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by Julian Lane www.thefixitchamp.com  This article is courtesy of Julian Lane from www.thefixitchamp.com Don't forget to check out the links included in the article to get more information. It doesn’t take much tenure as a homeowner to realize that homeownership is an expensive undertaking. Besides the actual mortgage payment, insurance, and utilities, there is the ongoing responsibility of repair and maintenance. Whether in the form of routine work or a surprise project, here’s how to ensure you can cover your expenses.
Be ready for rainy days Eventually, it happens to everyone. You come home to a sewage backup, a tree falls on the house, or you walk into your basement to find standing water. Even though not unusual, those surprise fixes can add up. Some statistics indicate the average homeowner paid out nearly $3,000 in home repairs in 2015. What’s more, while your home insurance policy might cover certain expenses, there are several repairs not covered under most policies, such as damage relating to power outages, mold, floods, and landslides. Items that simply wear out aren’t covered, and luxury items normally require a special rider. Even if your repairs are covered, you still need to pay your deductible, which typically ranges from $500 to $1,000. No matter how you slice it, the best thing to do is set up a rainy day fund for home repairs. Mother Nature’s surprises Mother Nature often has a hand in the surprises homeowners face. From lightning strikes to wind damage, there are all sorts ugly concerns. One of the last things most homeowners give thought to is an unwanted infestation, but rodents, bugs, and other critters can cause any variety of issues. Certain problems are disturbing but are primarily a nuisance, such as rat removal and flea control, but one pest tops all the others: termites. These tiny insects can destroy the framework that holds your home together. Identifying termites can be difficult to the untrained eye, and they tend to avoid light. If you find little piles of wings or sawdust, or see damaged, crumbling wood, it’s important to contact a professional, though it doesn't have to be a national chain. An online search for "termite companies near me" can point you toward a local company that can quickly help address your problem and set up annual visits to keep this from happening again. Quality work and reasonable costs When hiring someone to work on your home, it’s important to be diligent. There are many scam artists out there who will try to grab your money and run, so become familiar with the tactics they might use, such as trying to pressure you into snap decisions, or asking for payment in advance. Plan to interview potential candidates, make sure they carry insurance, and ask if they are licensed. Get a list of references and check them. Estimates should be in writing, and The Balance Small Business suggests getting additional documentation before the project begins. A contract outlining the work, statement of what work is expected, and schedule are just a few examples of what you might expect. Paperwork protects both you and the contractor, so anytime someone hesitates to put things in writing, consider it a red flag. When out-of-pocket is impossible Whether you’re paying a contractor or buying supplies for a DIY, how will you cover your costs? While cash is the most palatable payment method, you still have other potential options if out-of-pocket is simply not doable. If you have equity in your home, you can borrow against that, and NerdWallet offers a home equity loan calculator to help you tally the numbers. If your home was in the line of a natural disaster, FEMA might lend a hand. Borrowing from friends and family members is an option for some people, or you could consider using credit cards to get you by. Homeownership requires a great deal of responsibility, not the least of which is figuring out how to swing repair bills. If something catches you off-guard, weigh your options, and make sure you hire good help when you need it. With a plan at your fingertips, you can handle those little (or not so little) surprises that come your way.
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  I can tell you, this is quite a challenge. Most of them were built before modern building codes, with different techniques and materials. When I do an inspection, the age of the home will not influence me pointing out defects or safety issues. There’s no excuse for a missing balustrade or smoke detectors. Sometimes I hear “it was good for the last 100 years”, maybe true maybe not. Do you know for sure that nobody died of smoke inhalation? Building codes and standards are a learning process and an attempt to make a home safer, healthier and more efficient. In older or historic homes, modern building codes can’t be applied. The main stairs might be not wide enough, the foundation is different and this list is going on and on. If changes can be made - great, if not you should at least know about it. So, why would I point out a very small stairway going to the attic space? In case of a fire, a fire fighter cannot get through. Sometimes, small staircases are a trap for them. In older homes, you will find different materials, some perform really well, but unfortunately, some should be removed, or secured. Did you know that the old thermostats have a mercury bubble? That almost all of the older paints contain lead? Old wiring and pipe insulation were made out of asbestos? Some roofing materials and siding as well. Should you panic if I point that out? Not necessarily! But some corrections would be good idea to keep you and your family safe. One of the big myths is that you always have mold in older houses. That is actually true, you also have it in newer houses. But older houses are built different, you have more air circulation, moisture can dry out. The newer homes are more energy efficient, they are sealed and there is no margin for mistakes. Again, older houses are more forgiving.
It all comes down to that you need a good home inspector who understands this, and that he understands how every part of a home acts or reacts to any changes. For example, modifications and add-ons, these are the biggest problems – unless you have a really good contractor. I love the challenge of inspecting older, historic homes and currently I’m renovating one of them. Almost all manufactured homes or trailer homes I’ve inspected, had the same defect.
We all know that moisture will damage or destroy building materials and create all kinds of problems. A good home should be built with materials and techniques that minimize or eliminate moisture problems. It is very critical to have a good working moisture barrier on the subfloor; especially if it’s built over a dirt floor or a bad installed ground moisture barrier, which is most likely the case. Manufactured homes have a factory installed moisture barrier on the floor. It’s the black plastic you see.  If you have a double wide, the seam at the moisture barrier is usually taped; as well as all damages and openings. Unfortunately, this is quite often overlooked, or the tape fails. The result is, your floor insulation hangs down and this area is not insulated anymore. Insects have access to the floor area and the interior of the modular home, and of course moisture.
Defects like this are going unnoticed for a long time, because nobody really wants to go in a crawlspace. This is why you need a good home inspector, who’s not afraid to enter, inspect and report defects. This is what we do!
A home inspection, or a limited inspection, should be arranged before you sign for a new construction, before you buy or even list a home, or after major repairs. There are no excuses, your money – your choice. Our reports tell you what’s going and help you to make the right choice.  Unfortunately, they fall short during most inspections I make. There are two very common issues
The typical roof of a manufactured home has asphalt shingles and a pitch of 2/12. First of all, no roof construction is water proof; a good roof is water resistant. A roof sheds water, so it’s not 100% water proof and all roofing materials have a limit when it comes to how they perform under certain conditions. One of the important parameters is selecting the right material and the roof pitch. The Roof pitch is a measurement that indicates how steep your roof is. This is regulated by building codes, HUD regulations, industry standards and roofing material manufacturers. Minimum roof pitch for asphalt shingles is 2/12, and this requires 2 layers of underlayment, like roofing felt etc. Two layers protect better than one layer; underlayment - NOT two or more layers of asphalt shingles!! Recently I inspected two modular homes with a 2/12 roof pitch and only one layer of underlayment. One of them had even 4 layers of shingles installed. These are serious defects and a correction requires re-roofing and substantial costs. The question is, who is responsible? Even if the installer, and most times this is the modular home manufacturer, forgot to install the second layer, the buyer or the seller are stuck with the costs. The question is not if your roof leaks, the question is when it will leak. In the next post, we will cover the subfloor moisture barrier. Stay tuned.  
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AuthorHi - this is Werner with Home Inspection Tennessee Archives
February 2021
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