Buying in Colorado
Dealing With Colorado Soil
The joke along the Front Range of Colorado is that there are two kinds of concrete, broken concrete and concrete that is going to break. Well, it isn’t that bad, but if you are a homeowner that has experienced cracking or movement of your driveways, sidewalks or foundation walls, this is no laughing matter.
Many of the soils in Colorado, especially along the Front Range, contain expansive material. These expansive soils/minerals expand greatly when wetted and shrink significantly when dried. They can exert a tremendous pressure–enough to lift concrete driveways and even foundations and piers.
From a practical sense, what does this mean to the average home owner?
Minimize foliage around the home. If you have foliage, you have to water it.
Establish positive drainage away from the home.
Install fabric near the home to help shed moisture.
Extend the downspouts and sump pump drain lines so water is kept away from the foundation.
Caulk the little cracks–if you don’t, water will seep in from melting snow and react with the clay soils.
Use an experienced Realtor that is familiar with the area that you are buying in.
Hiring a Competent Inspector
A good Colorado inspector can help identify things that may create problems down the road.
You need to be as informed as possible. We help our clients determine at the time of purchase which inspections they should be complete. Here are just a few of the inspections that we recommend on a case by case basis: sewer scope, general inspection, structural inspection, and environmental testing. Call us for referrals or to learn more.
Radon Testing
Radon is a natural radioactive gas that is a potent carcinogen.
Its presence in your home can pose a danger to your family’s health. In fact, it should be taken very seriously because according to the EPA it is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
The good news is that it easy and inexpensive to test for and it can be mitigated easily and fairly cheaply. You can get kits at the local hardware store to test for it yourself or you can hire a home inspector to test it for you. Many home inspectors even have computerized equipment that does hourly readings so that you can make sure no one is doing anything to artificially alter the readings.
If you would like names of inspectors or mitigation experts please do not hesitate to call our office, we would be happy to send you a list of people we have grown to trust. We can be reached at (303) 664-0000.
If you would like to learn more, you can go to:
http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html
Get In Touch With Us
We have experience with residential, commercial and income property. Contact us today and we can help get you the experienced help you need!