BYRON DUERKSEN, ACI, MCI, CPI
ASHI CERTIFIED INSPECTOR, CREIA MASTER INSPECTOR,
CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL INSPECTOR AND THERMOGRAPHER
707.245.7545 (cell) or 707.987.9970 (office)
Email Us
 

INTRODUCTION

Hello, I am Byron Duerksen and my wife, Sylvia, and I took a year to develop this web site ourselves.  We update it regularly.

Why is that important?  Because these are my words and my thoughts from many years of experience.  There is no boiler plate or generic verbiage here.  All the pictures are pictures I took during my inspections.  I spend time and money every year taking courses to update and advance my knowledge of every topic.  This is what I know because this is what I do, and I work hard to do it better than anyone else. 

You absolutely need to know who is the most capable and experienced home inspector and what kind of a home inspection you are going to get before you spend tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands on that property you have decided to buy.  Every single page in this web site will give you information you can use.

LOOKING FOR A LICENSED HOME INSPECTOR?  THERE ARE NONE IN CALIFORNIA

Because The State of California DOES NOT require Home Inspectors to be licensed, trained, insured, or even qualified to inspect residential or commercial property, it is imperative that you choose an inspector with care. Home Inspectors should be Certified by a nationally recognized inspection organization that has strict requirements and monitored exams. This type of Certification requires passing a rigorous and monitored exam, performing a minimum number of inspections and having a complete review of inspection reports in order to gain certification plus Continuing Education every year to maintain that certification.  Unfortunately there are quasi certifications that do not meet these standards. In fact a very large number of so called inspectors have none of these and belong to no organization that provides such.

To be a truly excellent home inspector requires a body of knowledge far beyond any other construction discipline and one must possess total familiarity with the immense number of systems and components that make up a residential dwelling.

I inspect every home as though I were buying it for myself.  I strive to be a consumate professional in my inspections and I work with many real estate agents who are themselves professionals of the highest calibre.   Even with the Full Disclosure Law, some agents may try to convince you that "a little TLC" is all that is needed when in fact tens of thousands of dollars may be required to bring the property up to a comfortable and safe living standard.  Don't buy a property "AS IS" without a contingency clause for a complete inspection.  There have been instances where my report got the buyer a substantial reduction in the price of an "as is" property.  Lenders tell you they won't reduce the price but they in fact do in some cases. I work hard with buyers, real estate agents and lenders to create a win/win/win deal and I have several agents who will verify that I saved a deal that was going down the tubes.

Every inch of the property is inspected -- all structural, electrical, air conditioning, heating and plumbing is examined.  I crawl under the house.  I climb into the attic.  I walk on roofs.  I will notify you of any item that has a potential issue. I provide color photos in every inspection report.  One picture really is worth a thousand words.  You will understand every item by the time I am finished.

Errors and omissions insurance is critical.  Every professional home inspector must have it and any reputable realtor demands it.   If the roof falls in, literally or figuratively, after you move in, how are you protected against loss?  A large percentage of so called inspectors do not carry this insurance.

"THE INSPECTION REPORT WAS JUST A SERIES OF BOXES
WITH CHECKMARKS, WHAT GOOD ARE THEY?
A PROPER INSPECTION REPORT SHOULD HAVE PICTURES
LOTS OF PICTURES"
- Mike Holmes, Holmes on Homes

Crawling under the house or up into the attic are mandatory requirements of a home inspection, not optional.  

This is what was holding up a 2-story house -- so far.  Wouldn't you like to know about conditions like this if you were buying the house?  

This chimney looks just fine from the outside, but inside was another story.