mgbinspect

FWIW, Leo Leporte, "The tech guy" on talk radio declared Windows 7 (tongue in cheek) right up there with Mac '98. His point was that Mac had such a good OS, way back when, that they rested, and Windows (via 7) has pretty much, finally, caught up. He says Windows 7 is great and, while usually telling folks to wait a while when a new Windows version comes out, said "JUMP ON IT" when Window 7 came out. One of my hobbies has been building "buckle your seat belt" PCs from the motherboard on up, with the most RAM available, at any given point in time. Through that, I got to know the local PC repair guy in our area and pick his brain often. Like Leo, he usually says hold off on new Windows versions, but also said, "Get it!", when Windows 7 came out. So, I did, and I like it a lot.

My only complaint with SugarSync is that, when I'm not doing things that I need backed up, I need to shut it down, because it's SO on top of keeping files in sync. It will at times during the sync process cause things to slow for a moment. That's what I've literally gotten in the habit of doing - exiting it in the tray, when I don't need it doing its thing.

Gee... I've been really reluctant to respond to this thread, but I guess I've got to be fair to Mainstreet hosts. I've haggled with them a few times and gotten some impressive results for very little money. My site's always done pretty well, mostly because it's been around for sixteen years or so, coming up in maybe the first two or three pages in an internet search. Now, I come up first page and darn near the top on most of the usual search phrases. So, I have to give them a thumbs up until they screw up. [:-wiltel]

It doesn't sound good to me, but I am the last person who should be offering advice on cleaning it up. I'd appreciate any editing/ help you could provide. Jeez, what a train wreck of rambling incomplete declarations! It is way too wordy for what he's trying to state. How about something short and sweet like: "We've been proudly serving the best interests of home buyers since 1999."

In case it's helpful, I work from four different PCs (a netbook, a laptop, a desktop and a server). I need the most current version of many files to be available on all of those PCs, at any given time. SugarSync has met my need perfectly, backing up EVERY file on my list, the very instant it is closed from a modifacation. All of my most important files are kept in what's called the "Magic Briefcase", which not only backs those files to the internet, but instantly syncs them on all four PCs. It's invaluable. Randy Nav uses it also, and seems to be equally happy with it.

FWIW, Philadelphia's City Hall, to this day, still holds the world record for the tallest load bearing structure on the planet topping out at 548 feet or roughly 54 stories of good ole' solid masonry.

Well, there you go. that means that in a perfect world, even using the lower psi rating, that block can support 80 tons! (considerably less if it's cored.) The average frame house is between 50 - 100 tons I think. All that info is floating around in here from past threads.

Search the thread "The Mightly Brick" here at TIJ. If memory serves, I believe, based upon average total gross home weights provided by the manufactured home industry, fifty homes stacked was accurate.

Ha! I'm on the road... sorry.. just google a solid block - pretty much the same..

These aren't fragile systems. Any masonry foundation is made up of materials with psi ratings that make supporting a lil" ole' house a walk in the park. If you do the math, you can probably stack fifty house on top of each other on the typical house foundation. It's akin to using a 4x4 as a foundation for an empty milk carton.

Each block width (grouted and ungrouted) is rated to hold back, as a retaining wall or bulkhead, varying soil depths. So, they may have reduced block thickness because a thicker and more expensive unit wasn't required, or they may have simply been using up their misc. locks to get rid of them.

Well, but I see this mistake fairly often, Mike, and lots of times the bricks are loose and can be moved by hand. Look at the upper/right corner of Ben's photo. The mortar's cracked and I'll bet the brick is loose. I ALWAYS say this should be repaired. Agreed. If it's a danger, that changes everything. I'm just not a "it's wrong fix it guy." when it comes to masonry, that can land you in the immortal home inspector category, as folks say, "My God! What happened to your brickwork?" and the owner responds, "This was my home inspector's idea of a necessary repair." ... Oops... In ALL situations similar to this one (cosmetic more than a real problem), I begin with a verbal discussion, like my previous post - essentially "it is what it is". Then, after being the voice of education and reason, I ask my client, "Where do you wish to go with this?" I honor my client's desire in cases like this.

Me personally, I'd disclose it as an unconventional brick veneer installation - not a structural issue - just a really lousy veneer job. As long as the frieze isn't remover, the brick's not going anywhere, and since it (the brick) bears no weight, repairs or modifications aren't paramount and will become more of an eye-sore than the existing condition. It's unfortunate, but not a threat to structure or safety concern. (Maybe when I see a bigger picture of it than on my phone, I might change my mind about the threat to safety) In short, I'd fully disclose it as what it is: a cosmetic mess; an improper use of materials; a bad detail; all pretty much cosmetic.

Hmm... as far back as I can remember, there is always about six to seven inches between the top of the window and the bottom of the frieze board, which acommodated a soldier or jack arch nicely. That seems to work about right with the fact that windows tend to be about twelve to fourteen inches down from the ceiling. Allowing for regional differences...the top of windows and doors are generally at 7'. With 8' ceilings, this puts the bottom of the ceiling joists at 97" from the subfloor. If the rafters sit on top of the walls, alongside the joists, the elevation of the structural frieze board depends on the pitch of the roof and the width of the overhang. An 18" overhang at a 6/12 pitch is a 9" drop. Add to that the height of the plumb cut on the bird's mouth and you have only 2 1/2" left which is the measurement from the frieze to the window RO. Lots of variations and details on that within a given region, but that's a common scenario in my area, including my own house. Marc Indeed, and Richmond being of the religion of the Colonial Williamsburg Replica, the scenario I descibed prevails here - limited overhang.

Hmm... as far back as I can remember, there is always about six to seven inches between the top of the window and the bottom of the frieze board, which acommodated a soldier or jack arch nicely. That seems to work about right with the fact that windows tend to be about twelve to fourteen inches down from the ceiling.

Back in my masonry days, even with a lintel present, the frieze was almost always in place, which was nice, because you could slide the brick up in behind the board to rest tightly against it, which made for a nice tight fit. But, we'd have NEVER installed brick on a window head without support. Even the formal request to do so would have been met with bewilderment and vehement resistance.

Interesting detail... The rendering really appears to show a typical 10" or 12" concrete block, given away by the slot in the middle, which permits a mason to easily cut the unit into half units with a brick hammer or chisel. Yet, the text identifies it as a brick. I never ran across a brick with such a generous core. That is indeed a lame installation. Fortunately, it's just the one soldier course and it's not structural. It appears that, if one pulls the frieze board, the soldier will fall right out of the wall. Nice! I fear there are no true masons left....

You should be ashamed of yourself for knowing that. No one is supposed to know that. I say, Good show, old chap... [:-tophat] Yes... I believe that actually is some form of welcome symbol for the satanic... [:-hspin]

Kinda sad, we're so subconsciously commercialized... definitely a roof line I wouldn't have... It's a hip roof style on steroids.

Chrysler...

George, I suppose it's not cricket to push service providers here, but if you are looking for a company that can do what you're looking for, I've had great success with one. Just send me a private message.

I think you've got it right. According to the specs, it doesn't sound very promising as a remedy to an existing condition, because getting an excavated "positive side" surface clean enough to recieve the application will be practically mission impossible.

Dunno, Do we really need one? OT - OF!!! M. Nah, I suppose not. Commercial questions seem to get handled anyway. Curiousity just go the best of me. [:-hspin]

Not to mention that if you look at the cut end of the wire you can clearly see that it's coated copper wiring. Hire old guys!

Congrats on the added expertise! I took a two day course put on by Kaplan in 2006, which was pretty good - also a lot crammed into such a short period of time. No doubt CD course is probably a better course with better course books, but the Kaplan reference material is still pretty good - two huge books. I've got the entire CD Home Inspection course, which I bought many years ago just as reference material and it's amazing. CD puts out nice stuff. Good luck with Commercial Inspections. I only do light commercial buildings, but the buyers of such properties seem to always be easy to work with - reasonable folks with realistic expectations. So, does this mean you'll be adding a Comercial Inspection Forum to TIJ?