RECENT BLOG POSTS
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This spectacular custom Arizona home is nearing completion. It has been over 15 months since I began designing the plans for this home. The homeowners are extatic. They should be in it by mid February. I could have gotten better pictures, but I only had my cell pjone with me when I stopped by...
01/25/2011
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I did an inspection shortly before Christmas. The buyer is from Tucson. She made the mistake of calling the name on the sign. The home is owned by HUD. The agent that was assigned to her by the guy on the sign, which never returned her phone call, said that a company inspected the home for HU...
12/29/2010
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Now that the drywall is on and the cabinets are starting to be iinstalled it is time for new photos. Enjoy! A grand front entrance with a large distressed front door. The red lines denote where the stone veneer will go. An overall view of the front. At least part of the front. If I backed any ...
12/02/2010
I was inspecting a Phoenix home today. When i came around the corner I saw what on first glance appeared to be some large rabbit cages. When I got closer I got sick to my stomach. Someone had stolen just the coils from both of these units and left everything else. The copper in the coils is u...
11/18/2010
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In this article, Jay Markanich explains why brick needs to have weep holes. Here in the Phoenix area brick homes are a rarety. Stone veneer is not though. Most stone veneer will have a weep screed under it. If the brick veneer goes al the way to the ground then look for weep holes.In the olde...
11/17/2010
The best way I know to illiwstrate how to install a T&P line on a water heater is to show one that is not installed correctly. There are two problems with this instation. First the termination point is more than 6 " above the floor. The second is that it is not a smooth pipe. The t&p line must ...
11/09/2010
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In this edition of DIY projects gone wrong I will explore porch and carport additions. When I design a house or an addition to a house I use certain criteria to decide whether I need to use the services of a licensed Structural Engineer. If the design includes a beam over 20', a ceiling height m...
11/04/2010
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Quite often the decision to hire a design professional is made based on the requirements of the authority having jurisdiction. The do it yourself weekend warior decides that all of the improvements are inside and not visible to the city therefore getting a permit for the work is not worth it. I...
10/27/2010
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I turned the water on at this home. I then went through the home to see if anything had been left on. To my surprise I found this toilet in the Master bedroom. Water was pouring onto the floor. The bowl fill tube and the flapper were both missing. With the bowl fill tube missing the water hi...
10/21/2010
The condensate line on an air conditioner requires a p-trap. The p-trap stays wet all the time. The water in the p-trap keeps any contaminants in the attic air from entering the system and getting blown into the house. The vent allows any contaminants in the line to escape. It is important to...
10/19/2010