Phoenix Home Inspection: Arizona: Buckeye

Two things not to do when listing a house.

The first thing I do when I enter a house to begin an inspection is to verify that all the utilities are on.  Just a few days ago I did an inspection in the Tartesso subdivision way out west in Buckeye on Sun Valley Parkway.  First thing comming in the door I rang the doorbell.  The doorbell rang so I knew that the electricity was on.  Next I went to the kitchen sink and turned it on to see if the water was on.  Nothing came on.  I went out to the main shutoff valve and turned it on.  I went back inside and turned the dishwasher on so that it can run through a cycle while I am inspecting.  Then I went out to the truck to get something.  When I shut the truck door I saw a large amount of water gushing out of a pipe in the wall by the garage.  I quickly shut the water and the dishwasher off.  I then went to the garage to see what was happening.  It turns out that someone had opened the t&p valve on the water heater and left it open.  I closed it and turned the water back on.  Everything is working now.

Next I went into the kitchen and tried to light one of the burners on the range.  The gas was coming out, but there was no spark from the igniters.  I went out to the electrical panel and found what you see in the picture.  Three of the kitchen breakers were turned off.  This is unsafe because someone viewing the home might turn the knobs and walk away thinking it is not on.  The gas would fill the house and either asphyxiate someone or blow the house up.

When you are listing a house it pays to do a few simple things to make sure it is safe and operable. 

1. Every chance you get you should operate every faucet in the house and flush every toilet.  This keeps the water from evaporating out of the p-traps and letting sewer gases into the home.  This also keeps the toilet flappers from sticking.
2. Take a look in the electric panel periodically to make sure the proper breakers are on.
3. Check the gas appliances to make sure all the knobs and controls are off.

For all your Arizona House Plans and Phoenix Home Inspection needs contact me.

602-326-4061

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Now that the drywall is on and the cabinets are starting to be iinstalled it is time for new photos.

Enjoy!

A grand front entrance with a large distressed front door.  The red lines denote where the stone veneer will go.

An overall view of the front.  At least part of the front.  If I backed any further away to get more of it in the picture I would have been in the hay field.

The barn door style look to the garage doors adds a nice touch.

The large utility room has plenty of room for a sewing desk.

This is the other end of the utility room.

This large kitchen has more than enough room for the busy chef.  The dark spots on the wall is overspray from the staining.  It will be painted over.

The builder owns his own cabinet shop.  He has put some nice touches on the cabinets.

With these dining room cabinets and the ones in the kitchen they should never run out of space for their dishes.

This entertainment center in the game room is smaller than the one in the great room.

You don't have to go far for refreshments in this game room.

For all your Arizona House Plans and Phoenix Home Inspection needs contact me.

602-326-4061

This Buckeye house, that I drew the plans for, is being built by Alex Carroll of Designer's Choice Custom Homes.  It makes my 1/2 ton long bed truck look like a tonka toy.  Click here to see more photos.

I was inspecting a home in the Westpark subdivision in Buckeye today.  A bedroom door wouldn't shut easily.  I went to the outside of the door to investigate the cause.  It turns out the door had been cut down to fit the opening.  The cut looks like they were following a sidewinder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The proper way to cut a door straight if you don't have a table saw large enough is to use a drywall T-square or other straight edge to guide your skill saw straight.

I wanted to let you know that I do Home Inspections in the Tartesso and Verrado subdivisions inBuckeye. I am very thorough and proffesional. Give me a call anytime to ask any questions 602-326-4061. www.GreensHomeDesign.com

Yesterday I inspected a home in the Tartesso community of Buckeye. The house was 3 years old and in very good shape. There were two things not properly installed.

First the builtin microwave was installed such that the vent at the rear was blocked. All the vented air was coming out the top front of the microwave instead of out the ductwork that was installed to take the air outside.

Second the refrigerator was wired on a GFCI circuit. If for some reason that circuit gets tripped and you go out of town for a couple days without knowing, you will come home to spoiled food.

These are examples of why it is important to have a Home Inspection on every home you purchase.

For all your Buckeye Home Inspection needs give Greens Home Design a call at 602-326-4061.

This was found on a one year old home.

Click to enlarge.

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.

Flyer Floor Plan.

Give your Real Estate listing a competitive advantage by having an as-built floor plan drawn up to put on your flyers, website and/or yard sign.  This service is FREE with a Seller's Pre-listing Inspection.  Click on the image below to see an example.

Sellers are becoming more and more aware of the advantages of getting an inspection before they list their house. Here are just a few reasons why it is a good idea.

• You can advertise as MoveInCertified to increase foot traffic.
• You can have me, a certified InterNACHI inspector, do the inspection rather than be at the mercy of the buyer's choice of inspector.
• You can schedule the inspection with me at your convenience.
• I might be able to alert you to any items of immediate personal concern, such as active termite infestation.
• You can assist me during the inspection, something normally not done during a buyer's inspection.
• You can correct any misstatements in your inspection report before I generate it.
• The report can help you realistically price your home if problems exist.
• The report can help you substantiate a higher asking price if problems don't exist or have been corrected.
• My report will reveal problems ahead of time which:
• might make your home show better.
• gives you time to make repairs and shop for competitive contractors.
• permits you to attach repair estimates or paid invoices to the inspection report.
• removes over-inflated buyer procured estimates from any future negotiations.
• My report might alert you to any immediate safety issues found, before agents and visitors tour the home.
• My report provides a third-party, unbiased opinion to offer to your potential buyers.
• A seller inspection permits a clean home inspection report to be used as a marketing tool.
• A seller inspection is the ultimate gesture in forthrightness on your part.
• My report might relieve prospective buyer's unfounded suspicions, before they walk away from your home.
• A seller inspection lightens negotiations and 11th-hour renegotiations.
• My report might encourage your buyer to waive the inspection contingency.
• Your deal is less likely to fall apart the way they often do when a buyer's inspection unexpectedly reveals a problem, last minute.
• My report provides you with full-disclosure protection from future legal claims.

602-326-4061
Need more information? Check out my website
www.GreensHomeDesign.com