paul burrell

The Mason is correct. My HVAC company says they are mandatory for new installations. Paul B.

LC, Just curious. How long does it take you to do a report. Do you charge extra for the extra detail and pictures that you include in report. I to agree with the premise to each his/her own. Paul B.

For sale Tramex Wet Wall Detector. Like new with leather carrying case with shoulder strap. Original instruction pamhplet. Paid $1,100.00. Best offer over $550.00. Has multiple depth setting, Audio alert, battery check, sensitivity control adjuster. Easy to use with a little practice and instruction. Good for EIFS. Paul B. Paulburrell@bellsouth.net

I have been driving (long wheel base) Ford mini vans for years. Am now driving a 2003 Windstar LX long wheel base and it serves me well. Plenty of room and racks on top if needed. Magnetic signs on door. Had a 1995 Aerostar model until 3 years ago put 135,000 on it and still ran like new (good maintenance). Really liked it but a lady decided to run a stop sign, it was raining and I T boned her and both our vehicles were totaled. Of course at the time I was very concerned that the young lady was not hurt bad and thankfully she was not. Paul B.

Thanks. That would be nice. Stone Mountain supposedly the largest exposed chunk of granite in the world covers a large area in my neck of the woods. It is also underground with out croppings for literally miles and miles. That may have something to do with radon, don't know. I do know some areas have a heck of a time digging a foundation. Paul B.

Just curious. What percentage of homes tested for radon are positive and require remediation. Paul B.

Approximately 90+ percent of my customers want and appreciate an on site report. Life down south in by gone days was slow and easy going. Not any more. Some of them wait until the day before their time for inspection expires and are in a hissy fit wanting the inspection done yesterday. I have found that a lot of the problem is their Realtor not advising them properly. As for incomplete sentences they are obviously not good. I am guilty of that from time to time but I correct them while still on site after my client points them out to me. Some of the client's say don't bother I know what it means. Paul B.

A few decades past in this area (Metro Atlanta)had a frenzy of converting apartments to fee simple condos. There were no firewalls and very few were added. In my project I have firewall in the attic between each unit but the units across the lake has none? They could not get fire insurance for the buildings at a reasonable cost and for quite awhile they could not get any insurance. Another problem with no firewall or separations in attics of connected condos is one can enter unit one attic scuttle and go to unit six and enter the unit or see what he want's. [:-bigeyes. Believe me it happens. Anyway the buyer should be made aware of this most definately. Paul B.

Passed city inspection means nothing if this item was missed and obviously it was. The Realtor has a totally different objective than the inspector. I pay no attention to remarks from realtors except to say OK I know what you mean. Paul B.

Did a job today that had water problems in basement at foundation walls, the furnace and AC was not operating at all. Main panel had breakers tripping when lights turned on. Anyhow the Realtor had an inspection report ready for my buyer that had none of the above items in the report. Gosh I can't figure why. Before we point at controlling Realtor we may need to point at our apathetic, go along to get along, live in denial selves. As long as we let Realtors control who we work for we will be second rate. Before I get jumped on with both feet remember I am addressing the HI industury as a whole and not any one inspector individually. Paul B. "A journey no matter how long begins with the first step"

My guess would be feburary 1992. (2-0-92) Paul B.

In my area PB failure has been a big and expensive issue. Service entrance usually fails first and more frequently. Low pressure service entrance has been upgraded to 180 psi and this has all but cured the service problem. The original PSI that caused so many failures was 150 PSI for service entrance. As for interior branch water lines the joints have been up graded 3 times from plastic to copper and plastic to copper only pressure fittings. This has dramatically fixed the branch line problems. I have done several homes this year that have had PB replaced with copper. Fact is did one yesterday. Problems are dramatically less now than 10 years past because of upgrades metioned above. PB is not used anymore in my area except for service entrance and it is the higher pressure rating. CPVC, PEX and copper is used for branch lines. Paul B. Metro Atlanta, Ga.

Rotten kids. . . Tell her that it's actually spelled, "until" with one L. There's also this from dictionary.com:

I keep my prices high and tell people that I can't fit them in till next week. - Jim Katen, Oregon Jim no criticism intentended but my daughter reminded me while proof reading something I "writ"[:-graduat that the word "till" is spelled "untill". College brat. Paul B. PS: I do like the way you promote your business.

This can't be good.[:-dunce]. Spend half a million for home (estimated) and then do home owner repairs on electrical? Ignorance is bliss. Paul B.

From the picture it looks like poly to me also. Paul B.

Jim you may be correct. Back several decades past a contract was a contract was a contract. Now it means little. The lawyers and judges tell us what it means in court. It may be better not to have one at all as far as litigation goes cause the judge is going to tell you what it means anyway. The decisions that some of these bleeding heart liberal judges have been handing down makes one wonder if our system of justice means anything anymore. Just my observation of why nobody takes responsibility for their own actions anymore. They do not have to under our present system. A judge and a sharp lawyer will shift their responsibility to someone else. Sorry for the venting but I feel better now. Paul B.

RE: signature on contract: I have a paragraph that states in bold type at the end of the contract just above the signature area. It was given to me by a good ASHI friend several years past: "It is agreed that in the absence of client's signature on this agreement, usage of the inspection report by the client, or the client's agent's or representative will be the same as agreeing to the terms herein. It is further understood and agreed that this agreement applies to any and all subsequent evaluations and reports relating to this inspection for this property". Acceptance and understanding of this agreement are hereby acknowledged: Any comments please. Paul B.

And how do you go about finding someone who's genuinely qualified? I only ask because, around here, *every single time* that someone hires what they think is a "qualified expert" they end up with a low life, blood sucking, money grubbing, half wit con-man. These people are thieves and scoundrels and they proliferate like roaches in a city dump. Why on earth wouldn't you want to say that it's mold? Maybe it's just me but I don't have any difficulty at all in looking at stuff growing on wood and deciding for myself whether or not it's mold. Once I've made that distinction, why wouldn't I want to share that information with the customer who's paying me for my opinion? - Jim Katen, Oregon The (supposedly)only person that can identify mold is a mold expert. They (supposedly) can "evaluate and identify" what type action is needed. I can not take on the responsibility of con men. And I will not. I make the customer aware of the what appears to be mold and what to do about it. "Call an expert". In my part of the world one has to be licensed and certified to identify mold and termites etc. If some clorox and water will do the trick on "mold" and a "expert" gets big $$$$ for nothing there is nothing I can do about it. If the inspector is not licensed and certified he better do a little CYA but still make the customer "fully aware" of what to do as best he/she can. Paul B. To each his own. If it works don't fix it.

Refer it to a qualified, licensed, bonafide, certified mold expert company for evaluation and repairs as needed. Of course do not say it is mold say it is what appears to be a mold like substance. Paul B.

In my part of the world Real Estate Appraisers are obligated to include in their report the remaining life expectancy of every home they appraise. The Mortgage Company demands this. As a home inspector I have never been asked to do that. Also in my past life I was a Certified Real Estate Appraiser. (Now inactive). Paul B.

Yes I get the same error message. It appears their system is full. After they return from the Holidays it will probably be OK. Paul Burrell

I have an understanding with rats. If they don't bother me I do not bother them. Saw a 2 pound rat 3 feet from my face one time I moved on as he looked at me and I looked at him. He did not bother me and I sure as h*%! did not bother him. I finished the crawl and we parted in peace.

On a follow up inspection I simply write up an addendum to original inspection which states that all follow up inspections or additional statements "are a part" of the original agreement.

When the black roll tar paper is installed over the decking it is dried in.