Barrie Home Inspector

Home Maintenance and Tips for Home Owners

Month: December 2011

Real Estate Market in Innisfil

Real Estate

Real Estate Market in Innisfil.  Today’s market for buying and selling homes if very competitive and you will want to ensure you have picked the best possible real estate agent to represent you. Here are some tips we have gleaned from some professionals.

Does your professional Realtor provide a staging service for his or her listings, many do in this competitive market. What information did your agent bring to your home prior to listing? How many agents are in his office, how many listings does he currently have? There are many people who are doing “on the job training” make your agent isn’t one of them.

How is your Realtor intending to market your home. What type of ads and how many open houses will they be having. It is always better to have an understanding on how the process will take place prior to listing, then there is no confusion.

When listing your home ensure you are using the current market conditions and not a two year old appraisal that does not reflect the current market prices. Mortgages rates are low and vacancy rates are declining which is good news for investors and sellers of properties.

Many people try and save money by utilizing the same Realtor and will even use a Home Inspector recommended by the Realtor. This saving can have dire consequences when you don’t have someone whose only duty is too look after your interests. Pay for the services of a professional and they will ensure your interests come first and foremost.

When buying a “used” home or property it is very important to ensure all work was done by qualified trades persons and all permits were taken out. Patio’s and decks are often erected illegally without using the proper building techniques or materials. You could end up paying to remove structure and erecting a new one if your local building authority inspects your property.

Mortgage Facts for Potential Home Buyers

Real Estate

Mortgage Facts for Potential Home Buyers.  Information to help you wade through all the mortgage information and facts available.

Economic news and downturns in key areas can affect the money banks pay in both Canada and the There are many variables that can influence the rates on long-term debt instruments, but an understanding of key economic indicators can provide clues to the future direction of interest rates in both Canada and the US.

The CPI for All Items less Food and Energy (also sometimes referred to as the “core” or “underlying” CPI) excludes volatile food and energy prices. Analysts focus on the “core” CPI, which is considered a more accurate measure of the underlying rate of inflation. A higher-than-expected CPI or increasing trend is considered inflationary, and can cause bond prices to fall and yields and interest rates to rise. Likewise, a lower-than-expected CPI cause yields and interest rates to fall.

A higher-than-expected monthly increase or increasing trend is considered inflationary, and can cause bond prices to fall and yields and interest rates to rise. Conversely, a smaller-than-expected figure cause yields and interest rates to fall. he government’s employment report provides information on the unemployment rate and the number of unemployed persons by occupation, industry, duration of unemployment, and reason for unemployment. Unlike the payroll employment data, which is a coincident indicator of economic activity (it changes direction at the same time as the economy), the unemployment rate is a lagging indicator.

After you have filed for bankruptcy protection or liquidation, you will wait four years before a traditional mortgage lender will qualify you for a home loan with market interest rates. And that will happen then only if you have taken steps to improve your credit and are in a good enough financial position to handle the loan.

Consider alternatives to traditional home mortgages with a bankruptcy on your record. Seller financing can be an option at any time. This is often a far more flexible arrangement. Plus, if you include this provision in your seller-financed loan agreement, you can convert to a traditional loan as you are able to qualify for it.

A lease-to-own house purchase (also “rent-to-own purchase” or “lease purchase”) is a lease combined with an option to purchase the property within a specified period, usually 3 years or less, at an agreed-upon price. Such arrangements have proliferated in the post-crisis market because many potential home buyers can’t meet the tougher loan qualification requirements today, and many potential sellers are unable to realize a satisfactory price in any other way.

When looking to purchase a home in the Angus real estate market remember that one of the most important conditions is that your property be inspected by a Home Inspector. There are many Home Inspectors available, but if you want a Home Inspector who has years of experience, over 4,000 inspections and is a Certified Building Code Official as designated by the Ontario Building Officials Association the call the Orillia Home Inspector, or visit his site at www.barriehomeinspector.com to view his qualifications and “Fair Pricing Policy”. Call Roger at 705-795-8255 or Toll Free at 888-818-8608. Information and advice is always FREE. Roger is also WETT Certified for homes that have fireplaces or other wood burning appliances.

Canadian home sales edge higher in November

Real Estate

Canadian home sales edge higher in November.  Canadian homes sales seemed to be un-touched by the same forces which have decimated some of our US markets.

OTTAWA – December 15, 2011 – According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national resale housing activity rose slightly in November 2011 from the previous month.

Highlights:

  • Sales activity rose slightly (+0.5 per cent) from October to November on a seasonally adjusted basis.
  • Year-to-date sales remained in line with the 10 year average, but pulled further ahead of last year’s levels.
  • The number of newly listed homes was down 3.4 per cent from October to November.
  • The national housing market remains balanced, but is edging closer to seller’s market territory.
  • The national average price posted a 4.6 per cent year-over-year gain in November, the smallest increase since January.

Sales activity recorded through the MLS® Systems of real estate Boards and Associations in Canada edged upward by one-half of a percentage point. This marks the third straight month in which national activity was up from the previous month’s levels.

Activity rose in about 60 per cent of all local markets with a record November in the Halifax-Dartmouth region offsetting a dip in sales in Toronto.

“The Canadian housing market is proving resilient in the face of ongoing global economic and financial uncertainty, to the benefit of Canadian economic growth,” said Gary Morse, CREA’s President. “That said, some housing markets are picking up while others are holding steady or consolidating, so buyers and sellers should talk to their local REALTOR® to understand current and prospective trends in their local housing market.”

Throughout most months in 2011, actual (not seasonally adjusted) national home sales were in line with the 10-year average. November sales marked a break in that pattern, climbing seven per cent above the 10 year average and reaching the fourth highest level on record for the month.

“Toward the end of every year, there’s a natural inclination to compare how momentum for national sales activity and average price compare to the year before,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s Chief Economist. “National sales activity picked up late last year, and November’s results suggest that a similar trend may be playing out again this year. By contrast, national average price also picked up toward the end of last year, whereas this year it has held steady after having peaked in the spring.”

“With interest rates expected to remain low for longer, the housing sector will no doubt be closely watched for signs of excess,” added Klump. “That said, current trends for resale housing and new home construction suggest that tightened mortgage regulations are working as intended and fostering economic stability in Canada.”

A total of 432,048 homes have traded hands via Canadian MLS® Systems so far this year, up 2.1 per cent from levels in the first 11 months of 2010. The year-to-date sales figure remains broadly in line (+0.7 per cent) with the average for that period from 2001 to 2010.

Compared to October, the number of newly listed homes fell 3.4 per cent in November. New listings slipped lower in more than two-thirds of Canadian housing markets, with Toronto, the Hamilton-Burlington region, and Calgary contributing most to the national decline.

The national housing market remains balanced, but is edging closer to seller’s market territory. The national sales-to-new listings ratio, a measure of market balance, stood at 55.5 per cent in November, up from 53.4 per cent in October. This marks the third month in which the national ratio has risen, and it now stands at its highest reading since the spring.

Based on a sales-to-new listings ratio of between 40 to 60 percent, just over half of local markets in Canada were balanced in November, while a third of markets qualified as sellers’ markets.

The number of months of inventory nationally stood at six months at the end of November. It has held steady at about this level since April, which is above levels posted during the first quarter. The number of months of inventory represents the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity, and is another measure of the balance between housing supply and demand.

The actual (not seasonally adjusted) national average price for homes sold in November 2011 stood at $360,396. This represents a year-over-year increase of 4.6 per cent, its smallest increase since January.

PLEASE NOTE: The information contained in this news release combines both major market and national MLS® sales information from the previous month.

CREA cautions that average price information can be useful in establishing trends over time, but does not indicate actual prices in centres comprised of widely divergent neighborhoods or account for price differential between geographic areas. Statistical information contained in this report includes all housing types.

MLS® is a co-operative marketing system used only by Canada’s real estate Boards to ensure maximum exposure of properties listed for sale.

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry trade associations, representing more than 100,000 REALTORS® working through more than 100 real estate Boards and Associations.

Further information can be found at http://www.crea.ca/public/news_stats/media.htm

Buying Older or Century Homes

Home Inspection

Buying Older or Century Homes.  When buying an older home you are usually buying a home with built in character which has withstood the test of time and is still in habitable condition.  There are some inherent problems that you might encounter when purchasing an older home.  I have listed a few basic ones just for consideration.

Rock and Cement FoundationYour older homes foundation is probably constructed of cement and stone.  There would have been no waterproofing done to the exterior of the foundation and there will be no weeping tile draining into sump.  This inspection area is one of the most important and expensive to repair if faulty.

Knob and tube wiring was usually installed in all older homes and there is usually still porcelain insulators present even if it was all removed.  You have to have a home inspector or electrician check to ensure all the knob and tube wiring was replaced.  The knob and tube was usually replaced with older two wire which has no ground and unless a total rehab was done on building you will still find two wire at outlets on upper floors and other hard to access areas.

Asbestos and vermiculite can be found in many older homes.  Some older homes had hot water boilers with cast iron radiators.  This systems were typically insulated with asbestos insulation.  Vermiculite insulation may contain asbestos and was frequently added to attics in older homes.  Asbestos requires professional removal which is very expensive.

Lead plumbing pipes and galvanized plumbing lines can be very expensive to replace and were used on most older homes.  Most insurance companies in Ontario will not insure a home with galvanized plumbing pipes.  Galvanized pipes tend to corrode from the inside out so that there is no warning that a pipe is about to burst.

Older homes may have many layers of lead paint which has built up over the years.  Lead-based paint is a major source of lead poisoning for children and can also affect adults. In children, lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain damage and can impair mental functioning. It can retard mental and physical development and reduce attention span. It can also retard fetal development even at extremely low levels of lead.  Thus, young children, fetuses, infants, and adults with high blood pressure are the most vulnerable to the effects of lead.

Cast Iron RadiatorsYour house is old and gorgeous, as are those wonderfully ornate cast-iron radiators, but these days, energy prices are anything but old-fashioned. Older homes have radiators sized for a time when open-window ventilation was popular and insulation was uncommon. If you’ve insulated and updated your windows, your radiators are most likely larger than they need to be.  You should have your home assessed by a heating expert to evaluate the expense and available options if required to upgrade your heating system.  Many people are using GEOthermal heat pump systems when they are in the country and have no real alternative fuel source.  Oil and propane are available for people who have no access to natural gas but can be very expensive,  especially in older homes that may be lacking in  insulation and thermal protection.

Many older homes with boilers also had asbestos insulation on both the boiler and the piping.  Even boilers which may have fiberglass insulation on pipes may still have asbestos on elbow joints.  Ensure your potential home is asbestos free prior to purchasing.  Depending on the amount of asbestos in the home the cost of removal can be disastrous to your renovation budget.

 

The Barrie Home Inspector has many years of experience in inspecting Century Homes and is also a Certified Building Code Official with the Ontario Building Officials Association.  Commercial Building inspections also entail the same problems as residential and buyers have to be aware of the risks and hazards involved in purchasing older properties.  Visit the Barrie Home Inspector’s site a www.barriehomeinspector.com to obtain more information and advice when dealing with older homes.

Your Local Angus Real Estate Agents

Real Estate

Your Local Angus Real Estate Agents.   People who own property are typically 26% wealthier than non-home owners.  When house values increase the home owner benefits even though they may only have a small equity position in the home.  Just imagine if you owned a $150,000 house with 5% down ($7500) and house values increased by just 3%. In one year you would have had an increase in equity of over $5,000

Many people who have been turned down by traditional mortgage lenders are turning to the Rent to Own method of home buying.  For many, the rent-to-own home may be the best option. Also called a lease-to-own house, the process works similarly to a car lease : Renters pay a certain amount each month to live in the house, and at the end of a set period — generally within three years — they have the option to buy the house. Each month of rent they pay is income for the seller, while a portion of it goes toward a down payment to eventually buy the home.

In many Rent to Own agreements the renters also have to pay an option fee and then a rent premium. The option fee is a set amount that the renter pays the seller. If, at the end of the lease period, the renter buys the house, the option fee becomes part of the down payment. If the renter doesn’t buy the house, the option fee becomes income for the seller. Rent premiums are an amount slightly above the typical rent, with a portion of that money going toward a down payment.

The finances of the Rent to Own property are usually based this example situation.  The average house is worth $300,000, and typical rent would be $1,500 a month. Someone who’s renting to own might pay $1,700 a month in rent and then receive a $200 rent credit each month. Add the option fee, in this case $5,000. On a three-year lease, the renter would earn $7,200 in rent credits. Adding the earned rental credits to the option fee, the renter has accumulated $12,200 for a down payment.

Rent to Own properties will require a deposit, the same as if you were buying your own home.  Most companies will require a minimum of $15,000 as a deposit.  The monthly payment for a rent-to-own agreement will depend on your budget.  The larger your payments, and the longer you make them for, the larger the accumulated downpayment will be when you exercise your purchase option and get a mortgage in your own name.

At the end of your rent-to-own agreement, the sum of your initial deposit and your monthly payments will count as a downpayment for your own mortgage.  To know exactly how much of a downpayment you will

Angus Real Real Estate Agent

need to consult with a mortgage broker to discuss getting the best possible rate.
Your local Angus Real Estate agent can help you find a property that will fit your budget.  Choosing a Professional agent with local knowledge and experience will greatly enhance your real estate shopping experience.  Choose from our Best Angus Real Estate Agents to ensure your receive the best possible advice when making your next property investment.

Commercial Building Inspector–Toronto and GTA

Real Estate

Commercial Building Inspector–Toronto and GTA.  Commercial Building Inspections are an important decision before investing in a property.  Understanding your buildings systems and condition is paramount to purchasing property.  As a Certified Building Code Official with the Ontario Building Officials Association you can rest assured that your building will be code compliant and suitable for your occupancy requirements.

In Ontario Part 3 of the Ontario Building Code covers buildings over 600 M2 in size.  The Ontario Building Officials Association offers many courses specific to Large Buildings which would be considered necessary if planning to inspect a Part 3 building.

Member of Ontario Building Officials AssociationLarge Buildings is an intensive course dealing with the Occupancy of Buildings; Building Fire Safety; Safety within Floor Areas; Exits; Barrier Free Design; Structural Design; Change of Use and Renovations to name a few.  As you can see from the subject titles all of these aspects of a building are important and can be very expensive to repair or upgrade.

The Classification and Construction course typically offers and includes the following: building classification; separation of major occupancies; building area and height; streets; building size and construction; occupant load; fire separation/fire-resistance ratings; firewalls; closures; Ontario Building Code requirements; fire stopping; provision for firefighting; and mezzanines and interconnected floor spaces.

Part 3 Fire Protection is an OBOA course dealing with all aspects of your buildings fire protection features.  Your local building department may require you to upgrade your features where the following are lacking or require improvement; Fire Resistant ratings; where the building coded requires Fire Separations because of Building Classification, separation of major occupancies, service spaces and exits including penetrations of fire separations.  An unknowing inspector may lead you to believe your building is code compliant when you could in fact be faced with spending thousands or tens of thousands in required building code upgrades.

Commercial Building InspectorThe Commercial Building Inspector is a qualified Building Code inspector.  He is a Certified Building Code Official with the Ontario Building Officials Association and is fully qualified on Large Buildings and Part 3 of the Ontario Building Code.  An unknowing inspector may lead you to believe your building is code compliant when you could in fact be faced with spending thousands or tens of thousands in required building code upgrades.

The most important aspect of having your Commercial Property inspected is knowing the Qualifications of the actual inspector performing the inspection.  There is no value to hiring a well known firm whose founder is extremely well educated, only to find out that you are going to be dealing with an employee, who may or may not have the qualifications you are looking for.  The Commercial Building Inspector attends every inspection and uses only highly trained assistants to aid him.

 

The Commercial Building Inspector has experience in Project Reviews, Over 4,000 paid inspections, is a Certified Building Code Official and has experience in hundreds of plaza’s, Malls, Strip Malls, Medical Buildings, Apartment Buildings, Mixed Use and Multiple Occupancy building inspections.  Visit www.commercailbuildinginspector.ca to review Buildings Inspected and Qualifications, you won’t be disappointed.

Your Local Alliston Real Estate Agents

Real Estate

Your Local Alliston Real Estate Agents.  Did you know that on average home owners are 26 times wealthier than renters?  Just imagine if you owned a $150,000 house with 5% down ($7500) and house values increased by just 3%. In one year you would have had an increase in equity of over $5,000.  As property values increase, so does your equity.

If you have been turned down for credit and cannot get a traditional mortgage you may qualify for a Rent to Own home. For many, the rent-to-own home may be the best option. Also called a lease-to-own house, the process works similarly to a car lease : Renters pay a certain amount each month to live in the house, and at the end of a set period — generally within three years — they have the option to buy the house. Each month of rent they pay is income for the seller, while a portion of it goes toward a down payment to eventually buy the home.

Although each Rent to Own agreement is different, most agreement require the renters  to pay an option fee and then a rent premium. The option fee is a set amount that the renter pays the seller. If, at the end of the lease period, the renter buys the house, the option fee becomes part of the down payment. If the renter doesn’t buy the house, the option fee becomes income for the seller. Rent premiums are an amount slightly above the typical rent, with a portion of that money going toward a down payment.

Understanding how the Rent to Own plan works is based on a typical sample, as shown; The average house is worth $300,000, and typical rent would be $1,500 a month. Someone who’s renting to own might pay $1,700 a month in rent and then receive a $200 rent credit each month. Add the option fee, in this case $5,000. On a three-year lease, the renter would earn $7,200 in rent credits. Adding the earned rental credits to the option fee, the renter has accumulated $12,200 for a down payment.

Even though you will be technically renting the home you will still require a deposit to qualify for a Rent to Own property. The monthly payment for a rent-to-own agreement will depend on your budget.  The larger your payments, and the longer you make them for, the larger the accumulated downpayment will be when you exercise your purchase option and get a mortgage in your own name.

At the end of your rent-to-own agreement your credit should have been improved enough for you to obtain your own mortgage.  Then the sum of your initial deposit and your monthly payments will count as a downpayment for your own mortgage.  To know exactly how much of a downpayment you will need to consult with a mortgage broker to discuss getting the best possible rate.

Your local Alliston Real Estate agent can help you find a property that will fit your budget.  Choosing a Professional agent with local knowledge and experience will greatly enhance your real estate shopping experience.  Choose from our Best Alliston Real Estate Agents to ensure your receive the best possible advice when making your next property investment.

Buying or Selling a Home in Innisfil

Real Estate

Buying or Selling a Home in Innisfil. There are a lot of emotions involved when buying or selling a home, but negotiating the price shouldn’t be.  Having a plan prior to negotiating is key to preventing stress during the turbulence involved in high-stakes negotiations.  Your Innisfil Real Estate Agent can guide you and advise you but eventually you must make the final decision.

First time home buyers get a lot of tips from friends, family and co-workers, much of which is probably good advice gleaned from their own home buying experiences.  Your Professional Innisfil Realtor has bought and sold hundreds of homes and is more prepared to advise you on many obstacles that may arise and often do.  The more you know, the better equipped you are to negotiate.

Plan your attack.  Determine what features you want and what they are worth to you. Know in advance the most you’re willing to pay, and with your agent work back from that number to determine your initial offer, which can set the tone for the entire negotiation. A too-low bid may offend sellers emotionally invested in the sales price; a too-high bid may lead you to spend more than necessary to close the sale.

When selling your home you want to present the best possible view of  your home.  Most Professional Innisfil Real Estate agents will help you in this area using their years of experience to guide you.  From making minor repairs to plumbing, electrical, caulking, sidewalks and painting, what your prospective buyer first sees when initially walking through your home is what is most likely the deciding factor in whether to entertain an offer.  Some Realtors will suggest you have your home Professionally staged to improve your homes presentation.

Most upscale homes now use professional staging companies to fully stage the property.  These professional companies supply furniture and accessories to enable prospective clients to see the home in the best light possible and so they can envision themselves living there.  Some Home Staging companies advertise that many of their homes will actually sell for more than the listing price.

People who earn a good salary but fail to qualify for a typical mortgage are frequently turning to the Rent to Own option, Rent to Own has become very popular in the Innisfil Real Estate market. A rent to own transaction is when a landlord agrees to lease a home to a tenant and the tenant has an option to buy the home for a pre-negotiated price before the end of the lease. The primary components of a rent to own transaction are the rental term, the purchase price, the upfront deposit, and the monthly rent credit.

When deciding to start looking for a new home, the first step you should take is getting yourself pre-approved by your financial institution of choice. When seeking preapproval, talk to a few different mortgage lenders to find the best mortgage package that suits your needs. Two or three lenders is usually enough to give you a reasonable idea of the amount of money to can afford to spend on a new home.

Your local Innisfil Real Estate Agent can share his knowledge and expertise to allow you to get more money from the sale or to save you money when buying your next property.  Utilize their tools and expertise and help ensure your next real estate transaction is a pleasurable experience with the knowledge that you got the best price possible whether buying or selling.

Concrete – Strength in Knowledge

Basements, Exterior

Concrete – Strength in Knowledge.  Concrete is used more than any other man-made material in the world.  As of 2006, about 7.5 billion cubic meters of concrete are made each year-more than one cubic meter for every person on Earth.

In evaluating concrete problems, one of the important decisions home inspectors must make is determining whether a problem is the result of conditions that have stabilized with a low chance of continuing future problems, or whether the conditions that caused the problem are such that there is a high probability that problems will continue or worsen.

Concrete powers a US $35 billion industry, employing more than two million workers in the United States alone. More than 55,000 miles (89,000 km) of highways in the United States are paved with this material. Reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete and precast concrete are the most widely used types of concrete functional extensions in modern days.

Concrete, as the Romans knew it, was a new and revolutionary material. Laid in the shape of arches, vaults and domes, it quickly hardened into a rigid mass, free from many of the internal thrusts and strains that troubled the builders of similar structures in stone or brick.  Modern structural concrete differs from Roman concrete in two important details. First, its mix consistency is fluid and homogeneous, allowing it to be poured into forms rather than requiring hand-layering together with the placement of aggregate, which, in Roman practice, often consisted of rubble. Second, integral reinforcing steel gives modern concrete assemblies great strength in tension, whereas Roman concrete could depend only upon the strength of the concrete bonding to resist tension.

Combining water with a cementitious material forms a cement paste by the process of hydration. The cement paste glues the aggregate together, fills voids within it and allows it to flow more freely. Less waterin the cement paste will yield a stronger, more durable concrete; more water will give a freer-flowing concrete with a higher slump. Impure water used to make concrete can cause problems when setting or in causing premature failure of the structure. Hydration involves many different reactions, often occurring at the same time. As the reactions proceed, the products of the cement hydration process gradually bond together the individual sand and gravel particles and other components of the concrete, to form a solid mass.

Plastic cracking occurs prior to concrete curing. Autogenous shrinkage is caused by internal drying.  Since there is no loss of water to one exposed surface, autogenous shrinkage is more uniform than plastic shrinkage. However, tensile stresses still develop, and embedded steel can cause anomalies in an area of concrete with relatively uniform stress. These anomalies can cause variations in stress within the concrete that are relieved by cracking.  Autogenous shrinkage cracking will be shallow and is not a structural issue. The cracks may look similar to those formed during plastic shrinkage and are often propagations of cracks created during plastic shrinkage.

The advantage to inspectors in being able to accurately determine the source of cracking is in understanding whether the condition that caused the cracking has stabilized so that it is no longer likely to cause additional cracking or encourage the propagation of existing cracks. Many cracks, like those caused by concrete shrinkage, are shallow cracks caused by forces that allow conditions to stabilize relatively quickly and do not lead to structural problems. Others, like those caused by soil subsidence or changes in soil volume, are caused by forces that can continue to affect concrete for a long time. This long-term instability can continue to cause serious structural problems over the long term.

When investing in a new property it is important to have the building inspected by a qualified residential or commercial inspector.  Visit www.barrie-home-inspector.com to learn more about the Barrie Home Inspector, when purchasing Commercial or Residential Properties.  With over 4,000 inspections, experience and knowledge can help protect your investment.

Concrete – Supporting Your Home

Basements, Exterior

Concrete – Supporting Your Home. The word concrete comes from the Latin word “concretus” (meaning compact or condensed), the perfect passive participle of “concrescere”, from “con-” (together) and “crescere” (to grow).  Most information available about concrete is written for contractors, for those who design concrete mixes, and for those who perform invasive testing.

In evaluating concrete problems, one of the important decisions home inspectors must make is determining whether a problem is the result of conditions that have stabilized with a low chance of continuing future problems, or whether the conditions that caused the problem are such that there is a high probability that problems will continue or worsen.

Different factors can affect concrete and the problems that inspectors will see.  How concrete hardens, strengthens and the qualities of its surface depend on a number of things, including the properties of its constituent materials.  Although Portland cement is the most commonly used binder, pozzolans may be substituted. Pozzolans are materials that, in addition to undergoing primary hydration, undergo a secondary hydration, producing a gel that fills tiny voids between cement particles, making concrete less porous and less likely to absorb moisture or chemical solutions that can damage concrete or steel reinforcement.

The constituent materials which are included in the mix, their proportions, the order in which they are combined, the length of time and method by which they are mixed, and the length of time between mixing to placing all affect the quality of concrete. With each decision and operation, there is a chance that mistakes will be made. The environmental conditions that exist during placing, finishing and curing concrete will have an effect on how it develops. The ground and air temperatures, wind speed, cloud cover, and the absorbent qualities of the substrate will affect newly placed concrete.

When initially mixed together, Portland cement and water rapidly form a gel, formed of tangled chains of interlocking crystals. These continue to react over time, with the initially fluid gel often aiding in placement by improving workability. As the concrete sets, the chains of crystals join and form a rigid structure, gluing the aggregate particles in place. During curing, more of the cement reacts with the residual water (hydration).  This curing process develops physical and chemical properties. Among these qualities are mechanical strength, low moisture permeability and chemical and volumetric stability.

Cracks that appear before the concrete has hardened are called plastic cracks.  Plastic cracks are typically due to poor mix design, placement practices or curing methods, and may also be caused by settlement, construction movement, and excessively high rates of evaporation. Cracks that appear after concrete has hardened can have a variety of causes, and sometimes have more than one cause.

Plastic shrinkage is shrinkage caused by the loss of water to the atmosphere. Autogenous shrinkage is shrinkage that takes place with no loss of water to the atmosphere.  Autogenous shrinkage is caused by internal drying, with water being absorbed by the constituent materials in the concrete.  As the long-term chemical hydration process continues – and it can continue for many years — water in the pores within the cement paste is absorbed, and the pores are filled, to some degree, by materials produced during hydration. This process leads to decreased permeability and increased strength and durability of the cement paste. Absorption of water from the pores also causes shrinkage.

When purchasing a new property it is important to have the building inspected by a qualified residential or commercial inspector.  Trust the Barrie Home Inspector for your Residential or Commercial Inspections.  Visit www.guaranteedresidentialinspections.com for more information. As a Certified Building Code Official with over 4,000 inspections your investment will be in good hands.  Experience and knowledge can help protect your investment.

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