jseddy

Curiously enough, I had a long discussion with my general manager this morning about this exact thing. His kid is starting 2nd year and working at our plant for the summer. I'm probably a bit younger than some of you, but what I'm seeing post graduation is that a business degree appears absolutely worthless. Sure, you might get hired on at an entry level position and find a way to work your ass off and up to middle management in 7-10 years, defaulting on your school loans all along the way. Or you can wait tables or bartend. I know no less than 10 people w/ MBAs doing that presently. The upper level positions are a white buffalo and usually filled by a guy in the same position from another company. And as we all know, the real world seems to operate on much different principles than the University. Same goes with Building Construction. If he wants to make the best use of a course like that, get on at a jobsite while in school. Things make much more sense. There seems to be a huge movement in environmental testing and air quality. Migh be a good niche to specialize in.

In my market new builds have fallen off very dramatically over the last year. I see and feel it first hand cause I build(design) a majority of the customs. It seems foreclosures are on the rise. All those Baloon payments are coming due that were set up in the last 10 years and were rather popular. I think we may have a sticky situation in the coming years. Look for lots more houses on the market for unfortunate reasons.

Look into becoming a registered Architect. Residential houses you can charge amazing fees, be 100% wrong all the time and not be held accountable. It's a great gig. There's a title block on nearly every print I see. "XYZ Architects assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of this print."

^^^point taken. And thanks Chris. I appreciate the help. I'll get one to you later this week. I actually have to put a new one together. Everyone in my current field knows who I am. I haven't used a resume in 4 jobs.

Thanks a lot guys. That's all great advice. I think you're all right about starting out with someone else. Even if I get the actual inspection stuff down, I haven't ran a business. Ezra, I will do just that.

Yeah, I know, but I'm still aware of my weak areas and $7000+ is not in my pocket for an ITA course and E&O right now. I've been considering using one of the franchises to my advantage at last resort, which may not be a disadvantage in the long run.

Anyone in need of a newbie HI with a very strong structural, truss, floor, basement background? Need some training in electrical. Looks like my truss company is shutting down before I'm ready to get myself underway. (kind of why I've been absent for a few weeks)Ugh. I hate being in this position.

Well, one advantage it does offer is that you don't have to buy 2 seperate systems now. As you're all aware, no HI software in Mac exists, so the only option for Mac users is to buy another computer just for the HI software.

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/ap ... tcamp.html Just anounced by Apple, Bootcamp. A program running in OSX that allows the new IntelMacs to partition their HD and boot in either OSX OR Windows. This is not Virtual PC, it actually installs XP. Start-up disc required. Apple stock surged over 8% 10 min. after the announcement.

Check my thread 5 down on Draw Reports

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11732808/ $600-$700 price point might make sell me after Vista is released. If anyone picks one up before then, let me know what you think.

Honestly, I'd like to see the roof dm'd and replaced rather than built over. It's hard to tell what lies under that wet skin. Bite the bullet, redo the roof and avoid any problems associated with it in the future.

I think I have mentioned this before. You all know I'm a truss designer right now. I swear I have at least 1 guy "burn in" off a roof a month, be it installation, repair or maintenance. Watch yourselves, please. Jeff

That's a very good point guys. A "Flipper" is probably an immediate red flag.

If you guys don't have this reference book already, I'd highly suggest picking one up. It's very helpfull determining if construction lumber is over-spanned. It's charts span lengths fro rafters, ceiling joists, and 2x floors and balconies for US and Canadian species for different loading. You can pick one up here https://secure.cwc.ca/cwc.ca/ecommerce/ or probably at any major construction trade show. Very handy little book.There is also a canadian Span Book for our northern friends.

Just got turned on to this show a couple weeks ago.(TLC I think) So far I'm convinced not a single home inspection has been done prior to purchase. They even mention or show cracked foundations and bearing issues, cracked walls, leaking ceilings, etc. Let's paint and charge 100k+. Nice.

^^^Gotta agree with you there, Jim. It's completely possible the whole thing was just misunderstood. She's not a girlfriend yet. We just had our second date so it's a touchy situation for me. I've got a date later in the week with a woman who's a realtor and doesn't know I'm becoming a HI yet. That'll be interesting.

Supposedly he also works as an unlicensed architect. She said the problem started shortly after the purchase and has been persistent since. She's on a tight budget and I'd really hate to break this news to her. Still, it's hard to tell by hearsay. One thing seems clear though, someone shouldn't be a Home Inspector. She relayed no less than a dozen instances where this guy really laid his liability or opinion on the purchase on the line. She had no idea it was a poor inspection. Oh well, guess I better get used to being in this spot.

I'm going to check out a house of a girl I just started seeing. She bought it 2 years ago and it was built in the 70's. Conversation came up when I mentioned I was starting a HI business. She had some questions about he inspection that was done for her. Apparently, the HI reported that a couple "support" beams in the basement were incorrectly installed and needed to be replaced as well as two other walls "braced" with beams. He also mentioned this should be a contingency of the purchase. Mind you he found no other evidence of cracking or movement. Just that the beams were incorect and the owner needed to get a contractor to fix and add. That was done. Now she is finding "creases" in the first floor walls and cracking(sounded like lateral displacement) in the foundation walls. She called the HI, he came to take a look, told her everything was fine, set up a plumb bob in the basement with a mark on the floor. "You're ok until the bob get to this point. By the way, I won't charge you for this re-inspect." Besides all the disregarding of any Standards of Practice, anyone come across this? Additional beams/support structures activating a crack or foundation? I'll get some pictures when/if I get over there. I'm not sure if I want to tell her what I really think. I suspect she certainly won't want to hear it.

Man, Mike! On the eve on Valentines Day you do this? How's you credit?

If anyone is interested in this, I am involved with a group starting the Ohio Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI). We're in the beginning stages of formation with a lot of work ahead of us. The idea is to bring Home Inspectors together without the divisions of the various organizations. Currently, we are studying the Michigan and Wisconsin chapters as a model. With licensing looming in the future, it will become more important to have a dedicated voice to serve our profession in OH. If you are interested, please feel free to contact me through this website or at my posted email. I can have the appropriate people contact you. This is in the very beginning stages, and all help will certainly be appreciated and welcome. Our goal is to move forward together and strengthen our profession here in the Buckey State.

As a newb, I'd like to thank you as well. This place is such an invaluable resource for me. I'm impressed with what you do here daily and even moreso with what you guys here have built together. In my experience, this is one of the best internet communities I have come across and I hope to be associated with you guys for some time to come. Hopefully, at some point I may be able to make myself useful. I'd hate to be inspector #1 on Erbys "Cockamamie Inspectors" link.

I assumed they pretty much did a redesign off the existing foundation. Once the foundation is set, I often get a 2 story house under roof in 2-3 days. They'll be using panelized walls and floor systems, possibly even a panelized roof. Getting it under roof is actually the easy, quick part. It only takes a few men to set 12x30 floor panels. 1 or 2 guys can set each wall panel. The're regularly built in 12' sections.(12'-13' is the magic number on a lot of this stuff due to transport regulations, i.e. "Wide Load".) Here's the kicker about the show that always blows me away. They never have any problems. I run into architectural problems 10 times a day. 80% of all prints I recieve from Licensed architects are unbuildable as is. Maybe that doesn't make good tv.

I can tell you from being a truss designer, some jobs get built and sit in the lumber yard for months at a time before shipping, then sit exposed at the site for who knows how long. True story. Just yesterday I rebuilt a lot for the 2nd time. The builder keeps changing the model for the lot after he places the order. I have 2 whole houses sitting outside right now waiting for someone to want them. One is nearly 9 months old. We use moisture meters. Trusses are stored outside, tarped, sitting on blocks spaced not greater than 10' to get off the ground. (or at least that's what is supposed to happen. If I go out there right now, that's probably not what I'll see.) I used to be the lead designer for a major national supplier you all know, 2 numbers in the name, it was scary the stuff they sent out of those yards sometimes. If you have a chance to educate the frames on mold, take the opportunity. Maybe they might refuse delivery or get some evaluation before installing the things. Though, that's a lot to ask with a crane sitting there charging him $150 and hour.

For wood trusses... http://www.woodtruss.com/ http://www.tpinst.org/ They'll force you to buy any form or document though and there aren't PDFs available on the net. They're very protective of that content.