jseddy

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

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.

^^^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.

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.

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.

I called a couple manufacturers and couldn't get a specific answer from anyone. Maybe I'll google "projector fires" and "home theater fires" and see what we get.

Anyone know what temperature those front projectors can reach in an unventilated ceiling box-out?

Hmmmm, crawl space monkey cams. I can probably get a couple loner monkeys from the Columbus zoo, though I've been told, "never work with monkeys or babies". Jeff Remas, I'm really not taking it as discouragement from you guys. I'm just realizing the hard truth as well.

Hausdok, Yeah, what you said. I'm starting to think my best bet might to be drawing up a proposal and seeing what some of the larger companies think about them. I'm still convinced I have a number of viable ideas for this.It's just realizing them. I don't want to say I'm discouraged, though I am, but that is rarely helpful. I just need to go a different direction. Hopefully.

Just thought I'd update you guys on this little project. AAARRRGHH! That's about it. I'm running into every issue you guys have mentioned so far. Plus a new Windows is on the way. More ass kickings welcome.

Very nice. I like your wording, Mike. I certainly wouldn't want to hear about some tradgedy this leads to on a home I did.

Just ran through an older track builder that we're building an addition for. There's a BR in the finished basememt now. Obviously it's a Code violation. Looks like it was finished by the owner. There are smoke detectors in the room, hallway leading to the room and at the bottom of the stairs, but man alive, I wouldn't want to have to get out of there in a hurry. I'm not at the home in a HI capacity but have any of you guys run into this and how did you handle the wording, especially if the home is "listed" with that BR? What about older tri-levels that have the two or three 26" tall windows?

I have only seen a couple of forms specific to a draw inspection. I'm creating my own and have used a bank's in the past, but it only had about 10 checks they were looking for throughout the construction. Just don't want to miss anything especially if my logo and name are on the top. Thanks. Jeff

Kurt, WOW! You didn't walk that did you? BALLS if you did. I tell you what, in defence of that situation, I can't say anything "engineered" today could stand up to that. SPF and Hm-fir is NOT oak or what anyone 60 years ago would have chosen. slightly off topic- if you think about it, they don't even really build in europe. They don't have a "housing explosion" to speak of. even more off topic- what do they call a 2x4, 2x6.... in other countries? I'm serious. I've never thought of it till now. I asked a buyer at my Co. and he didn't know.

Kurt, As an engineer for a truss manufacturer, I agree with your assessment in general. BUT, let me give you guys a typical scenario that could happen to any house. Let's say I'm designing a truss to span 48ft and is tied into a girder that spans across the garage 16ft. into the garage. I decide to pick up the garage/entry wall as bearing to reduce the load on the girder so I have a three point bearing truss. (outside wall-garage wall @32ft-girder=48ft.) Now the big problem here is uplift. With 3 points I've essentially created a lever. As a "standard" designed truss, this will never work. The truss will fail, upgrade lumber, require a specific web pattern. I take that into account but may still have to work to get it above industry standards. Add 2#s/f (maybe less)and that whole dynamic has changed. The wind hitting the far side is acting like a kid pushing down on a seesaw and now has a multiplied effect and in extreme cases can rip the girder off the wall. In the very minimum case, any hurricane tiedown is now inadequate. That got me thinking, since I'm new, maybe I can help earn my keep. I can post a list of material loads if you guys think it might be useful. Asphalt shingles, slate, 5/8", 3/4", concrete flooring, comp. shingles, sheetrock, yadda yadda. I've got a huge design list I go through every hour.

Homenspector, Give me the details of span, pitch and size and I'll run you an engineered truss profile tomorrow with 3 layers of comp. compared to standard design loads. I can post the results or even email you anything interesting that comes up. For anything more specific I need to know if it's hipped and if there are ceiling conditions within the house. A tray or cathedral will make a HUGE difference on what materials might "bump" up to in design. I don't know what your loading is in AZ, but here in OH it's 25, 10, 10, 90mph gust/wind unless specified otherwise. I expect your wind may be less.

Well, you could definitely cook Ramen noodles with this water. I'm assuming(yet again, I'll get to researching what you provided Hausdok) it's roughly the same as those hot/cold watercoolers. I found a trade magazine at work, Building Component Magazine, and apparently there are now industrial size as well as portable units and eemax is soliciting builders in some areas, which gets me to wondering. The house I ran into this was a 5 year old track builder.

Mike, thanks that's great. I measured the temp at the faucet. It was immediately hot to nearly scalding and I made mention of it to learn there was an electric heater involved. I checked under the sink and it's not visable, apparently placed in the wall. I could not track any wiring or where it tied into the plumbing. However there is a washroom/mud room opposite the shared wall. Nothing though I suspect the wall had been padded out. Obviously it's not servicable if needed. I'm a newb at this and I'm taking a mentor to get settled in, so I was tagging along. The inspector didn't seem more concered than just making a note of it. Something just didn't seem right to me so good time to educate myself.