Your protection is our obligation, and it’s our duty to provide you with as much information as possible about a home so you can make a responsible decision about your purchase!
February 26, 2009 by Mark Roach
Filed under Featured Houston Home Inspection
We are so confident in our abilities that we offer a 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!
How can we Guarantee our home inspections? That’s easy; we find more defects in the Houston homes we inspect. The end result is that you do not purchase a money pit!
We do this by providing as much time as it takes to thoroughly inspect the home. Of course we do have to charge more for this service than the cheap/blind inspectors. A cheap inspection may be the most expensive thing you ever buy. It could cost you thousands of dollars down the road for items that were missed or overlooked by the cheap home inspector.
A Professional Home Inspection provides independent and impartial inspections of residential real estate property. The benefits of a limited visual inspection far outweigh the consequences of costly repairs due to unseen defects in construction, general wear and tear, faulty repair work, or just plain covering up or quick fixing problems.
Take a look at some of the findings from a recent Houston Home Inspection:
VIDEO: High soil on walls can cause problems with your home. It will not allow the wall to be properly ventilated and is conducive to termites.
VIDEO: All walls need to be ventilated. This is done with weep holes. With out weep holes water will not be able to exit the wall. This can cause damage to the main structure.
VIDEO: Even new homes need to be inspected. This shows a range hood vent not connected to a exhaust pipe.
At A Professional Home Inspection, we provide you with an independent, unbiased view of any problems or potential safety issues in the house so that you’ll have all the facts you need to make a sound, and informed decision… before buying!
Our clients have managed to save and negotiate on hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs and costs because they were armed with a detailed inspection report outlining our findings.
The only way to know for sure if you’re buying a dream home or money pit is to hire an experienced, certified home inspector. Newcomers, part-timers and cheap home inspectors simply do not have the ability or expertise to provide the comprehensive inspection you need!
Contact us today to schedule your home inspection by calling 281-655-4383. Alternatively, you’re free to book your inspection online by clicking here.
Houston Brazilian Carnaval 2009
February 12, 2009 by Mark Roach
Filed under Local Events & Happenings
Bringing dynamic rhythms and non-stop floor entertainment on the actual Mardi Grad Celebration week-end.
Experience the flavor of authentic Rio de Janeiro Carnaval at the Bar Rio Houston.
Phone: 832-630-0637
URL: http://braziliancarnaval.eventbrite.com/
Date: February 20, 2009, Friday, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
The Houston Brazilian Brazilian Carnaval 2009 is for 18 and over. Advance tickets are $ 20 for general admission and $ 30 for reserved table seating plus Student Entry $ 15.00 ID Required @ door, group discounts are available by calling 832-630-0637. Purchase General Admission and Reserved Table tickets by calling 832-630-0637 or visit www.myspace.com/brazilianeventshouston or http://braziliancarnaval.eventbrite.com/.
Tickets, if available, will be sold on the day of the event at the Bar Rio for $ 25.00 general admission, $35 reserved table seat, cash only at the door. The Bar Rio Houston http://www.bar-riohouston.com is located at 6400 Richmond Ave Houston Texas 77057. Parking on site is available for a fee.
FREE Day at the Houston Zoo
February 12, 2009 by Mark Roach
Filed under Local Events & Happenings
Enjoy a free admission day at the Houston Zoo and see the newest attractions and exhibits. Visit the Web site at www.HoustonZoo.org/Coupons for more special events and discounts.
Venue: Houston Zoo
Address: 1513 North MacGregor
Houston, TX 77030
Phone: 713-533-6500
URL: http://www.houstonzoo.org
Date: February 16, 2009
Penguin Encounter
February 12, 2009 by Mark Roach
Filed under Local Events & Happenings
Meet a real penguin in person! Penguin Encounter allows guests a close-up look of the penguins at the Aquarium Pyramid. Learn penguin biology and how Moody Gardens penguin trainers care for the popular birds.
Date: 02/28/2009
Location: Aquarium Pyramid
Time: 1 p.m. -Meet in front of the South Atlantic Penguin Exhibit
Price: $20 per person ($15 for members), 1 year old and under free
Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the Aquarium Pyramid® of the day of the encounter. Participants must also purchase admission to the Aquarium Pyramid®.
Ranch House – Renovation Best
February 12, 2009 by Mark Roach
Filed under Home Maintenance Tips
What is the common dream which motivates people to boost income? Undoubtedly, to live a comfortable life in a lavish house with an aura of opulence all around. So they aim at furnishing their nest in a manner that would set it apart from the rests. A ranch house could be the ultimate image make-over of a house. A ranch house is simplicity at its best. It is a one-storey building in a picturesque backdrop. This particular type of house serves two purposes at the same time: it adds up to the beauty of the house and looks after the utility aspect as well. But before setting up a house, one needs to know why he or she needs a ranch house and if it is necessary or not.
Before going deep into the details, the basic idea of ranch house and its renovation should be apparent enough. The mandatory components of a ranch house are several bedrooms, cooking area, washroom, a drawing area and rooms for guests. Cellar and conjoined parking area with an entrance into kitchen are other basic features of this kind. So, if you want to renovate a ranch house, fence the terrace, add a gallery or erect a partition to divide a big room and you are sorted.
Before venturing you must be focused about your demand from this remodeling. Its sole intention should not be only to beautify the house but also to utilize the area properly and enhancing it. A little planning beforehand helps a lot. You can start with tracking down the drawbacks of the prevailing house and correct it as soon as possible. A wooden deck or something unique can be added to complement the rest of the decoration. Even a new and extra structure can be added to the main one. But it must be in accordance with the design of the rest of the house and serve the purpose of spending free time.
Even if you are happy with the look, space enhancement could be a necessity. In that case an additional library or bedroom can be spaced out. It will change the exterior look too. It will be good change in favor of the restoration. If the planning does not go down well with the present interior due space scarcity, the cellar can be divided to increase the area.
The general use of cellar is that of a storehouse, launderette and hot water reservoir. If you surrounded it with walls with enough room spared, the extra space can be transformed into children’s recreation room or for relaxation of your entire family. So, the ranch house increases the value and utility of the house.
Harry Blackwell has been an avid design enthusiast for years. You can read his reviews on Curtains & Drapes, as well as tips on how to choose from high end as well as discount curtains…
Remodeling in a Recession
February 12, 2009 by Mark Roach
Filed under Home Maintenance Tips
It’s true that right now may not be the best time to sell your home. With real estate values dropping, many homeowners who want to sell won’t be able to sell their home for what they thought they may have been able to a few years ago.
However, if you aren’t trying to sell your home right now, and have been putting off a remodeling job this might just be the best time to tackle the project. Why you ask?
Just as the cost of homes is dropping, the cost of remodeling is dropping- including building materials and contractor’s fees. And while it may be difficult to think about spending money on your home when the values are falling- taking advantage of lower remodeling costs could be a great investment if you are not planning on selling your home anytime soon.
As disclosed in a study by HousingEconomics.com, the number of building permits in the United States has decreased in 2008 by 41% from 2007. This means less people are building, which can be good for a consumer trying to get competitive pricing from a contractor.
Not only can your contractor charge less for materials (because they are paying less) but they are also willing to charge less for labor in order to secure more work.
Even DIYers can save money on renovations right now just by saving on materials. For example, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), framing lumber prices are the lowest they have been in 4 years.
The trick, of course, if you do have a home sale anywhere in your future, is to assess the current value of your home and the value that your remodel will add to your home. When you sell, you will only recoup some of the value in your resale so you want to make sure you are not investing too much more than what you may get in return. For a good idea of national remodeling costs and recouped costs, visit Remodeling magazine’s cost vs. recoup report. Note: If you do hire a contractor, make sure they have insurance to cover them in case they are injured on your property, otherwise, check your homeowners insurance policy to see if you have enough.
Carrie VanBrunt
http://HomeInsurance.com
Turning Your Home Green
February 12, 2009 by Mark Roach
Filed under Home Maintenance Tips
In recent years we can see more and more people switching to buying green homes. This is either because they are getting concern about the environment or that the standards and techniques for building green houses have improved tremendously over the past years. In addition, sellers can also get a higher price for these green homes as they tend to save more on maintenance costs and utility bills. As such, if you are keen in purchasing a green home in Texas, how do you know that it is worth the price that you are paying for the house? This article will give you some tips on how you can get yourself a good deal. Check to see if the following things are found in the house:
1. A passive solar design
This is useful for natural heating and cooling of the house. Make sure there are not any skylights or greenhouse rooms in the house because that would mean too much heat gain in the building and will be very hot.
2. Attic spaces ventilation
Attic spaces can also accumulate heat, especially in hot climates, thereby causing the house to become very hot. On the other hand, moisture will remain in these attic spaces which are not ventilated, causing the wood to rot and smell.
3. Use of recycled or renewable materials
Since you are getting a green home, you should ensure that the materials used to build the house are not damaging to the environment. Some examples are using waste wood to build decks, use materials that are locally produced and can be renewed easily or recycled wood for the flooring of the house.
4. Use of safe materials
Products that are water based, non-toxic and biodegradable are more environmentally friendly so these should be used to build the house. Ensure that there are no materials that contain ozone depleting chemicals which are detrimental to the environment.
5. Site protection
The surroundings of the house is equally important, thus, ensure that the natural vegetation and animal habitats are protected from any unnecessary harm, especially if you need to do any additional constructions to the estate.
Search Texas Home Builders and Green Home Builders today.
A Company of Integrity…
February 12, 2009 by Mark Roach
Filed under Client Testimonials
We were very pleased with the overall thorough inspection report and the inspector’s availability to discuss the findings afterward. All findings of concern were accompanied by clear photos of the area inspected. The report was promptly available online to view and download. Our inspector answered any questions of concern we had after reviewing the report. I would readily recommend this company to others. While this company is neither the cheapest nor the most expensive inspection company we inquired about we feel they were a company of integrity and conducted a home inspection of high quality.
Betty & Bruce Taylor
Spring, Texas
Unknown Disasters Avoided!!!
February 12, 2009 by Mark Roach
Filed under Client Testimonials
Thank you for such a professional report. Todd and I had no idea that the house we were buying had so many problems. I am discouraged now, but I am so glad that we hired you to do this for us. You did an awesome job. Thank you again. We are very happy with the personal attention you have shown to the problems detected. This will save us from unknown disasters later.
I liked being able to view the report online. This is great, considering that we live in Colorado!
Todd and Laura Bishop
Saved Us THousands…
February 12, 2009 by Mark Roach
Filed under Client Testimonials
The inspector took his time and was extremely thorough in his inspection. The report we received was more professional than I expected and it is available to me on the web. This allows me to quickly communicate with my builder rather than having to fax the report later. In addition to the great service and professional report, Mark identified many key areas of concerns I would have never found and saved us thousands of dollars of potential damage in the near future. I highly recommend “A Professional Home Inspector”!
Gary Folkes Jr.
New Construction Home Buyer
Tomball, Texas
