
Evaluate driveway safety, select proper materials, and ensure drainage and compaction, using expansion joints, correct slope, and water management to prevent cracking.
Master grading and drainage to keep water away from foundations, using swales, proper downspouts, and footing drains, while managing trees to prevent basement leaks and structural damage.
Identify common patio problems, including improper fall away, drainage issues, lack of footing under upper floors, and rot from concrete contact, and the need for underpinning to prevent damage.
Inspect decks for safety by checking critical connections, ledgers, rails, and posts; watch five warning signs: missing or loose connections, corrosion, rotted wood, and large cracks, and follow current codes.
Grab a field inspection form and practice inspecting a home, carrying tools like a flashlight, level, tape measure, moisture meter, and binoculars to identify drainage issues and symptoms.
Compare concrete board and vinyl siding, exploring hardi plank, durability, and paint adhesion. Learn proper installation, flashing, and maintenance to prevent water damage and costly repairs.
Discover OSB, or oriented strand board, panels made from glued wood chips layered at angles. Assess installation with vapor barriers or house wrap and edge checking failures impact siding durability.
Explore cost-effective roofing with asphalt shingles, compare alternatives like copper or tile, and learn essential flashing, drip edge, and valley details to prevent leaks.
Houses are very complicated and often you will not know a problem exist until it breaks. In this course you will be better equipped and armed with the necessary tools and knowledge to Identifying deficiencies in houses and interpret what's Good, Bad or Ugly. Whether these problems could exist on your home or a home you want to buy, you will save a lot of time and money when you are equipped to recognize deficiencies.