Bill's Blog

When I wrote this news letter over a year ago, this was the first instance I had found like this.  Since then I have found it three more times, always in a house built in the late 1970's early 1980's.  It was a time when the economy was out of control, inflation, unemployment, and interest rates ...

When I wrote this newsletter over a year ago, little did I know that the real estate market which was already off by more that 25% in my Northern VA area, would take another nose dive as the questionable lending practices and the "title wave" of foreclosures and property devaluations would sweep ...

Had they gone with the trend of last year's (two years ago)  white hot RE market they would have skipped the inspection and boy would they have been in for a surprise!It was a three story Tudor with contemporary touches. The seller, an investment "flipper," had put in all hardwood floors, top of ...

To get you ready for this, a GFCI electrical outlet is the kind that has the reset buttons on it and a GFCI protected outlet is one that follows it in the circuit, and is properly wired. It does not need to have reset buttons to be protected. I was inspecting a 40 year old house that had been par...

I try not to walk on the hipped portion of a roof without first seeing in the attic how it has been constructed.For the gable (A - Frame) portion of a roof, roof trusses are manufactured to exacting measurements and standards in a controlled setting. These are then shipped to the job site and ins...

They are lucky to be alive!" he said, "that was one of the worst I've seen."Normally I do not get the complete details from a specialist that my inspection report calls for, but in this case I knew the licensed electrician used for the thorough electrical inspection and repairs I called for on a ...

It's well known to people who know me that I love old houses.What sparked that love was a little thing, and a big thing. And I look out for things on inspections that will add to my clients' love and respect for their old house, just as this added to mine.It was a rainy Saturday many years ago wh...

My last post "Bidee, Bidet, Bidoops!" was the funniest thing that has ever happened at one of my inspections.  I am wondering if any readers have stories to tell about funny things happening at inspections.  If it's good, and if you are OK with it, I may immortalize you in one of my Inspection Ti...

"How's this work?" My young client asked as I was checking out something else in the bathroom.She had just pulled up the lid of a toilet that was equipped with a very fancy, auxiliary powered, portable Bidet spa and before I could say anything, she had pushed a button. She let out a surprised cry...

Sometimes, you'd think I just told them a family member died...when I tell clients they have polybutylene plumbing. Such is the awful reputation of polybutylene plumbing.You won't find me singing praises to polybutylene, but let's take the emotion out of it. After all, polybutylene isn't the only...