Questions, answered straight.
What gets inspected, what else Roy handles, and how to get on the schedule. Below that, his own answers to the questions he asks homeowners himself.
The questions that come up first.
Where Roy works, what an inspection covers, the work he does beyond inspections, and how to book. Tap a question to open it.
01What areas do you serve?
St. Louis County and St. Charles County — every city inside them, plus the unincorporated parts — and the City of St. Louis. We do not service Illinois. Home inspections are available anywhere in the State of Missouri, though a travel charge may apply. If you are not sure whether you are in range, call and ask.
02What do you inspect?
Home inspections, with a special focus on wood deck inspections. That also covers multifamily inspections, pre-listing condition reports and annual maintenance inspections.
03What else do you do besides inspections?
Lawn mowing, garden tilling, seasonal upkeep and light exterior maintenance. Driveway and sidewalk resealing, pressure washing for decks, concrete and fences, soft washing, residential snow removal, and garbage and recycle cart and corral cleaning.
04Do you take photos and video of the property?
Yes. Real estate photography, videography and drone imaging (coming soon), plus walkthrough videos and social-media-ready clips.
05How do I book?
Send the quote form at the top of the page, or call or text (636) 448-7078. Roy answers his own phone, and quotes are free.
06Do you work with real estate agents?
Yes. Real estate agents, buyers, sellers and homeowners.
The questions Roy asks homeowners himself.
Roy spent his working life as a firefighter and a public fire educator, and he brings that to every inspection. These are the questions he puts to homeowners himself, and his answers, in his own words.
01Do I actually need a home or wood deck inspection?
No, Missouri does not require you to have them. But by not having the inspection you are not buying or leasing a habitable structure, or ensuring your family’s safety.
02As a retired State Certified Firefighter and Public Fire Educator, I ask this question: how much is your child’s and spouse’s life worth?
If you answer that there is no price to replace that life, then why are you not spending the money to ensure the safety of your family?
03Why are the Federal Pacific electrical panels such a fire hazard, and why does it cost so much to have one replaced?
The panels are a known fire risk, and a fire can happen at any time these panels are in use. The problem is the breaker connection to the bus bar. When the breaker should trip and shut off the circuit it does not always work, so excessive heat builds up and causes the plastic to catch fire.
The cost to replace the panel depends on the size of the home. It covers the discount and removal of bad wiring, knob and tube and aluminum to copper wiring, new wiring, a new 200 Amp panel, GFCI on the panel or within 8 feet of water, each exterior outlet, and a garage on its own breaker, plus Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter protection on the panel. That brings the home to current electrical standards.
Read the full free article on these panels04I do not want a home inspection. I want to list my home as is, and I am not paying for repairs.
The buyer will have a home inspection done. Items that fail an inspection get upwards of 4 or 5 contractor bids to repair, and it is usually the middle to higher bid they choose, after looking at a list of items from the contractor. The buyer will add all the items that failed the inspection. You will be asked to take the lower amount so the buyer has the money to fix the home so it passes habitable codes.
Yes, you should have it inspected, either way, whether you are the buyer or the seller. If the seller has it inspected, the buyer will have their own inspection to compare. The inspection is used as a bargaining lever.
Want to talk it through? Call or text (636) 448-7078.
Wood Deck Inspections
Before any deck is built, you need to have the following done. This ensures the safety of the deck and the safety of the occupants. You should start by having an architect design your deck. They will get structural and soil engineers involved. The finished blueprint will have the architect’s license and other license numbers on it, with the architect’s blueprint seal embossed in the blueprint. The building department will ask a few questions, look over the plans and issue permits.
Failure to do so will cost you time and money, including fines and a court order to remove the deck and follow building codes. Failure to get a permit and to use a contractor who is licensed and bonded can cause your family to have a deck failure, causing injuries or deaths. This will also cause excessive damage to the home that could cost upwards of $70,000 or more to repair.
01Why do I need a wood deck inspection? I maintain the deck, it is 20 years old and it is in good condition.
No, no wood deck will be supportive or last 20 years the way they are built today. Why? The builders use the cheapest lumber and the cheapest fasteners, such as framing nails, not even a nail made for exterior use with a shear force weight rating of 800 psi. They do not pour the footings correctly. The footings are not properly poured, nor deep enough. The footing pad is correct with 3/4 inch minus crushed rock to allow for drainage. The footing is not a bell style foot such as a big foot footing base.
The pressure treated wood is noted as not ground contact approved, but the contractor will dig a hole, drop the post in the hole, dump the dry concrete mix, add water and mix it, and set the post. This method does not meet current International Residential Building Codes (IRC).
02Why can’t I grill or use a charcoal grill on my wood deck?
It is a fire hazard, and it cannot be used in apartments, condos, or any elevated deck off the ground. On the ground the pit should be on a non flammable surface, such as dirt, sand, concrete, patio bricks or blocks, or a non flammable grill or bbq mat.
03Why is there water damage to the rim board of my home?
It is a failure in the installation. No spacer was used to allow water to drain and air to move freely to keep the wood dry and prevent mold. And the flashing was not installed correctly to prevent water damage.
04My wood deck racks left to right about 3 inches, and my stairs shake when I use them. Why?
The racking, that movement, shows that there is a failure in the attachment to the home. Improperly installed support posts, joists, fasteners or fastener brackets. The stairs were built improperly, or they are past their life of use. The racking, its movement, shows weakness in the joints, and the ledger board has failed.
Ask Roy directly.
If your question is about your own house, the answer is usually two minutes on the phone. Tell him what you are looking at, or what is worrying you, and he will tell you straight whether it needs an inspection or just a repair.