Steven Hockstein

Me too, if I was there, I would have checked the sashes for more info. The brand was just an educated guess based on the photos provided and the balance systems I have seen.

I agree that it looks like carpenter ants and frass. It also appears that replacement window balances and sashes have been installed (looks like "Weathershield" brand). When were the windows replaced? The ants couldd nesting in the voids behind the new sash balances.

I would use Bill.

I think that it is ironic to post your question in the "Appreciating Old Homes" forum because the "Flipper" did everything he could to conceal the old house character with vinyl, carpeting, and more vinyl. Most of us have seen this type of work before and can make educated guesses about what is underneath the fresh coverings (not to mention the issues that are visible in the photos). My guess is that your feelings are correct and you should keep looking. If you decide to proceed, and you need a list of licensed home inspectors, you can find NJALPHI members that work in your area at: http://www.njalphi.com/ Use the find an inspector icon. Good Luck

Now if I could only figure out how to harness the radiation levels in granite countertops to kill the bacteria in my raw chicken.

How many calls from "Ambulance Chaser" lawyers do you think they got after that report.

There are many reasons for cracks. I think Kurt is right in this case but I have also seen some unusual shear cracks caused when an overspanned lintel or girder deflects in the middle and there is uplift at the ends. (You can see a simple example of this type of uplift with two pencils and a plastic straw by setting the straw on the pencils that are laying about an inch in from the ends and pressing down on the middle of the straw).

Good one! I will use it and call it "The WJ Buttinski Method"

Acid Reflux

Love the storm door in the background of the top photo and the red caboose in the bottom one!

Maybe you should just file a criminal report or threaten them. I am not an expert on bill collection but I found this website: http://www.njchapter13.com/lawguide/rep ... checks.asp This is from the above site: "Don't Write a Bad Check Writing a bad check is a crime. You can also be charged a processing fee by your bank and this fee can be as much as $40.00. Your creditor can also sue you for passing a bad check. In addition to recovering the amount that is owed, the creditor can also recover damages. In New Jersey the damages for passing a bad check is $500.00."

I agree that replacing them is the best option because you can save a lot of hassle if your roof leaks in the skylight area after replacement. The roofer can't blame the problem on the old skylights. Another bonus is that you also get a new warranty on the skylights. You should also look at some of the cool options available on the new skylights (i.e. window treatments).

Just in case you don't know this already... Since you don't see a lot of slab houses, you should pay special attention to termite problems. The worst termite damage I have ever seen is in slab on grade construction. Due to the fact that all of the wall framing is typically concealed, the termites are hard to find and they can be eating the framing unnoticed for many years. Include a good CYA comment about termites. Probe all of the baseboards and shine a flashlight on all of the walls to look for signs of termites eating the paper off of the gypsum board. Open all kitchen cabinets to see if the bottoms are eaten.

Try this site. Maybe you can find it. www.eaton.com/EatonCom/Markets/Electric ... /index.htm

Big brother is watching[:-magnify

I am guessing that the pipe through the patio has someting to do with the capped wiring connection on the house. Maybe it is a conduit that was installed for refrigerant piping? The electrical connection could be for the 220V wire to the compressor? It could also be for many other things. Was the gas meter removed from this location? Was there a natural gas A/C system? Is it conduit for gas grill pipe or electrical wiring?

Sounds like a good deal. Maybe you could also do a "Free" chimney inspection while you are there.

To Date, the lawyer letter count is over a dozen sharks trying to solicit business. Two additional chiroprators have also solicited business.

Last week my wife was waiting at a stop sign and someone hit the back of her van when she was stopped. There is some damage to her bumper and rear hatch. Luckily, nobody was injured. She called the police and requested an official report of the accident because we have to turn in the leased van soon and want to make sure there were no problems with the damage being paid for by the other driver's insurance company. She has already received letters from a chiropractor and a lawyer soliciting business. They apparently review police reports and use this information to find accident "Victims." Their letters basically encourage abusing the legal system to collect money. The lawyer letter states that there will be no cost if there is no recovery of money. The "Doctor" offered to be an expert in litigation. They are both sleazy "Professionals" but have not broken any laws because of they way the letters are crafted. No wonder that insurance costs are so high!

Go back with a flashlight and look for a tank in the basement or crawlspace. Better yet, hire a home inspector!

From a NJ inspector-not a legal expert: Based on your description it sounds more like a disclosure issue. I do not remove my shoes and attempt to feel for concrete patches under thick padding that is covered with carpeting. Most houses have some minor cracks due to settlement. I think you will have a hard time blaming an inspector for an error if that was the only evidence of a problem at the time of the inspection. I agree with Kurt that regional issues regarding soil conditions may come into play and you should consult with a local inspector.

My big complaint with Vista is that it takes so long to boot-up. I am ready for the the next generation of reasonably priced computers that do not require a hard drive (to be replaced by flash memory) and the process of starting the computer will be shortened. The battery life will also be increased. Thread drift... My younger son and I were watching the history of computers on one of the discovery channels and they showed the original PC's and quoted the cost of $5,000 per meg for RAM. My son's eyes widened as he looked at his 2-Gig flash memory card that we bought for $9.99. I am sure he was trying to figure out how to invent a time machine [:-idea]!

On the front cover of the April NJ-ALPHI Newsletter, there was an offer from the President of NJ-ALPHI to help members that can't afford to renew their membership due to financial difficulties. If you want to discuss this issue in strict confidence, please call Joe.

It is an electric energy absorber that provides a force field and affects CFL bulbs and causes them to faintly flicker when the light switch is off.[:-bigeyes

Mike, Sorry, I don't know the date it was posted. Steve