HomeStar Inspections

HomeStar Inspections Simplifying your inspection process since 2009! Commercial and Residential. South Florida and the Treasure Coast! Simplifying your inspection process since 2009.

Report is generated onsite using all of the latest technology. Giving you the power to make the right decision fast! Toby Condill, Owner/Operator
HI7998 | CBC1258640

05/23/2026

The Front Roof Looked Great… The Rest Was Failing on this 21,000 sq. ft. commercial roof inspection. The sellers replaced the front roof sections facing the parking lot, so from the street, everything looked decent. But once we inspected the rest of the roof, it was a completely different story. Large sections were absolutely shot and needed immediate replacement. Squirrels had chewed through the lead vent covers, dryer vents were destroyed, and open penetrations were allowing water into the roof system. This is why a roof should never be judged from the curb. The front may have looked great, but the rest was failing, and the correction is immediate evaluation by a licensed roofing contractor, replacement of the failed roof areas, and proper repair of all damaged vent penetrations before the water intrusion causes even more damage.



Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

05/22/2026

Metal roof inspection in South Florida — solid shape overall, but bare metal costs more than most homeowners realize. A metal roof that isn't white absorbs Florida heat all day instead of reflecting it — your electric bill climbs, your AC works harder and wears out faster, and your waterproofing materials break down sooner than they should. We also found solar panels on the roof (condition only, not tested for function), tight screw spacing around all roof penetrations, and an abandoned weatherhead that an electrician needs to evaluate. In South Florida, white standing seam is the right call for a metal roof. Every other color is just paying more for less.



Electricity is dangerous. Never attempt any review, repairs or installation. Always have your electrical serviced and repaired by licensed and insured electricians.

Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

Website https://HomeStarInspectionsFL.com/

INSTAGRAM

X

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088804832143

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/toby-condill-2009a7338/

NOTE: ALL deficiencies or issues noted in this video are referred to professionals licensed and insured in their respective fields. They are recommended in my report to first verify my findings for accuracy and then to repair as needed. Often, these issues are corrected after the fact. As such, this video is for educational purposes only and should not in any way serve as the current condition of this property.

05/21/2026

Old Condo Lots of Mold is what we found inside this hallway AC handler closet in a multi-story beach condo. This older condo, built in the 60s or 70s, was not originally designed with a proper dryer hookup, so the dryer is being vented directly into the AC closet. That means lots of lint, cotton fibers, and organic material are collecting on the evaporator coils and surrounding surfaces, creating the perfect food source for mold growth. But the mold is only the symptom. Holes in the AC closet walls are pulling in dirty wall-cavity air, and the closet door is not sealed from the hallway, which can allow additional contaminated air from the building or nearby mechanical spaces to enter the closet. Proper mold remediation is needed, but remediation cannot just clean the visible mold. It also has to correct the cause: improper dryer venting, dirty coils, open wall penetrations, and air leakage. In an old condo like this, lots of mold problems keep coming back when the conditions that created them are ignored.



Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

05/20/2026

An electrical panel destroyed by a hidden scupper leak — this 1920s home looked fine from the curb, but the panel was quietly cooking itself behind the cover. The main breaker had overheated and cracked, screws and breakers were rusting, and the whole electrical panel was corroding because a scupper (a roof drain) directly above was dumping water down the wall every time it rained. This kind of hidden electrical hazard is one of the most common ways a house fire starts, and a scupper leak above the panel almost never shows up on a casual walkthrough. If you're buying a home with the electrical panel on an exterior wall, this is exactly the situation to check for before you sign.



Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

05/14/2026

New construction failed basic water management. Water management is one of the most important parts of any new construction home, and this video shows exactly why. Without gutters and proper yard grading, rainwater has nowhere to go except back toward the structure, flooding patios, saturating the soil, and creating long-term moisture problems around the foundation. Standing water can lead to settlement issues, wood rot, mold concerns, pest activity, and damage to exterior finishes. The correction is simple but critical: install a properly designed gutter and downspout system, extend water away from the home, and make sure the yard is graded to drain away from the structure. The unlevel AC unit is another sign that the site drainage and soil support need attention, because equipment should be set level on a stable pad to operate properly and avoid future damage. New construction does not mean problem-free, and poor drainage is one of those issues that can get expensive fast if it is ignored.



Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

05/07/2026

Pre-Drywall Inspection Saves the Roof! Trusses Off by 2.5"Pre-Drywall Inspection Saves the Roof! Trusses Off by 2.5" & Gapping on Bond Beam – Florida Code Violation Caught Early.

In this eye-opening pre-drywall inspection, we discovered critical roof truss issues that could have compromised the home's structural integrity once hidden behind drywall. Several trusses were installed off by up to 2½ inches, with one spaced at just 21½ inches instead of the required 24 inches on center per the Florida Building Code (which uses 24" o.c. as the standard for rafter/truss spacing in tables for sheathing thickness, attachment, and load distribution in the Residential Code, Chapter 8). Additionally, trusses were attached to the bond beam with unacceptable gaps instead of proper, secure connections required for wind uplift resistance in Florida's high-wind environment. This is exactly why a thorough pre-drywall inspection is essential — these defects are invisible after drywall goes up, but fixing them now prevents future headaches, code failures, and potential safety risks during storms. Great catch for the homeowner!



Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

05/01/2026

critical fire hazard : Grease Fire Imminent A commercial kitchen inspection has revealed an imminent grease fire risk. The Type I grease hood is not connected to any exterior exhaust and is instead trapping grease-laden vapors directly in the attic space. This creates a highly dangerous buildup of combustible grease deposits that could ignite at any time, leading to a rapidly spreading fire through the structure. Immediate shutdown of cooking operations, professional cleaning, full system redesign with proper exterior ducting, and re-inspection are urgently required to prevent a potential catastrophe.



Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

04/29/2026

This Crawlspace Could Kill the Deal. This was a 1920s-built home with no proper access underneath, and that alone is a major red flag. The crawlspace is where many of the biggest defects hide: plumbing leaks, sewer issues, damaged ductwork, unsafe electrical, structural concerns, moisture problems, and wood deterioration. In this case, I could actually see a sewer drain discharging under the home, which creates a serious sanitation and moisture concern. The property grading was also pitched back toward the structure, meaning water has no easy way to drain away. That combination can trap moisture under the house, contribute to mold and wood damage, and potentially allow soil gases like radon to enter the home. The correction is not optional: proper crawlspace access should be created, the sewer drain issue needs immediate repair, drainage and grading should be corrected, and a radon test should be considered. On an older home like this, buying without knowing what is happening underneath is a gamble — and this crawlspace could kill the deal.



Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

04/27/2026

One Smell Led to a Bigger Discovery during this inspection, and it is a perfect reminder that a good home inspector uses more than just their eyes. Your nose, hearing, sight, and experience all matter. In this case, there was a musty odor along with signs of leaking below some windows, which led me to recommend a mold assessment. The client agreed, and that one smell ended up leading to a much bigger discovery: mold in the ductwork. This is more common than many people realize because duct systems can create the perfect environment for mold growth when there is moisture, poor filtration, air leakage, or an air handler that is not properly sealed. The mold identified was Cladosporium, which is commonly found in ductwork and has known allergic potential. Remediation can correct the issue, but the real key is also fixing what caused it so the problem does not come back.



Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

04/26/2026

Rainbow Bus Bar: A Color You Don’t Want in Your Electrical Panel — In this inspection, I’m reviewing a 1990 Westinghouse electrical panel with the recognizable blue and red breakers, but the real concern is inside the panel itself. One of the bus bars shows that rainbow discoloration you can see when metal has been overheated, and that is evidence of a potentially serious electrical issue. Given the age of the panel, parts may be obsolete or difficult to obtain, and replacement may be a smarter long-term option than trying to repair an aging system. I’m calling this out for further evaluation by a licensed electrician, because overheating inside an electrical panel is not something to ignore. This is exactly why a thorough inspection matters — the small details can reveal the big problems.



Electricity is dangerous. Never attempt any review, repairs or installation. Always have your electrical serviced and repaired by licensed and insured electric electricians.

Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

Address

Palm City, FL
34990

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 3pm

Telephone

+19548813451

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when HomeStar Inspections posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to HomeStar Inspections:

Shortcuts

Share

Category