We needed an inspection as part of a conditional offer on a home, called Yuri, he emailed us the details and the inspection was booked the same day, super fast, super convenient.
We asked if we could be there for the inspection, and Yuri actually told us that would be best, because we can learn a lot, which made me very happy. And oh boy did we learn a lot, take that from a Realtor and someone who's taken courses on home construction.
Yuri was so thorough, he looked at every detail of the house, things that we have missed. There were 3 trees in the backyard that we loved, but Yuri made us aware that because one of them is so close to the home, its roots may damage plumbing pipes over time, and the branches will scratch the roof shingles. There were a couple of issues in the basement that were discovered. He took the time to explain every potential risk/ hazard and how we can remedy them, like how the wiring in the electrical panel was wrong and what should have been done, how exposed Styrofoam is a fire hazard and needs to be covered. When we went upstairs, Yuri used a device to identify heat loss, which helps give you an idea of heating/cooling efficiency. He taught us how to recognize new windows versus windows that were retrofitted in. Yuri recognized that the dryer was a steam dryer, which we've never seen before. And with steam dryers, he told us we have to leave the door open so steam can escape, not get trapped within the walls. Very good to know.
But the kicker was the attic, the thing that destroyed our offer on the home. Yuri went in, and after about 10-15 minutes, he came down and told us that the sheathing panels were black with mold. I wanted to see it myself, so he gave me a flashlight, and holy moly, the roof sheathing looked like they were burnt. Yuri explained that this was most likely due to: too much insulation on the attic's floor, lack of cold air intake, and lack of vents so warm, moist air can escape. This has been compounded over time, because it wasn't a moldy spot here and there, it's the entire panel. We asked how can this be fixed, and Yuri told us about 2 approaches: 1) get a mold remediation company, however, it wouldn't fix the problem. 2) The proper way to fix this is to completely remove the roof, install new air intakes, install proper exhaust vents, and new insulation. And that, you can probably guess in the middle of the pandemic, would cost a lot of money. I called a friend, who told me it should be between $30K to $50K easily. So we walked away from the deal since we can't take on such a big project.
In conclusion, I would even pay to listen to Yuri's wisdom. Even if you bought a home without an inspection condition (like many have in this crazy market), I think you should still call Yuri and schedule one. Information on your home, on how to maintain and protect it is invaluable, especially when it's probably your biggest investments.
