"I contracted for an addition that was supposed to take 5 weeks to complete. It's 6 months later and they're still working on it. There have been 3 different sub-contractors on the job. The work has failed 3 different inspections. Can you look at the project and tell me if things look right or am I just expecting too much?"
"I never had water leaking into my house before I had a large patio installed. Now I have water coming in my garage whenever it rains. The contractor doesn't answer my calls. Can you look at the patio and give me an idea of why I suddenly have a problem with water?"
" We're having a four-season room and deck added to the house. The contractor won't answer my questions and I'm not sure if what he's doing is right. Can you check the work and help me?"
"I noticed my roof looks like it's sagging and there is a crack in the wall. Can you check to see if it really is sagging and if there may be a structural problem with the roof?"
" I have a big hole under my sidewalk. I can't tell what's causing it or what I can do about it. Do you inspect things like this?"
"After the recent heavy rains, I noticed water bubbling up where the driveway and garage meet and there is moisture in a crack in the concrete floor of the garage. Can you help me determine where the water is coming from and maybe what I can do about the problem?"
" I had a deck added to the house a year ago. SInce then I've seen news stories about decks collapsing due to improper construction. Can you check my deck and let me know if it looks ok?"
Virginia Inspection Service frequently receives calls from people looking for help with a problem.
The following examples are typical. Do any of them look familiar?
These are all calls I've received and people frequently call with similar problems. Virginia Inspection Service provides inspections and assistance for issues that are within the scope of our experience and knowledge. If I'm not comfortable handling the problem, I'll help you try to find someone who can.
New paver patio. Contractor built the patio amd walkways with sloped towards the house. Pouring a little water and watching the flow was as high tech as needed. Solution - Tear it up, re-grade the base and replace the pavers
Sagging Roof and carck in wall beam - Roof sag was largely illusion due to ridge vent and slightly raised surface at edges of roof. Crack, just part of normal settling
New deck and 4-season room under construction. Biggest problem was that the contractor either didn't want to bother answering the homeowners's questions or didn't have very good communication skills. Here, the new deck was built flush with the sliding door threshold (a no-no). The door sill was not adequately sealed. When it rained, the water would run into the new room.
