Recommendations for an excellent stucco/wood frame inspector (Tampa, Wesley Chapel: rentals, chapel)

[mia12]

We are looking at a few stucco/wood frame houses (one of them was built in 1989), and are a bit worried about potential rot and termite damage. We are totally new at this, and I think we need a good inspector, in case we decide to make an offer. Can anybody recommend us one for the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area? Thank you in advance!

[EngGirl]

It's pretty impossible to do a visual inspection and determine if anything wrong with stucco or frames. To properly test stucco you need to cut off a piece and look "inside".
Codes regarding stucco changed within last 15 years, so anything build even 10 years is not per current standards.
Smart sellers would seal any cracks and paint over to hide potential problems. If you see stucco not being flat or let's say flacking, it means you need $$ to fix it.

On the side note you can always call stucco companies for inspection, but I wouldn't recommend it - waste of money in my opinion. Obviously the will not be doing any tests (sellers wont allow it), and visual inspection is as good as guess work can be.

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by mia12

We are looking at a few stucco/wood frame houses (one of them was built in 1989), and are a bit worried about potential rot and termite damage. We are totally new at this, and I think we need a good inspector, in case we decide to make an offer. Can anybody recommend us one for the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area? Thank you in advance!

You will need a termite inspection for that type of inspection and there are many good termite inspection companies and they usually don't charge that much.

Basically your question requires a home inspection and termite inspection but don't forget about a mold inspection as home inspectors offer to include it but they only do a visual inspection of mold which is looking around for signs and some will use a humidity measurement tool but that is almost what you can do yourself while a real mold inspection is more thorough and since some sellers paint over mold spots you will not see the signs and some will replace baseboards and that way hide mold related issues.

Often you have to be more careful with recent remodeled homes by flippers especially when they don't want to give any property disclosure by stating "seller never lived at the property" which to me is total BS.

Investors know by remodeling and the process what they came across or hear from the contractors that they hire what is wrong and if it was a rental for years they had to pay for repairs just like we have a record/bills for repairs for rentals we manage as well as for our own investment properties.

We have heard from home inspectors that washer/dryer hook up's were behind the new drywall and if it wasn't for them to check it out the buyers wouldn't have seen it as it is kind of a detail when buyers look at a house and see nice big brand new model washer/dryer at a property and so happy they are able to get it that they usually are in lalaland and forget to check and honestly realtors don't check for that either as it is more of an inspection item and with the newer model washer/dryer often you don't see the hook up from the front unless you pull the washer/dryer out.

The same count for wood frames and paint jobs. We even hear sometimes seller say when termites are found and wood rot is determined that they will do a quick fix and we tell them it will hunt them as it has been determined and they are liable if they hide things they should or could have known.

[mia12]

Thank you both, this is great information. I wonder whether we should stay away from wood frame, and only look at block/stucco houses instead...

[KPB]

Originally Posted by mia12

Thank you both, this is great information. I wonder whether we should stay away from wood frame, and only look at block/stucco houses instead...

That's what I would do. I'm not crazy about stucco over wood frame. Its cheap quality IMO. Asking for problems.

[upgrader]

In my opinion, stucco over frame is a recipe for disaster. Props to KPB. My experience, cedar over frame, masonite over frame (web search the lawsuit), makes for homeowner hell. Frame is flexible and prone to failure. Don't cover that with stucco (unless you are a flipper).

If you can't afford a rigid structure, go with original flexible siding (a.k.a vinyl siding) over frame. With a good warranty against faulty installation.