Home Inspectors Can Save You Money

When you bought your home, you probably hired a Home Inspector to review your potential purchase before signing the contract. Or, if you've ever sold your home, you might have hired an inspector to make sure the house was ready to go on the market.

But, here's a tip: you can hire a home inspector to save you money... even if you're not buying or selling a house. How? Your home is getting older and older by the day. Things are settling, rotting, weakening, bending, and cracking all over the place. And you would never know it -- until there's a problem. Once there is a problem, you have to call a professional to come out and fix it.

Now, we at ConstructionDeal.com are here to help you find those service professionals when something goes wrong. But, when you have to hire a company in an emergency situation, you could really end up paying a lot of money to get things fixed.

A home inspector could come to your house, review anything and everything from your foundation to your roof -- or even just areas that you're concerned about, like your attic, insulation, windows and doors, and more. The inspector can give you a full report, which is a detailed and objective analysis of what work might need to be done. Also consider that this inspector has nothing to gain from any information provided so you can be sure that what he or she is telling you is accurate.

An example of how hiring an inspector could save you money. Say you notice a long crack in the paint in a room at the back of your house. Or a door leading out of that room no longer closes cleanly. You could have a home inspector come out and look over your basement and foundation. The inspection report tells you that your home is settling and it won't become a serious problem for another twenty years. What if you had hired a Foundation Contractor who wanted to begin house leveling work the next door -- at a cost of thousands and thousands of dollars?

The opposite could also have been true - what if you decided to not have your home checked out, waited until the cracks and closing doors became worse, and then had to hire a foundation company in the emergency situation?

Hiring a home inspector is not very expensive. Depending on the area of the country, the size of the house, and how much needs to be inspected, it can cost anywhere from $150 to $500. Not a significant amount to give you a detailed survey and analysis of all that your home needs. And it's a great way to give you peace of mind -- no more surprises and less of a chance of those emergency payouts.

RELATED POSTS:
Protect your Gutters
Foundation Inspections
Remodel your Homeowners Insurance

If you need to find a local Home Inspector, you can post your request on ConstructionDeal.com! If a free service for all homeowners.

Simply tell us what type of inspection you need and we'll send it out to our network of professionals. You'll get 4 free quotes, sometimes in a matter of minutes.

Home Maintenance: Appliance Repair

One part of your home that most homeowners never consider -- until something goes wrong -- are the appliances. Unless you're doing a major kitchen renovation, you'll likely never have to think about replacing your appliances either.

But when they break... then you know it's time to find some help. I wanted to provide some information for you for the next time something goes wrong with your refrigerator, freezer, oven, microwave, washer, dryer -- well, you name it. Any appliance in your home, whenever it breaks, can be huge inconvenience for anyone.

The question is - Do You Fix It or Buy a New One?

And it can be a massive expense to simply replace the item. New appliances can cost a lot -- and in most cases, it can be cheaper to have the appliance repaired than to buy a completely new unit. You could take a chance on buying a used appliance but you could end up inheriting someone else's problems, too.

Are You a Do-It-Yourselfer?

If you're good with your hands, tools, and you're not afraid to tackle appliance repair on your own then I've got the perfect tool for you. I've found an online forum that can help you fix your busted appliance. The site is a forum where you can get free advice on appliance repair - Free Appliance Repair Advice. They have individual categories for each major appliance listed in the forum. You can post a question on your particular appliance and get a response from a professional service technician.

Whenever you have a problem with your home appliance, you can describe the situation and hopefully get help to fix it on your own. This can save a ton of money in repair fees. Make sure you check through your paperwork so that you don't void any warranties -- but usually the appliance doesn't break down until the warranty is up. Right?

Make sure you give your specific brand and model number whenever you post any questions. That way the service tech answering you can provide more precise and accurate information. Make sure to check before you make a post on whether the appliance is electric, gas, or oil-powered as well. The more details others have, the easier is will be to help.

If it turns out you can fix the appliance on your own, you can also order parts from the company that hosts the forum.

Afraid to Try Appliance Repairs?

If you'd like to talk to a professional about repairing your appliance, consider submitting your request to ConstructionDeal.com. It's a fast and easy service where you can get 4 free quotes from Appliance Repair pros.

For those of you without tools or strong mechanical ability, you can post your appliance repair project with us. Companies that specialize in fixing major appliances will see your request and contact you directly. It's a free service to find a local appliance repair specialist.

So whether you've got great mechanical repair abilities and want to fix it yourself or you'd rather leave it to the professionals - consider appliance repair before you run out to buy a new one. It could save you a lot of money and keep you going until the next appliance stops working for you!

RELATED POSTS
Home Maintenance: Foundation Inspections
DIY Home Safety & Maintenance
Saving on Your Electric Bill

Sponsored Appliance Repair Post

technorati tags: appliance repair, appliances, appliance service, appliance contractor, appliance repair companies, appliance repairman, appliance service technician, diy appliance repair, home maintenance, home repair, refrigerator repair, dryer repair, washer repair, microwave repair, dishwasher repair, freezer repair, kitchen appliance repair

Spring Has Sprung: Ready for April Showers?

If you live in a climate affected by seasonal change, you're probably ready for Spring. It's important to consider what, if any, damage may have been done to your home during the Winter months.

Now would be a great time for a do-it-yourself home inspection. Leave the Spring Cleaning for next weekend.

Check Your Roof
Start at the top of your home and work your way down. The roof has protected you from wind, rain, snow, and ice from December through April -- do a visual inspection. You can visually inspect the shingles and gutters from the ground. Look for damaged, missing, and mis-aligned tiles or shingles. Check close to the roof edge, in the valleys, around the chimney, and near the vents. Avoid climbing on your roof, if you don't have to. It can be very dangerous. If you suspect a problem - consult a professional roofer. Check the gutter systems to make sure water is still flowing freely by spraying hose water onto your roof and watching it come down through the downspouts. The water should not be spilling over the gutter and the water should move away from the foundation at the bottom.

Check Your Siding
Wood, brick, and metal siding can be affected by temperature changes. It can shrink, expand, mortar can crack, and parts can come loose. Paint can also become separated from the siding and chip off. Make sure all paint chips are cleaned up to avoid children or pets from eating any pieces that may contain lead. Look for any damage caused by weather or falling debris, such as ice or tree branches. If your siding is not properly maintained it can let in pests, moisture, and warm/cold air that will affect your energy bills. Talk to a siding contractor if any problems have come up.

Check Your Windows
Your windows have likely been been closed and sealed for several months. Open up your windows, if you can, and make sure they're in proper working order. Wood and other types of windows have also expanded and contracted from the wild temperature changes of Winter months. Hold a candle up to the window - if there's a flicker, it could mean there's a draft. If the window rattles at all during moderate wind, it could mean the window needs to be replaced. Check for caulk seal breakage or any missing weatherstripping - you'll be letting warm air in and cool air out in the summer time. If the window needs to be propped up to stay open, it might also mean it's time to replace it. Check with a Window Expert to make sure.

Check Your Foundation
Snow and rain runoff have been dropping all around your house. You need to inspect your foundation to make sure that there is a sufficient grade to move water away from the home (and the foundation.) After you've run water over your roof and down your downspouts, check for water that may be pooling by the foundation walls. With April Showers approaching, you want to make sure the gutters and downspouts deposit water at least two to three feet away from the house. Check visible foundation areas for loose tiles, bricks, stones or blocks. Check for moist walls, cracks, or bulges that push in toward the house.

Inside your house, go to your basement walls and look for cracking, bulging, or any leaning of the foundation walls. Frost and water may be pushing in on the concrete and causing problems. Look for signs of a moist wall or any water accumulation. If you see any kind of problem, speak with a Foundation Contractor as soon as possible to make sure there won't be any larger problems. Here's a great online Foundation Diagnosis Tool! Check it out.

They say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Finding out what problems your house may have, before the Spring rains come, could prevent major home repair payments down the round.

technorati tags: foundation inspection, roof inspection, window inspection, spring cleaning, spring inspection, home repair, home inspection, door inspection, gutter inspection, roofing and gutters,rain damage, foundation damage, basement waterproofing