Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector

I get asked quite often by home buyers for referrals for contractors such as electricians, roofers, plumbers, etc. I do not give references out, even though I have friends in the trades. I would rather the buyer find their own contractors.

The level of trust the buyers have placed in me is enormous, and to risk having a friend possibly cause a problem if something goes wrong is more than I am willing to do. I have heard stories from real estate agents of inspectors handing out cards for his friends who own contracting companies, but I feel this is a conflict of interest.

I refer them to AngiesList.com, or recommend they speak to a friend or co-worker to find a contractor who has done work for someone who was pleased with the finished product.

The one time I recommended an electrician was to my brother and to a friend for an electrical service update - two big jobs. The electrician screwed up both, and my friend almost had an electrical fire, and my brother called me a month later to say water was dripping from his electrical panel. Yikes!

I was quite angry and embarrassed that I recommended someone who cut corners and did a crappy job. I am just glad this wasn't for a client.

Find your own contractors! - Ray

Many times it is found that there is little or no insulation behind the walls of old houses. This can come as a surprise to most buyers because they just don't know. Usually, around my territory of Long Island, I have found houses that I thought would be insulated are not, and houses that normally wouldn't be insulated are insulated.

Many of the old plaster and wood lath homes are without insulation within the walls, but back when they were built, the cost of heating a home was not much of your budget. These hollow walls can have blown-in insulation added. It is unusual to find a home that is made with standard drywall without insulation, but sometimes you find the walls are hollow.

This was the case in Elmont, Long Island two days ago. The buyer was getting a tremendous deal on a foreclosure. The cost to insulate will be saved many times over once he buys the house and repairs what is needed. - Ray

I overheard a conversation yesterday between a seller and her agent. I did not want to hear it, but I did. A little old lady was distressed as her husband had died, and she needed to sell, but her house was a mess from the outside to the inside.

Forgetting the fact that she had 'extreme Brady bunch syndrome' orange shag carpet, flowery wall paper, 30 year old appliances, etc, she had not put DIME ONE into her house for 20 years.

I didn't take a home inspector to torpedo the home. Gutters were falling off, trees were overgown, driveway crumbling, rotted trim. The house was a good deal apparently, but who would want a house that nobody maintained?

I generally have sympathy for these sellers (widows), but not in this case. The woman had money (from what the agent told me), but refused to spend it on basic maintenance.

Now, someone like me who is handy will pick it up for a song.- Ray

This is an unusual situation I see from time to time. Water droplet stains on surfaces in the attic. Usually it will appear as dark stains in a random pattern on the insulation or flooring in the attic. You would think it is from a leaking roof, but this is usually not the case.

What is the cause? This was the question that the seller asked me today in a home in Lake Grove, NY.

When attics get hot in the summer, and when the humidity is high, water from the moist air can condense on the nails protruding through the roof sheathing (plywood or tongue and groove sheathing). This causes water droplets to form and drip off the nails onto the surfaces below.

If you look at the stains individually, you will see the stains are directly under the roofing nails. Attics like these need more ventilation. Call a ventilation contractor so a determination can be made, and the problem can be addressed. - Ray

I just got a call from a client I inspected 5 homes for 2 years ago. He finally did settle on a house in Franklin Square, Long Island. He called me today to tell me he was referring me to a relative. Great news, but it gets better.

Turns out he has told hundreds of people about me. He works in the school district and travels to many grade schools and intermediate schools in his district. He deals with many young teachers in these schools, and he seems to hear whenever someone is buying a house who works in the school district.

I was always wondering why I had done so many inspections for teachers in that area. Now I know.

I couldn't pay for this type of advertizing. I do the right thing and go above and beyond for the client. They tell their friends. and it just snowballs. This man, Tom, is going out to dinner on Meticulous Home Inspection Corp. - and we are getting LOBSTER! - Ray