about us
HOUSETIPS was born from an idea of educating homeowners about the function of systems and features in their house. We want to share our knowledge and experience with you, so you know “how things work” in your house and observe conditions when things go wrong. As forensic engineers, plan designers and contractors specifically working in the residential market, we have observed failure pathways because of natural degradation, neglect, and material incompatibility. Our mission is to empower homeowners through education.
meet our team
Michael LeBas, PE
Michael leads the team with a history of home inspections, structural assessments, and forensic engineering investigations. As a former licensed home inspector, Michael performed thousands of home inspections and earned an outstanding reputation as a leader in the home inspection industry. As such, he was asked to serve on the Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors and honored to be elected Chairman of the Board for three of his six years of service. Performing home inspections offered Michael a unique opportunity to study failure origins in houses. As a Registered Professional Engineer, Michael assists homeowners with structural engineering assessments and water intrusion investigations helping homeowners identify problems and establish practical repair programs for their houses. As a member of the Board of Directors of a local Home Builders Association, Michael works closely with building contractors and associates to manage governmental compliance matters as well as educate the residential construction industry on the ever changing regulatory demands of the industry.
Gordon McDowell
As a graduate of Louisiana State University Architectural Program with decades of service in the planning, designing, and construction of residential properties, Gordon has achieved a high degree of proficiency in residential house construction and building diagnostics. As a former Deputy Building Official and Senior Plan Reviewer, Gordon administered governmental oversite on residential construction compliance and plan reviews. Through this endeavor, Gordon refined his skills in identifying plan deficiencies while also gaining exposure to the challenges of system integration of residential houses. With this knowledge, Gordon systematically evaluates failures in houses delivering conclusive outcomes to clients. In turn, the clients learn about problems in their house while obtaining a reliable “path forward” to remediate problems.
MISSION STATEMENT
Empowering homeowners through education
