Serving Calistoga, Cloverdale, Healdsburg, St. Helena, Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Clearlake, Middletown, Ukiah

BYRON DUERKSENACICMI, MCI
CERTIFIED MASTER INSPECTOR AND THERMOGRAPHER
707.245.7545 (cell) or 707.355.9067 (office) 

Email Us

 

   

A HOUSECHECK INSPECTION IS YOUR BEST INSURANCE

     
                                                                                                                            
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.  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.

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.  I bring this to your attention only because there are a few agents who have openly stated that I am too thorough, too detailed and my report is too long.  NO CLIENT HAS EVER HAD THIS COMPLAINT. A selling agent on a home I recently inspected said, "The buyer doesn't need to know all that."   Even with the Full Disclosure Law, they 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.  It is the biggest expenditure of your life -- demand the best inspection.

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?
Home Inspecting is my full time job, not something I decided to do until the economy perks up.  Numerous out-of-work contractors and those with some construction experience claim  to be home inspectors.  They are not!

Infrared Thermal Imaging Inspections,
Residential and Commercial Inspections

We are a full service inspection company with FHA 203k inspections, thermal imaging inspections, home inspections, and commercial inspections.  We are best qualified to serve you for any and all your inspection needs!  CALL NOW for a thermal imaging inspection and stop throwing your money away on high energy bills.

THERMAL IMAGING INSPECTIONS ARE AN OPTION THAT MAY BE ADDED TO YOUR HOME OR COMMERCIAL INSPECTION

CLICK ON ANY ICONS BELOW FOR VERIFICATION OF CERTIFICATIONS

                                              
"IF YOUR HOME INSPECTOR SHOWS UP WITHOUT A TOOLBOX
AND A LADDER, SEND HIM PACKING."  - HGTV

WATCH OUT FOR THESE INSPECTION SCAMS ON FORECLOSURES 
A few inspectors offer inspections for less -- partial REO inspections they call them, and some with no written reports.  This is a violation of the Standards of Practice of all legitimate home inspection organizations and licensing states.  These types of inspections could be deadly.  They certainly are illegal, dishonest and unethical.  Full disclosure is a California Law.

I discovered on two separate inspections situations that definitely would have resulted in fatalities from carbon monoxide poisoning had the buyer moved in without having been made aware of the very serious venting issues.  One client of a popular local home inspector contacted me recently that his home inspection did not include the deck.  Now they live in a house where the back sliders are blocked so no one will be able to use the deck because it is falling apart and dangerous.  He will to have to pay $15,000 for a new deck. They thought they only had to repair the roof and buy a new stove.

Many real estate agents who don't like bargaining with banks are advising clients that home inspections are of no value as a bargaining tool, since banks don't negotiate on "as is" properties.  As an added disincentive, banks selling properties "as is" have no legal responsibility for any lurking defect.  While the agent's advice to forgo an inspection as a means to negotiate on the price may be logical, it is startlingly counter-intuitive, and possibly even negligent.  Would you buy a car without knowing whether it has a transmission?

HIDDEN COSTS
We all look for "hidden costs" when we buy things.  We don't want to pay good money only to find it will cost us another 5%, 10%, 15%. Well, "hidden costs" take on a whole new meaning in home inspections. The "hidden costs" of having a home inspector who does only a partial inspection or doesn't have the training and inspection experience may cost you 1,000% more, not just 10% or 15%.  The expense of overlooked issues by someone who doesn't recognize potential problems is staggering. If the inspector doesn't know what he is looking at, he won't report it.  If he doesn't inspect it, he won't report it.  This is perceived as "good news" for the seller, the bank and even the real estate agents.  It's not good news for you.  What isn't reported could cost you -- a lot!

ENDORSEMENTS BY OUTSIDE COMPANIES?  DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT!
Companies who offer lists are in it to make money.  Period.  There are companies (Better Business Bureau, Service Magic, for instance) that claim to have a list of "top rated" or "accredited" home inspectors who meet their high standards for qualifications and service.  Don't you believe it.  A monthly fee for advertising is paid to these companies for inclusion in their websites, giving the illusion of an endorsement or recommendation by them.  These companies have no way of verifying ability, quality of service, or background of a California Home Inspector.  It's just advertising -- nothing more.

You want to save money and no one would fault you for that.  But, this is a dangerous place to do that and should not be your only criterion.  If you think that the inspection should only take about 45 minutes, 45 minutes is a WALK-AROUND not an INSPECTION.  It is not humanly possible in just 45 minutes to "inspect" the plumbing, the electrical, the heating system, the cooling system, the roof, the foundation, drainage, gas lines, venting, appliances, get into the attic and crawl under the house.    A 45 minute inspection does not comply with the mandates of licensing states such as Nevada, Oregon and Washington, but in Calfiornia anything goes.  So watch out.


"IF YOUR INSPECTION TAKES LESS THAN 3 - 4 HOURS,
IT'S NOT WORTH WHAT YOU PAID FOR IT."  - HGTV


Is a 10 to 20-page report with only a handful of pictures adequate?  Not at all.  I am sure you have heard that one picture is worth a thousand words.  That could not be truer when it comes to a home inspection.  You need pictures of what you saw when you decided to buy . 

Some inspectors use an old-fashioned checklist with little boxes.  Come on now.  Would you accept a checklist from you doctor (poor, fair, good) if you were ill?  You would want tests, data, lab work, x-rays, recommendations, and clear concise information on your condition.  That is what you should have when you are about to spend probably the most money you have ever spent on one item--a house.


"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

Does the bargain home inspector charge extra for crawling under the house or up into the attic?
 Should that even be 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?  

Photographed by Dan Huckins, Master Inspector

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

           


See - Attics and Crawl Space

 

I will meet or exceed every requirement in the Standards of Practice and my inspection reports stand out from all others with more information and more pictures in an easy to read format.  You need to know every issue and feature of the property before you invest. 

I take pride in providing this service.  The majority of my business is from client referrals and from real estate agent recommendations.  I work directly for you, the client.  My job is to insure that you, the client, understand every item that is reported and my job does not end after the report is completed.  I encourage you to call me with any questions even months down the road. 

I am here to assist you in making an informed decision about one of the most expensive purchases you'll ever make. 

The cost of a home inspection on the average house is less than .1% of the purchase price and provides the peace of mind especially in this real estate market where homes are fixers and need TLC.  Especially, now that foreclosures are such a seemingly good deal, make sure you know what you are buying.  That good deal could turn into a money pit before you realize it if you don't get a professional home inspection.   I will make certain that you know and understand every fact about the property that you are purchasing.  I will provide a report that gives 100% full disclosure (a California Law), with no worries that you will discover some issue for which your only recourse is legal action.  Many issues found in inspections can be resolved with a little time and money before it turns into an extremely costly repair and/or replacement.

 
100% SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEED OR YOUR MONEY IS REFUNDED

COUNTIES -
Napa, Mendocino, Sonoma, Colusa and Lake Counties

CITIES -
Arbuckle, Calistoga, Clearlake, Cloverdale, Cobb, Colusa, Healdsburg, Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Lucerne, Middletown, Napa, Nice, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, St. Helena, Ukiah, Sea Ranch, Gualala, Willits, Ft. Bragg, Mendocino

Click here to view the Standards of Practice
BYRON DUERKSEN, CERTIFIED MASTER INSPECTOR & THERMOGRAPHER
707.245.7545 (cell) or 707.355.9067 (office) 

Housecheck@mchsi.com


    

   
  

residential and commercial Inspections and Infrared Thermal Imaging

  We are your  home, commercial, FHA 203k and thermal imaging expert. 
CALL NOW!  STOP THROWING AWAY MONEY!!!