Tim H

It seems that I do it much like you do. Back at the office, agonizing over every word, taking a looonngg time. The upside is that I am developing my own archived boiler plate, and my archived comments are slowly starting to get repeated use. I can envision the day (when I get to 1,000+ inspections), where many of my observations will be archived and will just need a little editing for the individual house. I dont think I will ever do a report onsite (unless the market demands it), I'm just too slow. Tim www.rqahomeinspections.com

I email and follow up with a hard copy. I use Inspect Express and I am the only guy in my area not using a checklist or partial narrative. My report format is a strong marketing tool for me, and I am seeing real benefit from using a full narrative report professionally formatted with TOC, headers and footers etc. I have differentiated myself from my competitors and I get a comment on nearly every inspection alluding to how my format is superior to any the client has seen before. Choosing IE when I started is the best business decision I have made. Tim www.rqahomeinspections.com

Does that mean this installation is possibly O.K. or is there a consensus that this is a bad situation? The builder has been sued out of existence, and the potential buyer is getting a steal on a foreclosure. He may well have the siding pulled off and the house wrapped or felted if I recommend it, so I want to be right. Thanks, Tim www.rqahomeinspections.com Download Attachment: nohousewrap.JPG 30.66 KB

Recently did an inspection to help the owner (the house is not for sale) identify and prioritize maintenance issues on this 1832 plantation/farmhouse in the Black Belt of Alabama. Home has been in the current owners family since 1852 and has been occupied for its entire existance. Much of the furniture is original. The home sits on 3000 acres of prime timber, cattle and row crop land. The dogtrot cabin is said to be in its original location, and is very rare (the cabin predates the home by a good bit). 174 years is just about as old as it gets in this area, as many homes did not survive the 'conflict with the Federals'. Download Attachment: Medallion.JPG 29.58 KB Download Attachment: dogtrotcabin1.JPG 57.99 KB Download Attachment: Camellias.JPG 83.77 KB Download Attachment: SittingRoom.JPG 54.64 KB Download Attachment: Masterbdrm.JPG 44.14 KB Tim http://www.rqahomeinspections.com

Thanks a bunch Mike, This is exactly what I needed. Tim

Here in central/south Alabama it is now common for the grading to completely cover the sides of slabs (folks think it is prettier that way), and in some rare cases the first course of the brick veneer. I have found reference for distance to grade for wood siding, but I am not sure about a standard for brick. I called out this condition on a new home because the grading actually covered the weep holes, and the client is having this addressed. The contractor wants clarification on exactly how much distance is required between grade and brick. In my report I called for 4". Anyone know of a code reference or standard? TIA Tim

This may be a little off topic, but a speaker at a state NAHI meeting last year had some data that, IIRC, came from the insurance industry. The data indicated that an overwhelming majority(>75%) of successful lawsuits filed against inspectors nationwide were filed against inspectors who provided on site reporting. Has anyone else heard of/seen similar data? For me, I need to take my findings and photos back to the office and organize and research. From the beginning, the inspectors that impressed me as the most knowledgable, professional and successful used full narrative reporting, and I have emulated this. I cant see how I could produce a narrative report on site within an acceptable time frame. 10 years down the road maybe, but at this point I cant afford to be hurried or pressured ( and I am better than average with computers and keyboards). It looks like the guys on this forum who use on site are very experienced and established and I can see how this would work for them.

Not trying at all to be argumentative Bill, But how did you come to the conclusion that the ANSI standards do nothing to adequately measure a life safety issue? It is my understanding that the standard was developed in response to deaths caused by improperly adjusted/maintained doors. I am relatively new to Home Inspections, but quite familiar with ASTM, UL, and ANSI standards and how they are developed. They are developed through rigorous testing by some of the top engineers in the world. If grabbing the door were the best way to verify the reverse mechanism, the standard would likely call for you to grab the door. For me personally the issue has nothing to do with "ignoring the potential for injury or death to an occupant of a building you inspected more important than having the possibility of defending your "subjective opinion", it is considering the possibility that I do not have all the answers and that deferring to experts on matters of life and safety IS the right and responsible thing to do. I have been using my hands and will continue to do so, I will also use the standard now that I know it exists.

I use Inspect Express. I tried other demos and spent over 6 months making my choice. It has worked very, very well for me. Very intuitive, produces a great looking report (at least my clients think so), has partial or full narrative options (not a checklist) and is very customizable. There are some good ones out there, but get the demo for Inspect Express and give it a whirl before you make your final decision.

"And if I ever went to court I would set up a demonstration were by the door would reverse with a 2X4 in the center but not 2' from the sides. Then I would put a kids bike with a big doll as a rider on the bike. I would then push the button and as the door crushes the doll and the bike, the defense rests." I am curious as to how you would accomplish this. Not saying that you couldnt, but I am curious. Standards are not intended to be comprehensive. They are developed considering historical data (failure modes), design data, practicallity, trial and error, and ability to be documented, among other considerations. These standards were not pulled out of someones arse. They were developed by engineers taking into account design variables among different manufacturers, variables considering improper installations, variables considering differences in materials, etc. An inspector who relied on feel in the face of a documentable procedure would be eviscerated on the stand IMO. If an inspector trusts his 'feel' over all else, by all means use your hands for self edification, but sliding the 2x under the door as well and testing to procedure would be an easy way to CYA. Tim

Same here. I take no shortcuts and inspect to my state standards ( which were developed on ASHI standards). Item for item, the ERC or mod ERC format covers the standards of practice (it is my understanding that both ASHI and NAHI were involved in the developement of the ERC format). The relo companies that I have contracted with have never given ANY indication that they want anything but a thorough, professional inspection and have never qestioned my nit picking (I have done over 100 relos). Tom, I AM doing the right thing. I am doing very good inspections that meet the applicable standards. If you feel there is some professional or ethical shortcommings in this system, why did you provide input? Personally, I stay away from things that smell funny to me. Of course they want newbies, they dont pay enough for inspectors who are fully booked. Being new does not mean being substandard. I am not the inspector that many on this forum are (that is why I lurk and learn), but I am a competent, ethical inspector who does not take shortcuts.

A relo inspection is done with you serving as a contractor to a company that serves the employee relocation industry. They are usually done to a format developed by the Employee Relocation Council (ERC). They dont pay much, but I find the reports are faster than the narrative reports that I use, there are no printing or mailing expenses and they do the marketing. They have been a life saver for me in the tough first year in this business. The experience is invaluable, I get a lot of Realtor exposure, and they have more than paid for my E&O and office expenses. I look forward to the day when I dont need them, but a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing.

In my area (central Alabama) 95 % + of new homes are built slab on grade (not post tensioned), with vapor barriers/retarders under the slab. My question has to do with installing vapor barriers on top of the slab under carpeting/laminate/tile flooring. How does the vapor emit and diffuse when the slab is sandwiched? Is the moisture 'trapped' in the slab, or does enough moisture emmission occur at the edges to allow the slab to properly diffuse vapor? Does it even matter? Thanks - Tim