Q: Where can I find a professional ASHI, NACHI, ICC, CABO, Certified, Licensed, Insured Home Inspector that serves my area of Metro Atlanta?
A: Paris Pressley provides good quality home inspections and home surveys in Atlanta and all metro Atlanta areas. You are currently on my Question and Answer page. Please visit Home Page for all the cities in Georgia we serve or for inspection information. Call us if you need a home inspection. Atlanta and Metro 404-755-9556 West Georgia 770-252-6700

Q:  If the inspector find hidden conditions or deferred maintenance that the seller did not disclose what can we do before closing?
A:  After you receive the inspection report you have several choices:
.First, is the selling price already reduced because of the the defects, damage or deferred maintenance?
.Ask the seller if he or she are aware of the conditions and are they willing to repair the items or negotiate the price based on the repair cost.
.Repair the items before closing and verify installations and corrections have been correctly completed.
.Accept the property as-is and repair the items after the purchase but be cautiously aware of all related labor and material costs associated to avoid under estimating what may really be needed to complete repairs, renovations or upgrades.
.Walk away if negotiations break down, don't buy another person's problems unless you are sure of what is there and the real value. Certified professional home Inspectors are getting more critical because of liability and will be very thorough when inspecting. Construction labor and material cost are rising. Ask yourself how difficult would it be to sell the same home with the same conditions to someone else.

Q: We are first time home buyers in Fairburn Georgia. Is there anything to watch out for or know when finding our first home to purchase?
A: Yes! In any city or community throughout America homes that need repairs, homes with hidden conditions, homes in poor condition, homes in undesired areas and poorly built homes in many cases are shown to buyers who may not know their options and choices. Even 2nd and 3rd time home buyers are at risk, especially if they are not aware of all the tricks in selling a home. Many times I have kept a home buyer from making a serious mistake. Sometimes the seller has made a bad purchase, made poor repairs or a builder builds less than standard and tries to sell it to the first time buyer or unsuspecting purchaser. I have seen homes that had a cemetery across the property line in a back yard, exterior doors that open to the outside, airplanes overhead, furnace systems with no return air register on the first floor, underground utilities, gas or electrical utilities close by, above ground utlilties, poor locations, school bus stops, flood areas, shooting ranges, schools, shopping centers, rivers that could overflow or erode it's banks, mixed communities, current and future traffic concerns, some corner lots and poor construction.

Be aware of sellers who say Newly Renovated or remodeled. This could simply indicate a old building cosmetically repaired to appear new and there could be hidden conditions that still exist.

All should be considered when purchasing a home. Your inspector should be aware of any conditions that may alter your comfort or happiness after your purchase.

Q:  What is the process to get a home inspection for a house I am thinking about buying in Conyers?
A: Call a Certified Home Inspector yourself, set the time and date, notify the seller, meet at the property, explain your concerns and sign the contract to inspect the property. If it is a new home verify that your inspector is CABO New Home Certified before hiring. Most home builders require new home inspectors to be ASHI and CABO Certified plus Insured.

Q: I purchased a new home last year in Lilburn and I have my 12 month walk-through. I found some things that I did not see when I signed. What should I do before having the walk-thru meeting with the builder?
A: Call a Certified Home Inspector, get a full home inspection and a complete estimate of the items if any are found. Make sure that you stay in the time limits set by the builder, otherwise they will ignore your concerns and there is little can be done. Some builders are very good at customer service and there are others that you will have to haul into arbitration or civil court to solve issues if they are major or labor intensive. New homes can have a few minor problems (nails popping in drywall, floor squeaking, drywall cracks, defective roof shingles...) or they can have major ones such as soil errosion under slabs, floors settling, building settling, improper grading and water intrusion. I have seen issues as small as minor painting and trim work adjustments, to major issues such as sinking and unequal settling of the structure.

Q: I called three home inspectors and got three different quotes to inspect a home in East Point, Georgia. Is there any way I can determine which one is the best home inspector for my money?
A: Yes! First, the home inspector should be certified and the more years in business and the more extensive his or her experience in the building and inspection business is, the better. Ask to see a sample report and compare the reports. Verify every system and component will be examined or inspected and will be described in the report. Are the reports created by word processing only with pictures or is the report a copywrited preprinted set of forms that have check boxes and items of the home's components. If the Home ispector is a member of a Professional Association or Society, this is good. "ICC", "ASHI", "NACHI" and "CABO" are the highest organizations and associations for testing. Many low price inspectors give satisfactory reports but the report and data may be difficult to understand, missing information and not a lot of details. That's a chance situation. It takes time to produce a good inspection report, both at the site going over, under and around the structure, and back at the office where the data collected can be analyzed and put into a 16-page report with a summary page, notes and photos which is returned to you the client. A Licensed, Certified, Insured Inspector with extensive experience is always the best. A home or building cost a lot of money. The inspection is your protection before buying it. Don't go too cheap. I have seen some reports that are simply word processing, item listing and photos. The best reporting system is designed for home and commercial inspections and list every component and system in and outside the home and requires a pass, fail or need repair check-box. There are also a comment box for each item. A very good and detaild report will have a keys page explaining how to read the report and how to evaluate the results. A highly trained and Professional Inspector will use this type of report system.

Q: Should I use a home inspector that my agent, lender or the seller suggests.
A: Maybe! Yes! No! Possibly! There is an element for conflict of interest when an agent, seller or lender provides a home inspector. But in many cases it is an added service provided by the agent who thinks the inspector does a good job at inspecting homes and provides a good quality inspection report. And in other cases it may not be wise to accept the offer to use their home inspector. However, there are inspectors like me who send real estate agents and others of the profession our information in hopes that they will send us a client. It is normal for agents to know members of the various professions related to the industry. Therefore, just watch your step. Real estate agents have special rules and regulations to protect the buyer. Most licensed, certified home inspectors have specific guidelines, rules and regulations to go by and can be held accountable for omitting information or leaving out defective items noted or deferred maintenance conditions. Request a certified computor generated report system that has a specific format which will not allow the inspector to leave out information or provide partial information. Insist on this type of inspection report. Also a ASHI, NACHI, CABO, IRC, ICC inspector is good. One who is a member of all is the best of the best. Paris Pressley is a member of all.

Finally, selecting your own inspector is the best and most safe choice if you feel you need all the protection you can get.

Q: Many clients have asked me to inspect a home after they have gave an agent or broker honest-money and signed a contract. Many times that home they thought was their perfect nest was a patched up look-a-like and they wanted out of the deal and the money returned.The most common question is "HOW DO I GET MY MONEY BACK"?
A: 1.Hopefully there is a clause in the contract that states a refund will be made if major or serious conditions exist that would alter the true value of a home in basic good condition.

2.Try to look at the home from a general up-keep point of view. Decide if good workmanship and quality levels are maintained before you put the money up.

3.Try to have the home inspected before you put up the money if they will allow it.

Finally, never put up honest money before knowing about the home if you can. As you can see there are several answers to this question.

Q: Should I hire a low cost or inexpensive home inspector
A: Buying a home is probably the most expensive purchase you will ever make. This is no time to shop for a cheap home inspection. I know money is tight but be aware of what a cheap inspection may mean. The cost of a home inspection is very small relative to the home being inspected. The additional cost of hiring a certified inspector is almost insignificant. As a homebuyer, you have recently been crunching the numbers, negotiating offers, adding up closing costs, shopping for mortgages and trying to get the best deals. Do not stop now. Do not let your real estate agent, a inspector or anyone else talk you into skimping here.

Q: The seller agreed to have repairs completed by a contractor if I bought the commercial building. But, after the repair work was completed it does not look correct or what we agreed on. What should I do?
A: Tell the seller about your concerns. Verify that any major repairs or work has passed the local building code requirements and any or all building permits are clear of violations. Ask for a copy of the building permits and maintain a list of all and any contractors and installers. Make sure a certificate of occupancy has been issued after the work has been completed if required. If you feel the seller or contractor has not completed the work in a workman like manor or has made improper construction installations, stop negotiations. Contact an Inspector to verify structure. Tell the seller the repairs must be as good or better than the orginal.

Q:  I saw a home in Sandy Springs I wanted to purchase. When a seller says "as is" or "investor special" what does this really mean?
A:  It means buyer beware. It means that the seller is not wanting to make any repairs. If any conditions or deferred maintenance exist you must hire a Licensed Certified Inspector to discover the conditions and you must be willing to make repairs or corrections at your expense and risk, no matter what you find after the transaction. Watch yourself with these types of houses. There are many bad houses on the market just waiting for a sucker. Some sellers have made poor investments, created high debt and are over their head in mortgages. These types of purchases can be good or bad investments. Make sure the price is not above the price for the house in it's present unrepaired condition. A very good inspector who knows building and remodeling prices is your best protection.

Q: I am having a new home built in Kennesaw and it has been suggested that I get the home inspected at the before-drywall stage and pryor to the final walk-thru. Is there anything I should know or do at these points of construction?
A: Yes. Make sure you have a CABO-IRC, ASHI, ICC, NACHI, Certified new home inspector with experience, insured and qualified to inspect your home. Contact the inspector well before you need him or her at each phase. The same inspector for both inspections may be the best way to stay on top of things. If there are repairs or corrections requested at the before-drywall inspection, a follow-up inspection may be needed to verify the corrections have been completed pryor to installing the drywall. Many times you can identify the person or supervisor responsible for the repairs and comfirm through him or her things have been done. This person is also called the punchout man. Don't be afraid to try to get the best home inspector. In many cases the builder or developer appreciates the inspector's findings and the detailed report. It helps them maintain quality control and indentify areas of improvement. Many builders say that they will accept reports with code violations only. Don't believe the bunk. If there are any quality issues, unauthorized changes, incorrect installations or poor workmanship you have a right to bring these concerns forward.

Q: I do not see anything that's really wrong with the commercial property I want to buy in Covington. Do I still need a House inspector?
A: Yes, you need a Licensed, Certified Commercial Building Inspector! There is no perfect home, property or building, never has been, never will be. I have seen it all: water damage painted over, structual damage covered up with finish materials such as carpet or sheetrock, improper electrical, improper plumbing, poor lot location, freshly painted interior and exterior to cover up underlying conditions, improper exterior wall covering installation, improper installations and additions, improper construction methods, soil and landscape conditions, roof damage, major structural problems and more.

Q: Do you do inspections in all Metro Atlanta?
A: Yes. Paris Pressley is a Certified, Licensed and Insured Residential Building Inspector in all Georgia Counties. We inspect New Homes, Existing Homes, Historic Homes, Condos, Townhouses, Apartments, Before Drywall Inspections, Framing Inspections, Energy Audits, and much more.

Q: I was told that some houses in Atlanta and Metro Atlanta have a type of siding that may have defects. What should I know about this material before purchasing a home?
A: There is a siding that has been known to be defective when in contact with moisture or water. The bonding agents can deteriorate under certain weather conditions also. It has several general names and types "Compressed Board Siding", Fiberboard and "Hard Board Siding" made by LP and GP Georgia Pacific. Compressed Board or fiberboard Siding was made using fiber resins, wood residue products, heat and glues to create 1"x8"x16' boards and 4'x8' sheets of plyboard. LP and GP Hard Board Siding is wood waffer pieces, strips and chips laminated together with heated glues and resins to become a 1"x8"x16' board or 4'x8' structural panel that has a texture on the face side only. The rear side of this material has no moisture barrier and the top and bottom edges can absorb moisture. Many painters make the error of not painting the bottom exposed edge and in many cases deterioration takes place soon after installing this siding. If not painted fully and properly, water enters easily and the material breaks down. Swelling is a sign of water intrusion. Breaking, crumbling and flaking will also be noticed. Different inspectors have different opinions about this siding. There was a Class Action and pay-out. I have seen some houses with little damage and other homes with major damage. Over time this siding does not perform as well as wood products but may be acceptable if in good condition and well painted. There is a limited supply of replacement siding material in the metro area. Verify a supply of this siding or make sure all damage is repaired or replaced and properly painted. We don't know how long this material will last under use and it has been removed from the market.

Q: You told me my home had a type of plumbing that may be known to have defects and can leak. Please explain this?
A: Actually it's not really the plumbing pipe but the fittings and rings at joints and connections. These fitings and rings have been known to fail in some plastic plumbing and leak after installation. In many cases leaks are not discovered until well after major water damage has occured behind walls and ceilings. Sometimes it can be a pin leak or drip. Contact BBB or The Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs for information.

Q: What is Radon Gas? Should I pay for Radon testing to be done on a house I am thinking about buying?
A: Radon (pronounced /ˈreɪdɒn/,)is the chemical element that has the symbol Rn and atomic number 86. Radon is a colorless, naturally occurring, radioactive noble gas that is formed from the decay of radium. It is one of the heaviest substances that are gases under normal conditions and is considered to be a health hazard. The most stable isotope, 222Rn, has a half-life of 3.8 days and is used in radiotherapy. While having been less studied by chemists due to its radioactivity, there are a few known compounds of this generally unreactive element.

Radon is a significant contaminant that affects indoor air quality worldwide. Radon gas from natural sources can accumulate in buildings and reportedly causes 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States alone.[1] Radon is the second most frequent cause of lung cancer, after cigarette smoking, and radon-induced lung cancer is thought to be the 6th leading cause of cancer death overall.

Indoor radon can be mitigated by sealing basement foundations, water drainage, or by sub-slab de-pressurization. In severe cases, mitigation can use air pipes and fans to exhaust sub-slab air to the outside. Indoor ventilation systems are more effective, but exterior ventilation can be cost-effective in some cases. Modern construction that conserves energy by making homes air tight exacerbates the risks of radon exposure if radon is present in the home. Older homes with more porous construction are more likely to vent radon naturally. Ventilation systems can be combined with a heat exchanger to recover energy in the process of exchanging air with the outside. Homes built on a crawl space can benefit from a radon collector installed under a radon barrier (a sheet of plastic that covers the crawl space).

If you feel the property should be tested for radon you can pay someone to test for you or you can test yourself. There are all kinds of test kits and systems at all prices. The testing is simple and easy. ASTM E-2121 is a standard for reducing radon in homes as far as practicable below 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) in indoor air. ).[45][46] Radon test kits are commercially available. The kit includes one or more collectors that the user hangs, place or locate in the lowest livable floor of the house for 2 to 7 days depending on the test kit type. Afterwards the user then send or mail (Pre-addressed envelope) the collectors to a laboratory for analysis. The results are returned several days later. The National Environmental Health Association provides a list of radon measurement professionals.[47] Long term kits, taking collections for up to one year, are also available. An open land test kit can test radon emissions from the land before construction begins. The EPA and the National Environmental Health Association have identified 15 types of radon testing.[48] A Lucas cell is one type of device. Test kits can be purchased at many building material and department stores in your local area.(wikipedia)

Q: What is Asbestos? Why was it created and used, and what can be done about it?
A: This page is intended to provide the public with general information concerning asbestos and where and how to get more information.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is the name given to a number of naturally occurring fibrous minerals with high tensile strength, the ability to be woven, and resistance to heat and most chemicals. Because of these properties, asbestos fibers have been used in a wide range of manufactured goods, including roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, paper and cement products, textiles, coatings, and friction products such as automobile clutch, brake and transmission parts. The current federal definition of asbestos is the asbestiform varieties of: chrysotile (serpentine); crocidolite (riebeckite); amosit(cummingtonite/grunerite); anthophyllite; tremolite; and actinolite.

What are the health effects of asbestos exposure?

Exposure to airborne friable asbestos may result in a potential health risk because persons breathing the air may breathe in asbestos fibers. Continued exposure can increase the amount of fibers that remain in the lung. Fibers embedded in lung tissue over time may cause serious lung diseases including: asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma. Smoking increases the risk of developing illness from asbestos exposure.

Three of the major health effects associated with asbestos exposure include:

Asbestosis – Asbestosis is a serious, progressive, long-term non-cancer disease of the lungs. It is caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that irritate lung tissues and cause the tissues to scar. The scarring makes it hard for oxygen to get into the blood. Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry, crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling. There is no effective treatment for asbestosis.

Lung Cancer – Lung cancer causes the largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure. People who work in the mining, milling, manufacturing of asbestos, and those who use asbestos and its products are more likely to develop lung cancer than the general population. The most common symptoms of lung cancer are coughing and a change in breathing. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent chest pains, hoarseness, and anemia.

Mesothelioma – Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin lining (membrane) of the lung, chest, abdomen, and heart and almost all cases are linked to exposure to asbestos. This disease may not show up until many years after asbestos exposure. This is why great efforts are being made to prevent school children from being exposed.

Exposure to asbestos increases your risk of developing lung disease. That risk is made worse by smoking. In general, the greater the exposure to asbestos, the greater the chance of developing harmful health effects. Disease symptoms may take several years to develop following exposure. If you are concerned about possible exposure, consult a physician who specializes in lung diseases (pulmonologist).

For more information on these and other health effects of asbestos exposure see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's Web site.

Where Can Asbestos be Found?

Asbestos has been commonly used as an acoustic insulator, thermal insulation and fire proofing. It was also used in manufacturing. Asbestos fibers are incredibly strong and have properties that make them resistant to heat. Many products are in use today that contain asbestos. Most of these are materials used in heat and acoustic insulation, fire proofing, and roofing and flooring. In 1989, EPA identified the following asbestos product categories. Many of these materials may still be in use: asbestos-cement corrugated sheet, asbestos-cement flat sheet, asbestos-cement pipe, asbestos-cement shingle, roof coatings flooring felt, pipeline wrap, roofing felt, asbestos clothing, non-roof coatings, vinyl/asbestos floor tile, automatic transmission components, clutch facings, disc. brake pads, drum brake linings, brake blocks, commercial and industrial asbestos friction products, sheet and beater-add gaskets (except specialty industrial) commercial, corrugated and specialty paper millboard.

In many cases, as long as the material and the surface of the material are not scraped, broken, burned, deteriorated sanded... it is pretty much stable. There are abatement procedures for all applications.

Homes built before the asbestos ban may still have materials under other building finishes, under floor coverings, in and around furnaces, behind walls and ceilings. Before any work begins have any suspected materials verified if there is a concern. If the home was built in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70... there may or may not be asbestos products in the building.

If the older home or building is partially or fully renovated or remodeled the concern would be did the remodeler follow EPA and OSHA requirements for identifying and safe removal of asbestos. Improper demolition or removal of products containing asbestos particles can contaminate the living space, attic space, walls and crawlspace.

Several products containing asbestos were not removed from hardware store and material supply shelves when band. Instead, suppliers continued to sell these products until supply ended.

Q: Tell me some of the cities you provide home inspections, commercial property and building assessments in?
A: These are some of the cities in Georgia we provide home inspections. For a complete list of cities we serve visit Home Page. Home Inspector in Atlanta, Fairburn, Lilburn, East Point, Kennesaw, Covington, Sandy Springs, Camp Creek, Georgia | Home Inspection in Lilburn Georgia | Home Inspector in Conyers GA. | Home Inspection in Fairburn Georgia | Home Inspector in East Point GA. | Home Inspection in Kennesaw Georgia | Home Inspector in Covington GA. | Home Inspector in Sandy Springs Georgia | Home Inspection in West Point GA.