Meet The Building Inspector

Hello, my name is William Chandler.  I have worked in the construction industry since 1977.  I have built everything from nuclear power plants to convenience stores to custom homes in seven countries and four continents.  I now apply over three decades of knowledge and experience to inspecting your home.  I devote over 100 hours a year in continuing education to keep abreast of the latest technology and building best practices.  I am a licensed General Contractor,  Home Inspector and Radon Measurement Technician.  I am also industry certified in many other areas which may affect your home and its performance.  I devote much of my inspection to the homes ability to control the number one enemy of the Florida home – moisture. 

What makes The Building Inspector unique?  I do not operate a volume shop with subcontracted inspectors whose primary mission is to complete four inspections a day and who report to a webpage designer.  If you are talking to a home inspector who brags about completing 3,000 inspections a year, ask yourself this:  “Who is doing the inspection?”.  If they do not have a general or builders license to back up the home inspector license, do yourself a favor and hang up the phone.  This industry is full of former hearing aid salesmen and I do not subscribe to the theory that “home inspection” can be taught in a three day class or even in 500 inspections without a background in building science.  It just means they have done 500 mediocre inspections.  If you make the mistake of hiring them (generally because they are cheaper), and you see this in the report:  “Possible leak observed…have evaluated by competent professional”…ask for your money back.  The home inspector is supposed to be the “competent professional”!  What good is a checklist of deficient items?  How can you make an informed decision to purchase a home if the home inspector only tells you to have the roof, the siding, the garbage disposal, the electrical, the air conditioner and the driveway “evaluated by a professional”?  Real estate agents call these reports “deal killers”,  and rightfully so.  They are meaningless and only serve to limit liability to the inspector.

What is important in a home inspection?  That the client understand the  house as a system and what issues may be affecting the performance of that system now and in the near future.  It is not enough that you know there may be a roof leak.  You need to know what condition is causing the leak, the severity of the leak and the recommended repair and potential cost.  You should understand how energy efficient the home is and what may be done to improve its efficiency.  You should understand the insurability of the home as it relates to the condition of the homes primary building components.  You need to know of any defects or conditions which affect safety such as leaking gas lines, defective smoke detectors, improper gas venting or elevated radon gas levels.  Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking.  Elevated decks, balconies and porches should be carefully evaluated for safety.  Hundreds of people are injured or die each year from deck/railing collapse.  I have yet to find a residential deck which has a load limit placard displayed – how do you know how many people should be on the deck?  I can help you figure this out.  The client should understand if the home is being maintained.  Is the HVAC system being serviced?  Is there evidence of pest control?  Exterior maintenance to windows, siding and gutters?  Does the siding have proper flashings and drainage  control measures?  Does the garage door function safely?  You should understand if the stucco siding has drainage issues.  Problem stucco may take years to become apparent.  In short, if you were a physician, and this home was the patient, would you give this patient a clean bill of health?  If the patient has cancer, is it treatable and what will the treatment cost?