Here are some of the resources available:
1. Home Inspection Video - See a home inspection!
2. Read an actual home inspection report.
3. Read/search Barry Stone's column, Inspector's In the House (below).
4. Send a question using the form to the right. ===>
5. If you are a Seller, get your own inspection before you put your home on the market.

California does not require any license to be a home inspector, so it is important for both home buyers and sellers to make sure that they hire an inspector who is a certified residential inspector and who carries errors and omissions insurance. To help you think through the selection of your home inspector, click here for our 10 Tips.

QUESTIONS/ANSWERS Click on any of these topics to read questions and answers by syndicated columnist Barry Stone.
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As a buyer, you can be present on the home inspection (and we really recommend it). Being there gives you a chance to ask questions, to see and discuss what Mark has found, and to ask other questions about your new home. Some of the areas inspected include: structure, heating and cooling, roof, electrical system, plumbing and fixtures, attic, basement and/or crawl space, foundation, gutters, insulation, interior and exterior walls, porches and decks, and the water heater and appliances.

A good inspector helps both buyers and sellers become aware of any defects that weren't already known. (If they had been known, they would have been disclosed.) Please note: Sellers have no obligation to repair any defects. Repair requests are just that--requests. However, if an unknown defect is a safety issue, violates the then-current building code, or affects functionality, many sellers will accommodate the request in one way or another. A good inspection helps to put all those issues on the table so that everyone is satisfied with the transaction.

For information about various topics, just click on any of the links to the left or run your own search! One of our 600+ articles is posted below.

DOS AND DONýTS of DO IT YOURSELF REPAIRS
Inspector's in the House by Barry Stone, Certified Building Inspector

Dear Barry,
A home inspector found rotted flooring under my toilet. When the toilet was removed, we found a crack in the drain hardware that holds the toilet in place. Do I need a carpenter, plumber, or general contractor to make proper repairs? On the other hand, would it be possible for me to do the repairs myself?
Lee

Dear Lee,
Many home owners are able to complete basic building and maintenance repairs on their own, and you may be among them. But the lack of general familiarity reflected in your question indicates that you may not possess the construction knowledge necessary for this particular project.

Replacement of the drain flange on the floor is not especially difficult for those with experience in corrective plumbing work. But there are numerous complications to which such repairs are prone. As most do-it-yourselfers can tell you, plumbing hardware can be disagreeably willful by nature. In this case, the old toilet flange might steadfastly refuse to separate from the drain pipe. And if it should elect to cooperate and relinquish its grip, the edge of the old pipe could be strong willed and decide to crack, or it might simply be incompatible with the new replacement flange.

What's more, as is common with plumbing repairs, you should anticipate at least five consecutive trips to the hardware store as part of the task. To avoid these serial voyages, you must be the proud owner of a fully equipped plumbing truck. If you lack such provisions, and if this repair process sounds like more trouble than it's worth, and if you'd prefer not to handle hardware that has functioned as a conduit for excretory waste, you'd be wise to opt for the services of a licensed plumber.

As to the rotted floor, such damage is the result of fungus infection. Here again, professional expertise can make a significant difference. If you remove all of the wood that appears damaged, but leave behind any infected members, continued rot can occur. Therefore, it is advisable to hire a licensed pest control operator to ensure that all fungus infested wood has been removed or effectively treated with the appropriate chemicals.

The choice is yours. You can make the repairs yourself if you are well endowed with such skills and can withstand the frustrations of homeowner plumbing repairs. Otherwise, I'd assign these processes to qualified professionals.

Distributed by Access Media Group. To write to Barry Stone, please visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com.