Simple Home Maintenance tips that can protect against disaster

Maintaining the vegetation around the home can help to preserve the home from major problems. If this tree was properly braced when it was young it would have grown straight up. Now if it isn't removed then mother nature will bring it down on the home.

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Any vegetation that is in contact with the structure will cause problems.
It will:

• Rub against the side of the home, causing the materials to deteriorate more rapidly.
• Grow into the structure and cause damage.
• Becone a bridge for carpenter ants and other insects to get into the home.

Checking the dryer vent can prevent a fire. This flexible dryer vent will trap lint in it. It also has too many turns and kinks which will trap lint. When too much lint builds up it will not let the heat out of the dryer and potentialy cause a fire.

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If you are buying or selling a home in Buckeye, Goodyear, Avondale, Tolleson or the greater Phoenix area and want to find out if there any maintenance issues left undone please give me a call at:

602-326-4061

Find out more about me at My Website
Click here to schedule a Home Inspection

This was found on a one year old home.

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The wood and vapor barrier are directly exposed to the sun and rain. It is only a matter of time before it leaks. This house is only one year old. The home owner is lucky this was caught before his builder warranty was up.

Ten tips to smooth your design process.

• Whether you are buying, remodeling or building new, the first person to talk to is your bank or mortgage broker.  There is no need to waste time and money on plans if your budget turns out to be higher or lower than you thought.  If I had a dime for every time I have heard of a home not being built because of financing problems I could have retired by now.
• Tell your designer what your budget is.  Redrawing plans because they are too big or too small for the budget will cost extra money.  If a relatively small amount of extra design fee is enough to derail the project then the size of your project is already beyond your ability to afford it.
• Show your preliminary design to a contractor.  A contractor will be able to spot any potential problems.  He may also be able to advise you on the best materials to fit your budget.  Contractors deal with current prices daily.  They can give you a rough idea if your plan is close to your budget.  The actual bid price cannot be determined until after the plans are complete.
• Always have a 15% cushion in your budget.  That means 15% above the actual original bid price.  During construction changes will be made, and more expensive materials picked.  Be prepared for that.
• Make a list of the necessary rooms and the wanted rooms.  Ask yourself the hard questions.  Is it necessary for every child to have their own room?  Is a game room necessary?  If both spouses are working and one loses their job, can you still afford it?
• Look at houses in the neighborhood.  Take pictures of features that you like.  Your designer will be able to integrate those features into your unique home.
• Read your HOA design guidelines.  If you see something that may be more work than what the municipality requires then discuss it with your designer.  Every HOA has different requirements.  The more you can find out before you purchase the lot the better.  If you can take your designer to the lot before you purchase it, do so.
• The design process is more about the ideas that don't get used than the ideas that do get used.  Take the time to listen to all the ideas that your designer didn't use and why he didn't.  The time your designer spends putting the final preliminary floor plan into the computer is small relative to the time actually spent brainstorming that plan.  This helps you understand all the pros and cons of all the different ideas.
• As a project progresses the cost of changes increases exponentially.  The longer the project goes the less control you have over the cost of changes.  The pre-project planning phase is the time when you have the most control.  A home is the largest purchase you will ever make.  Spending extra time and money on the planning of your project will save you in the long run.
• The last and most important tip to smoothing your design process is to use ME.

Why Choose Greens Home Design to inspect your home?

• I am locally owned and operated, not a franchise.  You will get me, a certified Home Inspector with the Arizona Board of Technical Registration and the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, not an employee.
• Easy to read report with color photos.  You get an easy to read Inspection report summary, printed on site with color photos.  An email with a link to the full report will be sent to you.
• Advanced formal training.  You get a formally trained professional.  I completed training from Allied Schools Professional Home Inspection course and a Bachelors degree from the Del E. Webb School of Construction at Arizona State University.
• Practical hands on experience.  You get the experience I have gained from remodeling several homes with my own hands.
• As a Home Inspector, I carry Insurance.  Anyone in business will eventually make a mistake.  I carry Errors and Omissions Insurance.