Barrie Home Inspector

Home Maintenance and Tips for Home Owners

Tag: Orillia

Real Estate in Orillia

Personal Interest, Real Estate

Real Estate in Orillia. In Canada and the US,  real estate broker, real estate agent or realtor is a party who acts as an intermediary between sellers and buyers of real estate and endeavors to find property sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy. In the Canada, the relationship was originally established by reference to the English common law of agency, with the broker having a fiduciary relationship with his clients.

The Real Estate market has broadened widely with the advent of new technology. Globalization has had an immediate and powerful impact on real estate markets, making them an international working place. The rapid growth of the Internet has made the international market accessible to millions of consumers. A look at recent changes in homeownership rates illustrates this. Minority homeownership jumped by 4.4 million during the 1990s, reaching 12.5 million in 2000, according to the Fannie Mae Foundation. Foreign direct investment in U.S. real estate has increased sharply from $38 billion in 1997 more than $50 billion in 2002 according to U.S. 2000 Census data.

In consideration of the brokerage successfully finding a satisfactory buyer for the property, a broker anticipates receiving a commission for the services the brokerage has provided. Usually, the payment of a commission to the brokerage is contingent upon finding a satisfactory buyer for the real estate for sale, the successful negotiation of a purchase contract between a satisfactory buyer and seller, or the settlement of the transaction and the exchange of money between buyer and seller.

The median real estate commission charged to the seller by the listing (seller’s) agent is 6% of the purchase price. Typically, this commission is split evenly between the seller’s and buyer’s agents, with the buyer’s agent generally receiving a commission of 3% of the purchase price of the home sold.
In North America commissions on real estate transactions are negotiable. Local real estate sales activity usually dictates the amount of commission agreed to. Real estate commission is typically paid by the seller at the closing of the transaction as detailed in the listing agreement.

Flat Fee MLS generally refers to the practice in the real estate industry of a seller entering into an ” la carte service agreement” with a real estate broker who accepts a flat fee rather than a percentage of the sale price for the listing side of the transaction. The buyer’s broker is still typically offered a percentage though that could be a flat fee as well. A Flat Fee MLS brokerage typically unbundles the services a traditional real estate brokerage offers and lists the property for sale in the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS)  la carte without requiring the seller to use its services for valuation assistance, negotiating, transaction management and showing accompaniment.

 

Title Insurance has become a product that has changed the way property is transferred in Canada.  Title is at the very heart of every real estate transaction. A purchaser needs proof that the property being bought is free and clear of liens, that the seller really owns it, and can sell it. To do this the buyer must “search title”. This can be a long, complicated process. Lawyers (or their assistants) sometimes spend hours at the registry office going through books and then checking with various authorities for liens etc. Often, they have to search back 40 years before they can give their “opinion of title”, which is still not a guarantee – just an opinion.

 

Home inspection in Canada requires the services of a qualified and experienced professional. When selecting a Canadian home inspector cost should not be the only determining factor. It is vital that you know as much about a property as possible before you make the commitment to purchase it, so be sure to choose a home inspector that can perform a reliable inspection service.  I would always recommend using the home inspector who places first in Google rankings for the area you are looking to purchase.  Being first in Google is a good indication that he is a professional and will be the “go to person” in that area.

 

When buying property in the Innisfil Ontario area choose your agent from the www.innisfilrealestateagents.info site to get a professional agent who will provide you with personalized service and ensure your buying or selling experience is a pleasant experience with no surprises.

Hardwood Flooring Tips

Real Estate

Hardwood Flooring Tips. Installing a hardwood floor is a great way to enhance a room and increase the value of your home. Wood flooring is also one of the easiest types of floors to install, and you can install it with tools you’re familiar with: drills, saws, and hammers.

Many different species of wood are fabricated into wood flooring in two primary forms: plank and parquet. Hardwoods are typically much more durable than softwoods.

Solid wood products, on average, have a substantially, or slightly, thicker ‘sandable surface’, and can be installed using nails. Lastly, solid wood tends to be less expensive than engineered wood, but this, as with the thickness of the ‘sandable surface,’ depends on the quality of the engineered wood (most inexpensive engineered wood products are ‘veneer’ wood floors, and not ‘engineered’).

It is difficult to compare in generalities solid wood floor to engineered wood floors, as there is a wide range of engineered wood floor qualities. Engineered floors typically are pre-finished more often than solid wood floors, and usually are supplied with beveled edges, affecting the appearance.

Engineered wood flooring has several benefits over solid wood, beyond dimensional stability and universal use. Patented installation systems (such as “unilin” or “fiboloc”) allow for faster installation and easy replacement of boards. Engineered wood also allows a
‘floating’ installation (where the planks are not fastened to the floor below or to each other), further increasing ease of repair and reducing installation time.

Cork Flooring is a flooring material manufactured from the by-product of the cork oak tree. Cork floors are considered to be eco-friendly since the cork oak tree bark is stripped every nine to ten years and doesn’t damage the tree. Cork flooring comes in both tiles and planks, and can have glue or glues-less installation.

Pick the longest, most visible wall to start your installation. Start by laying down a chalk line 1/2″ from the wall and extent it the full length. This is where your first row of flooring will go.  Remember for maximum performance strip flooring must be nailed down at opposite directions to the floor joists. The Barrie Home inspector uses his knowledge on flooring types and systems to provide you with a comprehensive report detailing your new homes information in a clear and concise manner.  Whether buying or selling a home in the Barrie, Alliston or Orillia area, ensure your Peace of Mind by contacting the Barrie Home Inspector.

Barrie WETT Inspection

Home Inspection, WETT Inspections

Barrie WETT Inspection. Most people love the idea of having a natural wood burning fireplace in their home, but they sometimes do not realize all of the responsibilities that come with it. Fireplaces do take a bit of care to ensure that they do not cause any problems. Just one little issue with a fireplace could result in your house catching fire, so having a regular WETT inspection by a trained professional is very important. WETT inspections are performed for a variety of reasons, including insurance company requests, code compliance, and inspection after and overheat or chimney fire.

Most Insurance Company’s require a WETT Inspection anytime a Wood Burning appliance is installed or when buying a new home. There are strict requirements that affect clearances that many older stoves and fireplaces will not meet.

There are several things inspectors will look at when they perform a WETT inspection. Unsafe Chimney & Flue Items such as the chimney, the liner, the smoke chamber, damper, firebox and other working parts inside the fireplace or woodstove to make sure that they are working properly. The inspector will also make sure clearances to combustible materials are sufficient so you can use your wood burning appliance safely.

Complete inspection of any wood burning appliance involves an evaluation of every part of the heating system, from the floor pad to the chimney cap. All of these parts are covered in the codes, so compliance can only be determined if every part is inspected.

The chimney is usually the most difficult part of the system to inspect properly. Flue liners are subject to cracking inside masonry chimneys, or buckling and corrosion in the case of metal chimneys. It is difficult to inspect a chimney liner unless it has just been cleaned.

Inspectors only become certified after at least 80 weeks of work in the field and require a WETT Certified Certificateletter of reference. WETT Certified Inspectors must take and pass a two day Code Compliant course with a passing grade of 70 percent. WETT Inspectors then have the choice of becoming a certified tech or advisor, earn their certification in chimney sweeping, or earn a WETT certification in SITE basic.

In many cases, insurance companies will require you to have your units WETT certified, although this is a bit of a technical problem because of how the process works. WETT inspectors do not certify appliances, although they do provide certified inspections for the insurance company to show that all parts of the fireplace are in good working order.

The Barrie WETT Inspector will include a WETT Inspection of one appliance for $50.00 when included as part of Home Inspection package.  We also provide Alliston WETT Inspection services to the Town of Alliston and New Tecumseth.   We have been WETT Certified for over 10 years and have a wealth of knowledge concerning Wood Stoves, Pellet Stoves and Fireplaces.

WETT Inspections for Barrie, Alliston and Orillia

WETT Inspections

WETT Inspections for Barrie, Alliston and Orillia.  The Barrie Home Inspector provides WETT Inspection services to Barrie, Alliston, Orillia, Stayner, Innisfil, Thornton, Rama, Lefroy, Alcona Beach, Bradford, Newmarket, Churchill, Tiny Beaches, Midland, Penetanguishene, Penetang, Wasaga Beach, Everett, Tottenham, Beeton and Simcoe County.

WETT (Wood Energy Technology Transfer)
SITE (System Inspections and Technical Evaluation)

SITE is a set of standardized guidelines recommended by WETT for the inspection and evaluation of wood-burning and other solid fuel burning systems. This chart identifies what each inspection level includes, its purpose and process. An inspection at any level
may include more but not less than that outlined in the “SITE Chart and Guidelines”.

To find out more valuable information on WETT Inspections visit  WETT INSPECTON’S for all the information you will need when installing a wood stove, fireplace or pellet stove

Level 1 Inspection “Readily Accessible” Level 2 Inspection “Accessible” Level 3 Inspection “Concealed Accessibility”
Scope (What is Included) The inspection of “readily accessible” components of: (1) A wood/solid-fuel burning appliance, or (2) A site-built fireplace, and (3) The venting system for:

a)The proper use of required components, and

b)clearance to combustibles, and

c)readily visible system obstructions or deposits.

 

 (1)A Level 1 inspection, and (2)an inspection of all “accessible” components of the system for clearance to combustibles and for obstructions or deposits, and (3)an evaluation of the construction, sizing, condition and suitability of “accessible” components of the system.   1)A Level 1 and 2 inspection, and (2)an inspection of system components in areas of “concealed accessibility” for clearance to combustibles, and (3)an evaluation of construction, sizing, condition and suitability of components of the system in areas of “concealed accessibility”, and (4)an examination of surrounding construction for evidence of damage.

 
Purpose (Why and When) (1) To verify code compliance of the readily accessible components: (a)At a homeowner’s request, or (b)with a homeowner’s permission, when requested by a third party such as a Realtor, insurance company, home buyer or seller etc.   1)When a Level 1 inspection is deemed insufficient because of a detected or suspected compliance issue or hazard, or (2)when verification of the suitability and integrity of the system components is required, or (3)after an operating malfunction or external event that may have caused damage to the system, or (4)if the system experiences combustion spillage events, or

(5)when an appliance is replaced, or

(6)when a major system component is replaced or requires significant repair.

 

 (1)When a Level 2 inspection is deemed insufficient because of a detected or suspected compliance issue or hazard that cannot be fully verified without access to concealed areas, or (2)after an incident that may have caused damage to any concealed parts of the system or building construction related to the system.
Process (What to Expect) 1)A basic visual inspection by a WETT certified SITE inspector; performed without a ladder or specialized tools. (2)A report using WETT’s recommended inspection checklist(s) or similar checklist(s), for the type of system being inspected. (1)Inspection of accessible system components, which may include disassembly of accessible system components, by a WETT certified SITE Comprehensive Inspector, or by a WETT certified Technician, as a part
of an installation or major system component repair process. (2)A report using WETT’s recommended checklist(s), or similar checklist(s). (3)A written evaluation of the suitability and integrity of the system  		 (1)The inspection by invasive means of concealed areas of the system by a WETT certified SITE Comprehensive Inspector, including the removal of nonstructural building components and/or the disassembly of parts of the system. (2)The possible use of specialized tools and equipment. (3)A comprehensive written report of the findings and possibly including inspection checklists.  
Wood Energy Technology Transfer Inc. (WETT Inc.) is a non-profit training and education association. Through professional training and public education, WETT Inc. promotes the safe and effective use of wood and solid-fuel burning systems in Canada. SITE and WETT Inc. are registered trademarks of WETT Inc. 

WETT Inspections in Barrie, Alliston, Orillia and Tiny Beaches

WETT Inspections

WETT Inspections in Barrie, Alliston, Orillia and Tiny Beaches.  Wood Energy Technology Transfer Inc. (WETT Inc.) is a non-profit training and education association managed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected by holders of valid WETT certificates. Through its administrative designate, WETT Inc. functions as the national registrar of the WETT program. Through professional training and public education, WETT Inc. promotes the safe and effective use of wood burning systems in Canada.

A certificate holder will not knowingly sign or issue a false or misleading certificate, report or other document. A certificate holder will not knowingly sign or issue a false or misleading certificate, report or other document. A certificate holder will not make a false or malicious statement or publication that injures the professional reputation of another holder of a valid wett certificate.

Like any other human endeavor, wood heating can be done badly or well. Firewood can be harvested poorly, burned dirty and its heat wasted. The harmful behavior of those who burn wood badly has led to continual attacks in the media on the whole idea of residential wood heating. The increasing public backlash and government response to wood smoke, particularly in urban areas, is of such concern to us here at woodheat.org that we created a new site called The Woodpile to serve as a place to discuss the future of wood heating. Please visit The Woodpile and give your views on the state of wood heating today.

Large parts of North America have highly productive forests that could sustainably supply fuel for far more homes than are currently heated with wood. The productivity of many forests can be improved by thinning, and this process could yield a large amount of wood fuel. Advanced technology wood heaters can effectively burn tree species that have historically been considered inferior. Poplar, spruce, pine and willow can be used as firewood in modern appliances. Firewood production can provide the incentive for good forest management and its use can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil fuels.

The US government’s regulation of wood stove emissions, starting in 1988, produced a technological revolution that changed wood heating forever. Wood stoves certified by the Environmental Protection Agency emit roughly 90 percent less smoke and deliver up to one-third higher efficiency compared to older conventional stoves like the so-called ‘airtights’ of the 1970s and 1980s. Advanced technology, EPA certified wood stoves certainly do burn much cleaner and are also more pleasant to use, but there is more to reduced smoke emissions than using better technology. There are really three aspects: advanced technology in the form of EPA certified heaters, good quality fuel that is dry enough and split to the right size, and user practices that can reduce wood smoke and boost efficiency.

All wood, regardless of species, has about the same energy content per pound. The different species vary mainly in density. Traditionally, the favored trees in central North America were oak and maple because they are very dense and produce long-lasting coals. But these are valuable trees and in many areas are not plentiful enough to burn. No problem, just use softer woods like birch or poplar (aspen) or any other tree that is readily available. By far the most important characteristic of any firewood is its moisture content. Keep in mind that people living in the coldest areas of North America have no hardwoods to burn and they get along just fine – their main firewood species are spruce and aspen. Ultimately, it is more important to have wood that is cut and split to the right size and properly dried than it is to get the hardest wood available.

The Barrie Home Inpector is a Certified WETT Inspector and provides services in Barrie, Alliston, Orillia, Midland, Penetang, Bradford, Newmarket, Innisfil, Tiny Beaches, Oro-Medonte, Springwater, Stayner, Wasaga Beach, Alcona Beach, Lagoon City, Brechin, Angus, New Lowell and many other communities in Simcoe County.

 

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