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home inspection

Oct 25
0

Spooky Home Inspection Stories

By | Just for Fun, Seasonal Home Maintenance | No Comments

As a home inspector, there is no such thing as a normal work day. Each day, we see new houses, meet new people, find new issues, and encounter different pets and pests. This is why we love our jobs, and why it keeps us on our toes. Every day is new and interesting.

In honor of Halloween approaching, we wanted to share some of our spookiest home inspection moments. We hope you enjoy a good laugh! And remember to call Barfield Home Inspection before something spooky occurs in your home…

    1. Mysterious bag under the house – Our team never cuts corners on a home inspection. As long as we have access, we inspect every part of a house no matter how scary. One day, our home inspector Randy was inspecting underneath a house, when he came upon a six-foot-long plastic bag, covered in flies and maggots. Talk about spooky…Assuming it was a body bag, Randy called 911. Come to find out, it was just an unusually large bag of trash. WHEW!

via GIPHY

  1. Cat in the microwave – This particular household took the meaning of “cat-lovers” to a whole new level. It is safe to say, this house was home to over 20 cats. Dodging cats to make his way to the kitchen, Randy reached out to test the microwave. Before hitting start, he noticed movement inside the microwave. You guessed it – there was a cat inside. His other cat friends were not happy with Randy for attempting to fry their friend. Luckily, the cat (and Randy) made it out safe. Incidents like this make you wonder what would happen if there was a serious emergency, with cloud veterinary software for setting appointments, you can book an appointment easily.

via GIPHY

    1. Falling off the roof – The title of this story speaks for itself. Have you ever fallen off a roof before? We are here to tell you, it is SCARY (and painful). Thankfully, this has only happened once in our many years of business. Don’t worry, he recovered and is back to climbing on roofs, safely.

via GIPHY

  1. Raccoons and spiders and snakes, oh my! – If you are not a fan surprise critter/ insect encounters, you should not become a home inspector. From racoons to rattlesnakes to scorpions to spiders to termites, we have seen it all. Next time you work with a Barfield home inspector, ask them about the scariest un-wanted house guest they have seen.

via GIPHY

We hope these stories put you in the Halloween mood. Have fun trick-or-treating, be safe and don’t forget to call Barfield Home Inspection for all your home inspection needs – the good, the bad and the spooky.

(GIF credit: Giphy)

Oct 04
0

Why Barfield Home Inspection?

By | Home Inspection Reality Show, Home Maintenance Tips | No Comments

If you are new to the Austin area or new to the homebuying process, you may not know much about local home inspectors. You might get recommendations from friends and family or look through hundreds of home inspection companies online. To make your home inspector search easier, let us tell you why Barfield Home Inspection is so unique:

  1. We are in the business of helping people. We do not simply check the boxes and leave. Our goal is to help our clients as much as possible. It is not our decision whether you should by a house or not, but it is up to us to prepare you with information to make an informed and confident decision.
  2. Randy Barfield, owner and founder of Barfield Home Inspection, has worked in every aspect of home building from construction to repair. With a lifetime of experience, he knows houses from the inside out. That means, our home inspectors are trained by the best. We deliver thorough home inspection reporting and provide an in-depth explanation of our reports.
  3. In addition to expert reporting, our team is available for follow-up questions. We go above and beyond to ensure all question have been answered and clients feel confident.
  4. We are home inspectors who take the time to care about you as a homeowner. When you work with Barfield Home Inspection, you not only get experienced inspectors, you also get a personable and friendly real estate partner you can trust for every home transaction.
  5. We are always up to date on the latest tools and techniques in the housing industry. Whether you are looking at an older home or a piece of new construction, we have the knowledge and devices to deliver a thorough and accurate report.

When it comes to buying a home, Barfield home inspectors understand that this is one of the most important and expensive decisions you will ever make. That is why we take the time, care and effort to make each client experience as helpful and reassuring as possible.

If you are in need of an honest, reliable home inspector, look no further than Barfield Home Inspection. Let us help with your home. Schedule your home inspection today!

Jul 27
0

Keeping Your AC in Shape for Summer

By | Home Maintenance Tips | No Comments

During these hot summer months, it is important to keep up with your air conditioning (AC) unit maintenance. In addition to changing the return air filter in your HVAC system, try cleaning the AC condensate drain line to make sure your AC unit is running at its best. By simply pouring a cup of bleach or white vinegar down the line, you can prevent algae and dirt from blocking the drain line and interfering with air quality. In most cases, this is a relatively easy process. However, some AC units may be more difficult than others and require a professional. Check out the video below from Today’s Homeowner for a quick tutorial on how to do it yourself!

Home maintenance tasks such as this are always a good investment. Regular home maintenance can save you money, prevent things from breaking, add value to your home, and overall keep your home running efficiently.

Jul 13
0

Do I really need a home inspection? The answer is yes and here’s why…

By | Real Estate News | No Comments

Buying a new home can be a stressful and overwhelming process. After all, it is one of the most important purchase you will ever make!

According to the American Home Inspectors Training Institute, “A home inspection is an all-encompassing examination of the condition of a home.” As a homebuyer, it is your responsibility to gather as many details about the property as possible before buying. A thorough home inspection identifies issues that can help you negotiate costs at closing or issues that may be deal-breakers. In the long run, a home inspection is an inexpensive precaution to avoid making a costly mistake – buying a home with major, unforeseen issues.

Buying a new home is also an emotional and exciting process. It is easy to get caught up in the appealing parts of the house especially if you are buying a daytona beach fl homes, like the fancy kitchen or built-in pool and become blind to problems. A home inspection report allows you to see the property through the eyes of a trained expert, including potential electrical, plumbing, structural, and even future issues.

Most importantly, a home inspection ensures your potential new home is safe for you and your family. Do not get in a hurry because of the housing market or because you are feeling pressure from other interested buyers. At the end of the day, a safe and secure home is worth waiting for.

Overall, hiring a professional home inspector is an education opportunity for you to learn important details about your future home. Buyers who have home inspections end up happier and more confident with their purchase. See below for a complete list of reasons to book an inspection before buying.

Why have a home inspection?

  • Identify possible deal-breakers
  • See your home through the eyes of an expert
  • Put your mind at ease
  • Ensure the property is safe for you and your family
  • Forecast future costs
  • Identify repairs to negotiate with the seller
  • See the big picture
  • Learn as many details about the property as possible before buying
  • Find areas that may be a problem down the road
  • Make a confident decision
  • Extra security
  • Experts know best

Have questions? We’re a home inspector you can trust to tell it like it is. Call us today: 512-350-0123

Jun 29
0

What to expect from a Barfield home inspection

By | Home Inspection Reality Show, Real Estate News, Realtor Wisdom | No Comments

Do you know what repairs to be concerned about and which ones are quick fixes? What about cost? That’s what Barfield Home Inspection is here for. We tell it like it is to help you make a confident decision about your home.

Established in 2003, Barfield Home Inspection has helped thousands of homeowners in Austin and the surrounding area with the purchase of their home. We have a longstanding reputation of serving clients with excellence because of our thorough, reliable and honest inspectors.

We take time to explain the most detailed facets of the home from the foundation to appliances to everything seen in the photo above. We leave no detail unturned and go above and beyond to ensure all questions have been answered.

The photo above includes areas where red flags are often found during a home inspection, such as foundations. Examples of foundation issues may include:

  • Corner cracks
  • Foundation wall cracks
  • Exposed and/or rusted rebar steel
  • Exposed and/or rusted post tension cable ends
  • Leaning or non supportive piers from a pier and beam foundation
  • Inadequate type of pier
  • Deterioration of support sub floor beams and components

It is important to have an experienced home inspector to find these red flags and make sure you, as the homeowner, understand what they mean.

Since our humble beginnings, Barfield Home Inspection has quickly become known for reliability, concise reporting and our knowledgeable team. We are not here to scare clients, but we’re also not here to sugar coat things. The most valuable asset Barfield Home Inspection provides to homebuyers is the confidence to purchase their home. Do you want a home inspector who will tell it like it is? Book your appointment with Barfield Home Inspection today!

 

Sep 07
0

Talking Foundations with Randy: What to Expect

By | Home Inspection Reality Show, Home Maintenance Tips, Seasonal Home Maintenance | No Comments

Watch as Randy Barfield, founder and owner of Barfield Home Inspection, takes on this house’s foundation. In this video, you will learn how a home inspector looks at foundation and how he makes sure your house is level. You will also gain tips on how to keep up maintenance of your foundation so that it stays healthy.

When you need home tips, look no further than Texas’ own Randy Barfield–telling it like it is since 2003.

Thanks for watching!

Jun 14
0

Le Casa Desnuda: A Home Inspector’s Dream Home Come True

By | Cool Homes | No Comments

By Randy Barfield

I have had a dream for many years to build not only a dream home but a home that was built around energy efficiency with solar and rainwater collection, while at the same time being low maintenance. My wife Keri and I also wanted to build a home that would be a retreat—a welcoming place for everyone who came to visit. That is when “La Casa Desnuda,” The Naked House, was born. The name, for us, meant leave all your worries and troubles at the front door—come in, relax and enjoy.

(left to right: Native Builders, Keri and Randy Barfield, Lévy Kohlhaas Architecture)

I have inspected more than 10,000 homes in my 14-year career as a Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) professional home inspector and owner of Barfield Home Inspection. I have also worked on many homes as a builder and remodeler. I was also trained under the Austin Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) program, Austin Energy and the Building Performance Institute. With this experience and knowledge acquired, it was the perfect next step to build the home of our dreams.

We knew we wanted a unique house, one that was not only energy efficient but was also an expression of what we valued in a home, a bright open space with friends and family, an oasis of birdsong and beauty. In order to achieve this, the first step was to find the right place to settle down and then the right people to make our dream a reality.

We purchased a beautiful piece of property in Driftwood, Texas five years ago. sold by buyers agents Melbourne Located in the heart of the Texas hill country, we had the views, the sunsets and the wildlife. It was the perfect location.

Kimberly Kohlhaas was a friend and architect of two mutual friends who also had homes on the Cool House Tour. We knew she had to be the one to design our house. Kimberly discussed with us all of our dreams and ideas for the house and began the design with her partner Francois Lévy in the architecture firm Lévy Kohlhaas Architecture. We then had to find a builder that could take our ideas and dreams and designs and make them a reality.