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Business & Tech

Darien Home Inspector Finds Little Problems Before They Become Big Problems

Jeff Prince helps prospective home-buyers see the whole picture.

Jeff Prince worked for 15 years as a bookbinder. He didn’t plan to change careers.

But as the printing industry shrunk, his job disappeared.

Prince used this opportunity to take his career in a different direction, starting his own business in doing home inspections.

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He invested his separation pay in his own education, working at various print jobs to support his family.

“I knew a lot, owning my own home,” he explained. “And my brother was a contractor; I worked with him for awhile. I had a lot of experience with maintenance issues and mechanical things. Then when I went to school, they taught me even more.”

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Prince was licensed by the state of Illinois in January 2007, passing the exam on his first attempt. Three months later, he incorporated his business as Safe At Home Inspections.

He also earned certification from the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), which requires four times as much continuing education as does Illinois.

When inspecting the outside of a home, Prince looks at the roof, siding, flashing, trim, brick, chimney, patio, deck, front door, garage and electrical outlets.

“I go over everything I see out there,” he said. “I’ll go around clockwise, then I’ll go around counterclockwise, because you see different things. I actually go around about four times before I’m satisfied.”

On the inside, Prince starts with the mechanicals, usually located in the basement, including electrical, furnace, hot-water heater and exposed plumbing. He also checks foundation walls, cracks and floor structure. As he works his way upstairs, he looks at fire walls and checks garage doors.

“A lot of people don’t know about safety issues,” he said. “A lot of people think, ‘I’ll put a bedroom in that basement.’ Is there a window in that bedroom? Is there a way to get out of that bedroom? When there’s a fire down there, and that door’s the only way out, you’re toast because it’s a cement wall.”

Most of the problems Prince uncovers are electrical, the result of work done by someone other than a licensed electrician. That work is often not up to code.

“Most of it is easy to fix,” he said. “But it could be dangerous.”

Crawlspaces are his least favorite area, especially the gravel ones. “If there’s water down there, I won’t go in because it’s dangerous for me,” he explained. “If there’s a wire hanging in, and I step in the water, I’m gone.”

And he sometimes finds surprises.

“In an attic, I opened up the attic hatch and a dead squirrel hit me in the head," he laughed. "He was stiff as a board. I didn’t know what it was at first!”

Prince does home inspections primarily in DuPage and western Cook County. He also travels to Will, Kane and Kendall Counties as requested. He was recently hired by the Lisle Public Library to inspect a house owned by the library.

And a satisfied customer is his best advertisement.

“Some inspections, I’ve done whole families,” he said. “I’ve done three or four for (different members of) one family.”

The fee for inspecting a single-family home is based on square footage, with an average cost of around $300. Condos and townhomes are less because the outside belongs to the association.

“(Unlike most inspectors,) I do comment on the outside issues so (the clients) can bring it to the attention of the association,” Prince said.

When he identifies areas of concern, Prince suggests clients call specialists to address those areas. If requested, he can recommend businesses, but the clients deal directly with those other providers.

When he finishes an inspection, he also gives each client a copy of The Homeowner’s Handbook, published by InterNACHI. This illustrated book is filled with basic information on all areas of home maintenance.

Prince enjoys working with and educating his clients.

“They’re buying a house, and a lot of them don’t know all the issues they should be looking for. Little things turn into big things,” he said. “I’m here for them. I do everything I can, even when I’m done.”

To learn more about Safe At Home Inspections, Inc., or to schedule an appointment, call Jeff Prince at 630-437-1572, or go to www.safeathomeinspect.com.

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