If you are like most home buyers, you want to thoroughly know the condition of a house before you buy it. When one considers the cost of a house in The San Francisco Bay area today, it is critical to know if there are additional expenses that should be anticipated. Are the mechanical systems and structural components in working order? Are they in general conformance with current technology or are they so antiquated that they no longer truly "work" with a modern lifestyle? And, the worst fear, is there severe damage that is going to cost lots of money to fix.
Answering these questions is precisely the job of a professional HOME INSPECTOR during a complete visual examination of the property. A qualified Home Inspector, through specific training and experience, understands not only how a home's systems and components should work, but also how they interact with each other and how they stand the test of time.
Let me summarize this way: A home inspector is a generalist. The job of the home inspector is to overview, without disassembly, destructive testing or probing into concealed areas, all of the normal systems of the house in one inspection and, for one relatively small fee, report on the general condition of the building and its systems. A Home Inspection does not, typically, include an examination of private water or sewage disposal systems, spas, hot tubs and pools, saunas, telephone equipment, television systems, central vacuum systems, burglar alarms, intercoms, appliances or non-permanent heating and cooling equipment such as window air conditioners and swamp coolers. An inspection does include the following systems: SITE DRAINAGE and DECKS, ROOFING, FOUNDATION- SEISMIC & STRUCTURAL, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, HEATING, ATTIC, FIRE &SAFETY, WINDOWS AND DOORS, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR FINISHES. A typical inspection takes about three hours.
The inspector should be able to recognize visible symptoms of a problem with any normal system of the house and record that information understandably in a written report and recommend to you how to correct it or steer you to the appropriate specialist for repair or further information if full analysis is beyond his purview. It makes a lot more sense than calling in a dozen specialists at prohibitive fees, that could only examine their specific area of expertise..
Another aspect of GSS' construction consulting is providing advice to homeowners before they hire a contractor to do their additions and remodeling. It goes without saying that remodeling is an expensive and stressful undertaking – and all too often the results are very disappointing for the owner and are unreasonably over-budget. But that should hardly be a surprise when you consider that the typical homeowner doesn't know how to navigate the tricky and foreign waters of that process. A construction facilitator (sometimes called a REMODELING COACH or a PRE-REMODEL INSPECTOR) can not only take a very important look at what needs to be done before the remodel project begins (to help plan pivotal decisions before embarking on the job) but he can then monitor the remodeling process and inspect the contractor's workmanship along with being the eyes of the homeowner to ensure the dreams are coming to fruition as intended. City inspectors are too overloaded to be consistently detailed about compliance with standards and building codes compliance, and homeowners lack the time and expertise to ensure a high quality outcome within budget. With nearly 30 years combined experience as a general contractor and construction consultant, as your REMODELING COACH I can guide your home improvement into the reality of your expectations. Are you a do-it-yourselfer? Doing it yourself no longer means doing it alone. For more on REMODELING COACH, click on the FAQ icon at left and see question 13 .
I hope this information is helpful. Thank you again for your interest. I look forward to being of service. Please call me or send an E-mail if you wish to schedule your inspection or discuss any further details.
I serve homeowners as well as home buyers and sellers... anyone who wants to enable full disclosure of the condition of a property in order to reduce exposure to unknown risks.
"Real Estate Construction Consulting ... because you need and deserve all the facts when investing in property."
 
Goodell Structural Services
Contact: Rik Goodell By
E-mail
Telephone Numbers:
San Francisco/Marin:
(415) 883 8340
Sonoma/Mendocino:
(415) 310 8113 cell
Fax:
415 883 834
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