Hobbs, NM

I thought, "oh good" they upgraded the electrical system. Or did they really.

As I inspect homes, not much surprises me any more. It seems that home owners are trimming so many corners they have nothing left.

Note to "Uncle Bob" Cease and desist from any more home repairs.

My first impression of this home was good they upgraded the electrical system to handle the increased load to the home. I could'nt have been more wrong.

Here was the latest up grade to the home that was installed two years ago.

When I got in the home to check out all the sub panels I could only find one.

Note the "instructions to the breakers"? This would indicate to me there were a lot of issues with the breakers tripping. Notice any thing else about the contents of the breaker box?

There are only three breakers being used for the entire home. This is the "original breaker box that is still live" even though the electrical was "up graded".

To make matters even worse, in the attic there were issues like this little monster.

Yes this is live knob and tube in the attic. The amount of the home that was actually upgraded in the home was limited to the A/C supply line, the kitchen stove, The furnace and a couple of GFI plus and a couple of closet lights. That's it. All the rest of the electrical system stayed the same.

Live knob and tube.

Home Inspections. Finally, they get it right.

I really like inspecting homes. You just never know what your going to run into while doing what I love to do.

At Desert Sun Home Inspections, it's the little things that can give the buyers and sellers fit's.

These "little things" can make or break the sale of the home. Although a home for sale is just that, "For Sale".

Most homes that are for sale, comes with a little baggage. The little baggage is the repairs that are needed to get the home to the point of purchase that is comfortable for the buyer.

This home is one of the homes that I have been back to several times.

This time, they finally got it right.

This was on the first inspection.

This one was taken after the repairs were to have been completed.

Take a look at that, the new drip leg was installed but it was installed with Galvanized piping. Wrong.

Let's try this again...

This is just one example on this home where the home owner wanted to save some cash and went with a less experienced plumber.

If you are wanting to sell your home. Have the work done by a experienced craftsman. Not someone who needs to "learn as they go".

Crawl space horrors. There is no room at all.

Here's an inspection where I needed to inspect the crawl space. There was no room atall to move around under the home.

The owner of the home told me if I needed any help, just to call out. I told him if I called out it was because I was stuck under the home.

See how much room there was under this home. Not much at all.

This shot makes it look like there is a lot of room. But there was only about 14 inches to get under the "I" beams.

The "A" frames were not removed from the home. This caused all kinds of trouble being able to get around and see everything clearly.

Remember when setting a Manufactured home, have the tongues removed from under the home. It do'es no good leaving them under the home.

Want to stay young forever?

This was a question posed to me by a friend.

Here are a few simple step that can help you avoid the pitfalls of getting older.

We all need to read this over and over till it becomes a "daily routine", and part of who we are.

How to stay young.

1. Try everything twice.

On one womans headstone she said she wanted this epitath

"Tried everything twice, loved it both times"

2. Keep only cheerful friends, the "grouches will only pull you down in life".

3. Keep learning about computers, crafts, gardening, or what ever.

Never let the brain remain idle. An "idle mind is the devils workshop".

And the devil's name is Alzheimers.

4. Enjoy the simple things in life.

5. Laugh often, long and loud.

Laugh till you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend more time with that friend.

Good simple advice for all members of Active Rain.

Have a great day.

Clint McKie

Desert Sun Inspections, Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220

Top 5 reasons not to buy a home.

Here are at least five reasons not to buy a home as told to me by a "senior couple".

I was fishing along the Black river south of Carlsbad, New Mexico. Yes even after seven months of no rain there is still water in it.

There was a couple of seniors there set up with their own little travel trailer.

He wandered over and we started talking about our lives and he was a retired school teacher. I told him I did home inspections and a lot of "other inspections too".

He then told me he would never buy another home as long as he lived. Of course I asked him "why" and he told me as follows.

1. Don't have to pay any taxes, none at all.

2. Don't have a "honey do list, half a mile long".

3. I don't have to spend a lot of money on keeping up the yard and fencing.

4. I don't have to worry about "what the neighbors think".

5. Now we don't have a lot of "extra stuff", you know the stuff you get when you own a home.

He went on about how he thinks home ownership should be esier for the elderly. And a lot of "other things.

But concluded with the greatest quote of all.

Just think about it. I am not more than three steps from the bathroom , no matter where I am.