Are you getting ready to purchase a home and planning a future add-on? Are you building your dream home? If the property was developed prior to 1965 in the City of Los Angeles, the following information is good to know before you plan. The Los Angeles City Department of Public Works, Bureau of Engineering requires … Continue reading Many Building Permits Come with High Price Tags
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Hello, my name is John LeBaron. I began my inspection career as a LaRocca Inspections general inspector in 1999. Before that I demolished and rebuilt fireplaces & chimneys. I was a general framing contractor earlier in my career. Seeing a need for specific chimney & fireplace inspections for our industry, I co-founded Chimney Check in … Continue reading Gas, Fake or New Fireplace Inspections
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What is the biggest issue that home inspectors are finding? Answer: Moisture or water intrusion and damage. Water is the slow destroyer of structures. Southern California is a desert climate with large and small bodies of water. When it rains, it can also flood in areas. Properties need proper ventilation and air flow indoors and … Continue reading The Number One Question Asked of Us
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What is it that works well for all parties involved in a real estate transaction? Based on everything we’ve studied and experienced in the real estate industry, it is Transparency. We recognize the necessity for transparency in every real estate transaction. For buyers it is: Following the recommendations noted in the inspections reports for buyers … Continue reading What is the key to risk-free transactions?
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As a home buyer, you’ve spent all the time and energy to find the home. Now it’s time to spend the initial investment to know its condition, to make informed decisions. We always recommend attending your inspections. Take the much-needed opportunity to look at the home (and garage), measure spaces, envision yourself in it, test … Continue reading Home Buyers Can Protect Their Investments By Reading Their Inspection Reports
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Clients pay a few hundred to several hundred dollars on an average-size home for an inspection that takes one to a few hours to complete. An Inspector provides a detailed report of what was found on that day, at that time of the inspection, and offers recommendations for further evaluation where applicable. In the recent … Continue reading A Home Inspection and A Home Warranty Are Not the Same
View MoreProtecting Your Client’s Home & Property Buying a home is a large financial investment. When your client has a family, a career and a life, the out-of-sight and out-of-mind saying applies. Not having an inspection of the sewer line can ignore problems no one thought about until a nasty mess and an urgent situation presents … Continue reading Sewer Line Inspections
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To the delight of builders and homeowners, a new 2017 law removes many restrictions and barriers to building accessory dwelling units in California. California State Senator Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont2 created a bill that drastically reduces the regulations restricting the creation of Accessory Dwelling Units. Many of us know them as Guest Units or Guest Houses. … Continue reading Building a Guest Unit Just Got Easier
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As temperatures rise into the summer months most homeowners in Southern California keep the air conditioner on day and night. Keeping a comfortably cool home environment is more than a luxury for many families, it is a necessity. Collective spikes in energy use can cause power outages in California. As we have experienced in the … Continue reading Keep Cool and Keep your Money
View MoreProtecting Your Client’s Investment As a Realtor, you don’t know when the last chimney inspection was performed on the property, or if one was ever performed. Your client should have a Level 2 Chimney Inspection. “In the 2011 to 2015 period, there were an estimated annual average of 16,810 home structure fires involving fireplaces, chimneys, and chimney connectors, resulting … Continue reading Chimney Inspections
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