First Choice Home Inspections, LLC Deltona, FL 32725

First Choice Home Inspections (386) 624-3893
Residential Home and Insurance Inspections in Central FL

 

Now you can put our outstanding reputation for service and reliability to work for you. By contracting First Choice Home Inspection, you benefit from experienced Central Florida home inspectors that deliver computerized reports using the latest technology.  Our reporting system meets and exceeds the state standards. We encourage your presence during the inspection. By being present at the inspection, our professional home inspector can familiarize you with the home and explain things to you as they progress through the inspection.

INSPECTORS

First Choice inspectors are bound to a strict code of ethics; this ensures quality service while providing important protections. For example, our inspectors must:

• Work Exclusively for the Client
•  Follow Nationally Accepted Standards of Practice
• Do Not Perform Repairs on Any Property Inspected

Our inspectors are AHIT and InterNachi certified in addition, they are familiar with a wide variety of situations. We believe that consumers have the right to expect the highest standards of thoroughness, fairness and effectiveness from their home inspector and that is exactly what we provide.

Home Inspection SERVICES in Seminole County

• Home Inspection  (Buyer, Seller and Maintenance)
• New Home Warranty Inspection
• Home Checkup Inspection (Home, Vacation Home or Villa)
• Manufactured Home Inspection
• Mobile Home Inspection
• Condominium Inspection
• Condo Inspection
• Swimming Pool Inspection
• Spa or Sauna Inspection (Jacuzzi, Hot Tub or Sauna)
• Insurance Inspections;  Wind Mitigation Inspection, 4Pt Insurance Inspection & Roof Condition Certification Inspection
• Moisture Intrusion Inspection

SCHEDULE AN INSPECTION:  (386) 624-3893

Frank Carr is the Owner / Inspector at First Choice Home Inspections in Deltona, FL serving Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake Counties. Formerly in the building trades, Frank’s focus is a safe home in the Orlando Metro and Daytona Beach areas of Central Florida and building FCHI. We believe that consumers have the right to expect the highest standards of thoroughness, fairness and effectiveness from their home inspector and that is exactly what we provide.
 

First Choice Home Inspections

Residential Home Inspections in Central Florida

(386) 624-3893 

Website:  http://1homeinspector.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsLlc

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-choice-home-inspections

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/+FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsDeltona

Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stChoiceHomeIn

How much should a Home Inspection Cost

I own First Choice Home Inspections in Deltona, FL and I get 50 calls a week for home inspections. The first question and many times the only question the buyer asks me is "How much do you charge for a home inspection?” I do not over charge for home inspections. I am a thorough inspector and most inspections take 2 to 5 hours plus an additional 2 or 3 hours finalizing the report and marking the pictures. After the inspection I follow up with the client when they have read over the 40 to 96 page report. I sometime spend an additional hour answering any questions they may have and always let them know if they have any further questions they can always call me. 

As a reputable home inspector, I have expenses like continuing education, insurance (liability and E&O), advertising, tools, membership dues, state licensing fees and regular business expenses just to keep the doors open. My rates are reasonable and I do a complete inspections.  I know the inspectors that charge less for the inspections and I know their reputations for the work they do.  I also know the Realtor that recommend them and only them.  I know what the minimum rate I can charge for an inspection and still keep the doors open.

Every time I quote an inspection and the client says I’ll get back to you or I’m just going to check a few more places I know money is the issue and they will not schedule the appointment. I know the inspectors that are cheaper and I know they do an inspection in 45 min to an hour and half. A fast inspection is not a good inspection. A cheap inspection is not a good inspection. If it is cheap what is the client getting for their $199.00. Do they even bother to check if the inspector is active and licensed?

I have relatives in other states that always call me when it comes to buying their home and the advice I always give them is check the inspector out. Check the state their state licensing, insurance, training and experience, and check with people you know for their recommendations. If the most qualified and reputable inspector charges $600, then he is the best inspector to hire. Remember $600 maybe a lot of money but it is only a small portion of a $20,000 roofing mistake not caught by the cheap inspector that did not crawl up in the attic.

Electrical junction nightmare – This junction was
 the result of handyman wiring and could
 have burned down this house.

When looking for a home inspector the last thing you should consider is the cost of the inspection.  The first thing on my mind is the safety of my family.  I do not want to be awake all night wondering if the inspector missed an electrical junction in the attic that should have been in a closed box.  All too often I run across things like the junction in the picture to the right, an exhaust fan wired into the closest wiring run.  In the picture you can note the black burn marks on the copper and the scorch marks on the sheathing and the wood.  The question you should ask yourself is would the $199.00 home inspector find this? 

In the opinion of this Home Inspector if the price is too low you must ask yourself; why?  The fee for a basic home inspection nationwide is $300 to $500 by HUD estimates in "Ten Important Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector" 2011.  The size of the home, additional components and structures, pools or spas and irrigation systems will all add to the price of the inspection.  Fees vary by region of the country significantly.  When purchasing your home, you want the best inspection at a reasonable price.  A thorough inspection will take from 2 to 5 hours to complete.  When it is your money and your family’s safety on the line you want the most meticulous inspector you can find.   

When contracting a home inspector check them out; license, insurance, professional association, and do they have complaints on file with the state regulatory agency.   Ask the important questions and if you are satisfied with the results ask the inspector for a quote. 

Frank Carr is the Owner / Inspector at First Choice Home Inspections in Deltona, FL serving Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake Counties. Formerly in the building trades, Frank’s focus is a safe home in the Orlando Metro and Daytona Beach areas of Central Florida and building FCHI. We believe that consumers have the right to expect the highest standards of thoroughness, fairness and effectiveness from their home inspector and that is exactly what we provide.
 

First Choice Home Inspections

Residential Home Inspections in Central Florida

(386) 624-3893 

Website:  http://1homeinspector.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsLlc

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-choice-home-inspections

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/+FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsDeltona

Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stChoiceHomeIn

Chinese Drywall (Part II)

Since southern homes are exposed to higher temperatures and humidity signs of drywall will show up sooner on your copper pipes and air-conditioning coils.   Anything containing copper will be affected; plumbing, electrical wiring, electrical components, TVs, computers, electrical motors in mixers, blenders, drills, and on and on.

I would recommend anyone purchasing a home or suspecting they have Chinese drywall have their home inspected. A ridiculous range of 2003 to 2007 is often tossed around.  New construction or home repairs and remodels from 2001 until 2010 can be effected.  It can be one sheet or your entire house covered with Chinese drywall.  Pyrite oxidation may be the source of the sulfur compounds released by Chinese drywall.

I have done many inspections in Central Florida and always look for the signs of pyrite oxidation on copper plumbing and system components.  Google Chinese drywall and you will get thousands of articles about class action lawsuits, health issues, effects, problems, signs, property damage, and decreased home values.  This issue is far from over in fact it is only just being discover what the effects of Chinese drywall are.  Chinese drywall has been link to developmental problems with children, radiation studies, and other disorders.

Homeowners should be aware of and attempt to avoid the following scams which builders have reported to the Attorney General’s Office:

• Sale of bogus test kits. These can be expensive, often costing thousands of dollars, and are generally ineffective. The presence of defective imported drywall can only be determined through visual inspection. 
• Solicited home inspections costing thousands of dollars by “experts” with no apparent qualification. Homeowners should beware of cold calls and door-to-door solicitors. 
• Sale of sprays and applications which allegedly claim to miraculously cure the corrosion problem. Not only are these products ineffective, the addition of moisture may accelerate the corrosion problem. 
• Sale of ozone generators. Ozone will actually increase the chemical reaction between the drywall and copper and the corrosion will be accelerated.

Consumers who wish to file a complaint about these scams may do so by calling the Attorney General’s fraud hotline at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226) or by filing a complaint online at http://myfloridalegal.com .

Chinese Drywall (Part 1)
Chinese Drywall Additional Information

Frank Carr is the Owner / Inspector at First Choice Home Inspections in Deltona, FL serving Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake Counties. Formerly in the building trades, Frank’s focus is a safe home in the Orlando Metro and Daytona Beach areas of Central Florida and building FCHI. We believe that consumers have the right to expect the highest standards of thoroughness, fairness and effectiveness from their home inspector and that is exactly what we provide.
 

First Choice Home Inspections

Residential Home Inspections in Central Florida

(386) 624-3893 

Website:  http://1homeinspector.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsLlc

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-choice-home-inspections

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/+FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsDeltona

Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stChoiceHomeIn

Chinese Drywall (Part I)

This topic has been going round and round again. Everyone has an opinion about Chinese drywall but the plain fact is 90% of the people giving the advice are not qualified inspectors and have something to gain by giving one-sided advice.  Stories featured in the New York Times, Orlando Weekly and other newspapers have followed the woes and the law suits related to Chinese drywall.

Chinese drywall began arriving in the United States in 2001 and was imported in larger quantities after the 2004 - 2005 hurricane repairs and continued in quantity until 2007.  Chinese drywall continued to be imported and used in home construction throughout the US.  Feb 2009, Senator Bill Nelson of Florida requested a ban on the defective drywall, and a bill urging the Consumer Product Safety Commission to recall Chinese-made drywall and temporarily ban its import.  It was only in Nov of 2009 that the CPSC issued its report about Chinese drywall. Chinese drywall was installed in an unknown number of new construction projects throughout the US.  I have seen numbers like 100,000 homes built with and half a billion pounds of drywall imported after 2006.

US Congressman Bill Posey, “The problems experienced in homes with the bad drywall include sulfuric odors and corrosion of certain materials. The corrosion seems to affect copper air conditioning compressor coils, electrical wires, fire and carbon monoxide alarms, and brass fittings used in natural gas furnaces and other electrical appliances.”

Southern States are more affected because high temperature and humidity cause copper surfaces to turn black and powdery, a chemical process indicative of reaction with hydrogen sulfide. Copper pipes, wiring, and air conditioner coils are affected, as well as silver jewelry. Homeowners have reported a variety of symptoms, including respiratory problems such as asthma attacks, chronic coughing and difficulty breathing, as well as chronic headaches and sinus issues.

Chinese Drywall (Part II) 
Chinese Drywall Additional Information

Frank Carr is the Owner / Inspector at First Choice Home Inspections in Deltona, FL serving Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake Counties. Formerly in the building trades, Frank’s focus is a safe home in the Orlando Metro and Daytona Beach areas of Central Florida and building FCHI. We believe that consumers have the right to expect the highest standards of thoroughness, fairness and effectiveness from their home inspector and that is exactly what we provide.
 

First Choice Home Inspections

Residential Home Inspections in Central Florida

(386) 624-3893 

Website:  http://1homeinspector.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsLlc

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-choice-home-inspections

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/+FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsDeltona

Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stChoiceHomeIn