Home Inspection Repairs on San Juan Island

A home inspection report on an island house is always long. That doesn't mean the house is bad. It means the inspector wrote down every loose railing, sticking door, missing downspout extension, and gap in the caulk, and that's their job. The trick is sorting the list into what actually needs a contractor and what's an afternoon of handyman work.

I go through the report with you, item by item, and tell you which ones I can do, which ones need a licensed electrician or plumber, and which ones are bigger than they look. Then I do my part and photograph every item before and after, so the buyer, seller, or agent has a clean record of what was done.

The items I fix most often: railings and stairs that aren't secure, soft wood at sills, trim, and deck boards, doors that don't latch, caulking and sealing at windows and siding, downspouts that dump against the foundation, crawlspace vent screens, and smoke and CO alarms that need batteries or replacing.

Timing matters in a sale. If you're on a closing deadline, call as soon as the report lands and I'll tell you honestly whether the list fits in your window. On an island, the earlier you call, the better the odds that materials are on hand.