Episode Details

In this episode, Leigh interviews Joe Battisto, an NYS licensed property inspector from Syracuse who works for Haven Environmental. Joe founded Haven Environmental in 2015, and they're trying to raise the bar for home inspection. Listen to Joe's advice as an expert in the field and hear how he rescued a couple from buying a problematic house that was a far cry from what was shown in photos.

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Joe Battisto President Haven Environmental www.havenenvironmental.com

Up here in Central New York I did one last week I had to post on the company Facebook page. The homeowner started using cardboard boxes as HVAC duct work after his metal ducts starting rotting away. Then he used old bed rails as structural support posts to hold up the floor from falling into the basement. He was asking low 6 figures for the hot mess. The prospective buyers were making an offer based on the online photos from the real estate advertisement without ever actually seeing the property in person. Bad idea, at least they called a home inspector to put eyes on it before sealing the deal! If you check our site, you will see we are trying to raise the bar for home inspection by adding capabilities most one man operators don't have:

• We are a licensed firm in NYS to provide mold assessments.
• We have a highly experienced Certified Industrial Hygienist on staff.
• Our principal IAQ inspector Is certified by the IICRC, NORMI, OSHA, and NACHI.
• We are certified for thermal imaging analysis.
• We are licensed in NYS to provide buyer/bank property inspection for real estate transactions on properties up to 4 units.
• We are FAA commercial certified to fly camera drones for high resolution roof inspections.
• We are experienced and formally trained to provide contractor estimates for mold and water damage restoration.
• We are trained and experienced in providing property insurance underwriting inspections.
• We can provide asbestos, radon, and lead testing.
• In addition to general liability and an attestation of worker's compensation exemption filed with NYS, we carry professional liability and errors and omissions insurance on all our projects.
• We oversee an extensive network of reliable mold and water damage sub - contractors across upstate NY.
• We use 2 of the most highly respected microbial laboratory firms in the country for our lab work.

Realtors tell me 50% of the homes they list have mold issues, so we try to guide buyers, sellers, and agents all the way through that mess and keep the closing on track.

• 00:21 – Introduction for today's episode
• 00:49 – Leigh introduces Joe Battisto
• 00:58 – Joe is from Syracuse, NY
  • 01:06 – Joe is from Haven Environmental and they provide buyers' inspection services for real estate transactions
• 01:21 – In real estate, the inspection process is sometimes the most uncomfortable part of the transaction
• 01:55 – The moral of the story is never ever buy a property that you haven't physically walked through yourself
• 02:07 – A few weeks ago, Joe received a call from a couple who wanted to buy a house
  • 02:15 – It is a 2-storey house and Joe was asked to do the inspection
  • 02:33 – When Joe was inspecting the property, things began to cramp up
  • 02:44 – Joe describes the structure of the house
  • 03:06 – Joe went to the basement and saw that the metal brackets that held up the first floor were cracking and slipping