Vantage Home Inspection

04/25/2026

08/09/2023

Inspection find of the day:

“The worst part of home inspection is the dementors”

06/02/2023

It doesn’t bring me joy to dunk on house flippers. I’m not here to mock anyone and I admire people who work hard to transform and add value to homes. However, this flip was pretty rough and although it was beautifully staged with high-end finishes, I doubt any licensed professionals or permits were involved in this remodel.

Top 10 defects from this flip:
1. A wall was removed and ceiling joists/rafter ties were improperly supported (ceiling was sagging already causing cabinet doors to rub against drywall).
2. Painted over chimney brick was significantly spalled/deteriorated and needed to be replaced.
3. The staircase was relocated and step tread heights and depths were uneven and caused headroom clearance to be under 5 foot.
4. Several wasp nests were painted over.
5. A non-listed breaker was loosely attached to the bus bar in the electrical panel.
6. The knock-out plug had been removed from the disposal but there was no dishwasher so water just dumped below the kitchen sink.
7. A bathroom sink leaked and did not have a trap so the whole room smelled like sewer.
8. A large fallen tree branch was being held up by a tree in the neighbor’s yard.
9. Most of the attic was missing insulation.
10. More than one register did not supply heat or air conditioning.

04/15/2023

Tale as old as time…

Step 1: Downspouts dump water too close to foundation.

Step 1.5: *Optional* Overgrown tree limbs drop leaves on roof and clog gutters, causing them to fail and dump water straight down at the foundation.

Step 2: Water saturates the soil and causes a constant hydrostatic pressure on the foundation.

Step 3: The foundation begins to crack, leak, and/or deteriorate (spallling), weakening the structure.

Step 4: Termites are drawn to the moisture and start destroying the perimeter rim and floor joists.

Step 5: House settles significantly due to steps 1-4.

Step 6: Someone spends $ to have structural damage repaired (sister termite-damaged floor joists, add a couple jack posts and maybe install a sump pump), but repair work is not quite adequate.

Step 7: Downspouts still aren’t extended away from foundation.

Step 7.5: *Optional* New sump pump dumps water right at foundation (needs to be extended 6 feet like downspouts) and just cycles water over and over again.

Results: See these pictures from an inspection.


If there’s one piece of advice I could give to every homeowner it’s this: Extend your downspouts at least 6 feet from your foundation. Make sure your landscape slopes away from your foundation at least 3 inches for every 10 feet, and keep your gutters clean.

04/10/2023

This here is what we call a "mullet roof."

The new shingles on the front of this house were all business. The old shingles on the back of the house appeared to have partied pretty hard.

04/05/2023

Here are a few highlights from the last week and a half of sewer inspections. We’ve seen: a dead bird, tree root intrusion, broken clay pipe, construction debris (twice in brand new homes), and one line in which the bottom of the pipe had completely rusted out. Speaking from personal experience of having a sewer back-up in my own home, I cannot stress strongly enough how important it is to have your sewer line inspected.

04/18/2022

From the EPA website: A mine near Libby, Montana, was the source of over 70 percent of all vermiculite sold in the United States from 1919 to 1990. There was also a deposit of asbestos at that mine, so the vermiculite from Libby was contaminated with asbestos. Vermiculite from Libby was used in the majority of vermiculite insulation in the United States and was often sold under the brand name Zonolite. If you have vermiculite insulation in your home, you should assume this material may be contaminated with asbestos and be aware of steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from exposure to asbestos.

04/13/2022

This is the sewer clean out of a new construction home…filled with debris. The city inspection report simply stated that the clean out needed a cap.

04/11/2022

These cabinets are so hot right now 🔥(because someone forgot to cut holes to install a register for the ductwork below 🤦‍♂️). This was the only heat source in the entire kitchen and it’d been like this for several years.

04/08/2022

Q: What was the best thing about getting to inspect the same house again 8 months later?

A: Getting to see and talk to the tenant again (a very sweet 87 year old woman). The second best thing? Remembering that this phone/radio/toilet paper holder exists. 🙂