Growing up in Michigan there were lots of migrant workers hoeing in the fields every summer. My step dad was too cheap to hire them and paid us half as much to hoe. Let me tell you, he would do it a month after the migrants did and then complain because we had to sharpen the hoes too often (his fault for letting the weeds get too big!) and took so long. 88 acres if I remember correctly. But I digress... Not a summer went by that while driving through the farmlands I didn't see several migrant workers "going to the bathroom" out in the fields! And they want to blame the factory and processing plant workers whenever a "bug" makes everyone sick. I know where it comes from!

I disagree with 'pool designer' as well. I remember a large California company that went our of business lately (I seen it in here) also Build Your Own Pool in AZ was on that list for years and they went under. I would suggest calling a local Haward, Pentair, Jandy, etc. authorized service repair company. They can tell you who they get the most and least complaints from homeowners as well. In my area they have been a good gauge on more than just the financial stability of a pool company. I would also call the local gunite and pebble tec installers since there are typically fewer of those in any market and they service a wider amount of pool builders. Also check the BBB, I think one of the first signs a company is having financial trouble is that they start to lose credibility and do not pay to fix warranty issues and such. Here in Orlando we have had a few larger companies go under and they all had horrible BBB ratings just prior to them shutting their doors. Problem is you can never be too sure! I would make sure whoever you do pick is paying the suppliers and subcontractors on your project and ask for lien releases that are signed off by the subcontractor or supplier. Good luck and keep us up to date on your pools progress once you are ready to dive in!

Oh Kat, I wish I could be with you during your chemo. It may sound strange to some, but I have fond memories of my chemo buddies and all the laughs we shared while being infused. Can't think of anyone I'd rather be with. :) I've never forgotten what generous support I received from you and my KT family during my chemo and recovery. You'll always have my hand to hold and shoulder to lean on. It's a plus you are feeling so well at this time so you can charge ahead and defeat this damn cancer. Your KT Army is pulling for you!! Love you Kat, Lana

First and foremost, I'm not trying to be snide, but seriously, you get what you pay for...and $250.00 for a home inspection pretty much gets you a walk through...which is probably why he missed the red flags. That said, lets talk about those red flags. The sealer alone is not a red flag...because bottom line is that chances are that at some point most basements will experience water intrusion even if they have gone for years and never had a drop. This is because things change....the most obvious is development, which creates more impervious coverage, so the water flows to places that it never did before...often entering basements. The weather pattern has also been very weird for at least few years now, in terms of sometimes raining for days on end, overwhelminmg even the driest of basements. This is why many places are enacting new storm water management measures etc. That said, it is pro-active to seal the basement walls with seller...so that is not necessarily a "red flag". It is also best to have a sump pump? Do you have one? If not...have one installed. A friend who has owned his house since new 15 years ago had a flood in his basement for the first time a few months ago...a sump pump would have saved him a lot of grief. Of course, IF the staining along the floor and walls were present on the day of inspection, and did not develop between the day of inspection and the day you closed, and IF it was not concealed by the sellers possessions...yes, he should have noticed this and reported it.. If he took pictures of the basement and you have them to prove that the staining was present, you can make a case for money back. Otherwise, probably not. The porch is whole different story, as all of that should have been reported. If he did not include that in his report, I would send him documentation of what he missed, and tell him you want him to refund the cost of the inspection for that reason alone, water intrusion or not. However, you may need to prove that the porch issue caused water to intrude. You still have not said what the waterproofing company plans on doing about the water main issue, and the unknown source. Until you have definitive info on all of this, IMO, he will probably not comply as he can say that you can't pinpoint the cause as being the porch. Before spending huge bucks on the WP company, hire a professional landscaper to check the grade...as that could be your problem. You may also want to hire a forensic HI, to see if he can determine where the problem is coming form...as water has a funny way of appearing no where near the actual source of entry. Expect to pay at least $500.00. Last but not least...what state do you live in? I can check for you to see if they regulate the HI profession..if so, you should report him to the licensing board..or at least tell him you will..as that has far more impact than the BBB. .