With these facts in evidence, the second thing I knew about the property was that proper roof flashing procedures had not been followed by the builder-developer. The third thing I knew was that more than likely the exterior window sills had not been afforded the proper slope down to provide for positive drainage to the outside of the building. You may be thinking; how would this guy know this. The answer unfortunately is because in later years this is how things in Miami Florida are being done. They are being done this way in Miami Florida because….you guessed it; it saves a few pennies in construction costs. 

My customer’s Realtor met me at the property today and  together we began to look it over. During this time the Realtor told me two things about the property which frankly I considered heartbreaking. First the property was in foreclosure and if sold, it was to be a short sale. Second I was told that just five years previously this same property’s recorded sale price was…was….was, are you ready, seven hundred thousand dollars! In addition to being a building inspector I am also a state of Florida certified general contractor and have been so for over forty years. My dear reader I will unequivocally tell you this. I am very sure that I could have built this same house for between five hundred to six hundred thousand and saved the original buyer at least a hundred thousand dollars

I have attached photos of the subject property in Miami Florida. The following is a brief summary of the
observations that I made on this day the 20th of January, 2011.

EXTERIOR OBSERVATIONS:

Observed Site Drainage Problems

1. Walked the exterior of the house, no differential settlement observed However this area is a muck area which means drainagee at times can be problematic. I noted some evidence of this at the exterior walls of the building. Recommend a few dry wells at strategic locations at the exterior footprint of the building. I did note that the area has storm drains installed.

Drainage Problem

Settlement At Pool Deck Pavers

2. Observed the pool although I believe the pool may have been set on pilings I observed some settlement along the southern edge of the interlocking pavers (pool deck). In addition code requires an approved barrier around all pools to prevent small children from drowning. I observed no such approved barrier.

Settlement At The West Entrance

3. I observed some minor settlement at the west entrance most likely due to the lack of peculation in that area. See photosattached.Difference In Elevation Between Exterior And Interior

Settlement at East Entrance

4. I observed the pool deck area elevation and I believe that the difference in elevation between the pool deck and the interior floor slab area should bear additional investigation(s). I did not actually measure but review of photos attached indicated an adjustment may be prudent.

Improper Flashing

5. Noted improper flashing at the intersection of garage roof and the building proper. This is causing water intrusion at the intersection of the garage east wall and east ceiling.

Damaged Ceiling Due to Improper Roof Flashing

Damaged Ceiling Due To Improper Flashing.

6. Observation from ground level, of the wall above garage roof reveals some evidence of water intrusion at that location. Flashing in these areas will need to be repaired which will mean removing the roof in same to accomplish the task.

No Drainage at Window Sills

7. I noted that window sills were not afforded positive drainage. See photos attached.No Positive Drainage At Window Sills.

8. The back yard has a significant difference in elevation as compared to the pool deck. Heavy rains will create ponding in this area and promote the infestation of bugs. May consider dry well here.

INTERIOR OBSERVATIONS:

1. Some small areas of the floors have a slight dip. 2. Dishwasher has been removed 3. Ceiling lights missing in some areas 4. I did not see smoke detectors at areas adjacent to sleeping rooms as required by code. 5. Some electrical outlets and cover plates have been removed. 6. Slight wall damage upper level hallway.

My Standard Home Inspection Protocol-I

The Home Inspection Definition:  Is a non-invasive, visual examination of a residential dwelling, performed for a
fee, which is designed to identify observed material defects within specific components of the home or building.
Components may include any combination of mechanical, structural, electrical, plumbing, or other essential systems or portions of the home or building.

The scope of the inspection will be agreed upon beforehand. After receiving the inquiry the first thing that must be done
is to settle upon fee. The scope and type of inspection requested as well as the location of the subject proper will
determine the fee.  The type of inspection, the scope of inspection and the agreed fee should be reduced to written form and signed by the inspector and the client-customer. This done the next step for me is to go online and check the permit status of the building or home. Making sure that the project was in fact permitted,  that there are no open permits, making a note of the folio number and permit number, verify the address.

For inspections of existing properties prior arrangements should be made with the proper person(s) to have the water and electricity as well as all other utilities turned on at the property. The inspector should not be the one to turn on these utilities. If the inspector arrives at the property and utilities are not on it should be noted in his/her report that
systems associated with the utilities were not inspected by reason of missing utility supply.

The Inspection: A home inspection is intended to assist in evaluation of the overall condition of the dwelling.The
inspection is based on observation of the visible and apparent condition of the structure and its components on the date of the inspection, and not the prediction of future conditions.

Certified Home Inspections, FHA Compliance Inspections

 I have been a state of Florida certified general contractor since 1973.  Over this period of time I have performed thousands of inspections as part of my scope of responsibilities as a general contractor. When the state of Florida passed a new law requiring that any person or company performing home inspections  be certified by the state to perform home inspections I complied.

To be certified by the state of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. One must pass a proctored test and become a member of a recognized-approved inspectors organization and submit to finger printing and background checks by the Department.

I now belong to two organizations, one called “INTERNACHIi” which stands for the International Association of Home Inspectors, and one called “FAHI” which stands for The Florida Association of Home Inspectors. Through these organizations the client is protected against losses due to errors in the performance of a home inspection.

In addition to being a state of Florida licensed general contractor, CGC 006912, a state of Florida certified home inspector HI 3298, I am also registered FHA Compliance  Inspector, L755.

The following photos are an example of the way I document my inspections. These photos are of a FHA final inspection I did for a mortgage closing. This was a small town home in south Miami-Dade County. In addition to a comprehensive type written report and date impregnated photos, we in most cases provide the customer a foot print drawing of the subject property along with a floor plan.

FHA Inspection Homestead Fl. Floor Plan

As you may have guessed by the arrangement of these photos our inspection protocol will always begin with a walk around.

This property was a zero lot line property in Miami Florida so we had access to the front and rear, north and south
elevations but no access to either east or west sides of the property.

When you hire us you get along with date impregnated photos, you get a completed inspection check list along with a corresponding and comprehensive inspection report.

Although we are prohibited from providing construction services by our associations for a period of no less than eleven months we will when requested to do so provide a professional, detailed cost estimate for repairs noted in our report.

Storage Shed

Does Not Meet Minimum Standard

This property had a small storage shed in the back yard normally auxiliary buildings would not be included in our
inspection report but this building was a home-built storage shed and was not code compliant.

I included a photo of the
air compressor simply to document the condition which was good.

Air Conditioner

Compressor

This and a few other photos documented the conditions of the exterior of the property. Now it was time to move to the
inside of the house.

Replace Bifolds

Replace Bifold Doors

Several notations regarding the condition of the inside of the house were recorded and photos transmitted to the customer.

The plumbing was checked and found to be in good working order. Electrical outlets were checked. Means and methods of egress out of bedrooms in case of a fire or another emergency were checked by operating the windows in the bedrooms and checking the dimensions to verify that they met egress requirements. The electrical panel was checked and found to be in good order.

There were a few additional things that required notations. One was the condition of some of the doors, mostly the bi-fold doors, one or two would need to be replaced. The main concern that I noted was a vertical hairline crack in the wall of the living room. This property had been built-in the 80s and being in Homestead Florida had for certain been subjected to extreme forces associated with the event of “Hurricane Andrew” on August 24th 1992.

Vertical Crack

Although the crack was not severe, I felt that due to the location and configuration of the crack it might be prudent to apply additional investigation to roof structure above. Possibly  something had moved for one reason or another or maybe it was just a case of poor workmanship or maybe it was both of these, which ever, this condition when noted, should solicit additional scrutiny.