Gil Strachan's Blog

Through the years humorous articles have been written poking fun at comments in real estate ads. However the following are examples of vague terms that can get real estate salespeople into trouble. The age of consumerism has become the age of litigation, and the following terms should be avoided ...

Home inspections have traditionally been for the benefit of the purchaser. Pre-inspected listings benefit all parties – buyers, sellers and Realtors. Deals Won't Fall ThroughHome inspections, performed as a condition of the offer, can kill deals. Sometimes this is because the purchaser gets cold ...

To be successful, every home improvement project should be based on sound planning. There are an abundance of books, magazines and TV shows where you can get some great ideas. After you decide exactly what you want to do, try to estimate your costs as accurately as possible. Making a rough sketch...

Print this list for a handy reference, when you're interviewing home inspectors.I've included the answers I would provide to a caller. Click on the highlighted links for more information.  How long have you been in the home inspection business?Since 1994 How many resale home inspections has your ...

... to keep your home safe over the holidays. 1. Candles. When you go out, blow them out.Candles are an easy-to-avoid fire hazard. Check every room for lit candles, tea lights and other ornamental flames you may have forgotten. 2. Keep paper and other combustibles away from festive lights.Modern ...

Although simple PEX (polyethylene, cross-linked) plastic tubing still seems to be reliable, similar tubing with an aluminum core "PEX-AL-PEX" is known to split, and installations made prior to 2007 are also prone to failure due to corroded brass fittings.Soldered copper pipe has long been preferr...

A Short Guide to Identifying IPEX Plastic Piping, Connectors and Fittings "Kitec tubing was sold in Canada and the United States for a range of applications including water supply and distribution piping, and in-floor heating systems. System failures resulting in leaks - and often substantial pro...

Kitec is a plastic plumbing system installed Canadian and US homes from the early 1990’s until it was initially recalled in 2005, with some installations completed as late as 2007. In addition to hot and cold water piping in homes it was also used for in-floor, and other hot water radiant heating...

Unique solutions for changing marketsHome inspections, like the real estate market have changed dramatically in the past 20 years. As technology advances and consumers become more web-savvy, there is a greater need for products and services that can keep pace.Comprehensive web-based reporting sys...

VERMICULITE INSULATION What Is It?If you haven't seen vermiculite insulation in an attic, you may have seen it in potting soil. Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral which when heated rapidly to high temperatures, expands into low density, accordion-like, golden brown strands. In fact, its...