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Hi Randy, Well, I don't know about you, but I've never been afraid that a new inspector whom I've trained is going to take business away from me, so I'm not shy about letting folks ride along with me. If you're purchasing a home, who would you rather hire, someone with a lot of experience and a good rep or someone with almost no experience and no past customers to provide references? This business is tough enough without us turning up our nose to those willing to take a shot at it. They'll pick up work when we're too booked to do it and eventually will begin getting referrals from past customers and past customers' friends, etc. and their business will gradually grow and shouldn't affect our own; unless we're doing a lousy job. The only time I won't want to help a new guy is when I know that the inspector involved is a crook or one of these guys who's only interested in cranking out 5 - 6 half-assed 1-hour inspections a day. Guys like that I've got no use for. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Wonder how that's going to play itself out? It should really not affect that many already practicing inspectors. Figure it out, it's 18 months to the experienced inspector drop dead date. Only those practicing inspectors who, as of now, have been in business less than 8 months are affected. How many could that number be? It's the new people getting into the business here now who it will really impact. For one thing, there's only one school in the state that teaches a 120+ hour course, so other schools need to begin upping their game. I really don't see the 40 hours of supervised training as being that difficult to do. It's one week out of someone's life riding around with an established/licensed inspector and getting supervised training - essentially doing the guy's inspections with him breathing down your shirt collar. Finish that, take the written test, provide them proof of education, proof of the 40 hours, proof that you've passed the test and you've got the license. Not really much of a bar at all, unfortunately, but it's better than nothing. Two years ago, if she'd gotten her home inspector registration bill through, it would have been: One hundred sixty hours of training; a combination of classroom education and field training, where seventy-five percent of the applicant's time is spent in classroom education and twenty-five percent in field training. That would have been the sole requirement under her original bill and would have applied to everyone. It was perfect for the burger flippers and a dream for the one school in the state that has a 160 hour course. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Stewart, Welcome, we're always happy to have electrical pros stop by. Did you read the thread on the KY Home Inspector's Licensing Board's prohibition against inspectors expounding on the FPE panels? If so, what's your take? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Brandon, Here's the specific language contained in the law: Reciprocity. Persons licensed in other states that have licensing requirements that meet or exceed the requirements of this state may become licensed if they pass the Washington portion of the written exam. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi All, I'll be following with an article soon but I thought HI's here in Washington State would like to know that ESSB 6606 was signed by Governor Gregoire about 2-1/2 hours ago. Washington is now a licensed state. Inspectors who've got more than 100 inspections under their belts and have been in the business for more than 2 years, will be required to pass a state-mandated inspector's competency test with a Washington State Component by September of 2009 to be licensed. Those who will not have been in the business more than 2 years and won't have completed at least 100 inspections by September 2009 will have until July of 2010 to garner 120 hours of home inspection education, complete 40 hours of supervised training with a licensed inspector, and then pass the state-mandated inspector's competency test with a Washington State Component. Bottom line, experienced inspectors need to start studying for the test, and those who right now have been in the business less than about 8 months need to start garnering their 120 hours of training, start looking for a supervised training partner, and also start studying for the test. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

That was my very first thought, even before I read any of this post; and the guy who boarded over that garage overhead door and stuck that lame looking door in the center of that space should be smacked upside the head. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, First, if you're referring to a short framed wall between the underside of your floor platform and the top of the foundation, it's not a kneewall; it's a cripple wall - kneewalls are found in attics. It it's a cripple wall, framing it is easy, it's getting the old one out and the new one in that's a problem. A customer of mine who's new home I'd just inspected, whose purchase of a new house was contingent on the sale of her old house, called me up in a panic a few years ago because she'd had a similar $90,000 quote given to her for the same thing - I wonder if the contractor who'd quoted you that has changed locals. Anyway, I told her to call a local house moving firm as well as a framing contractor. The first to see what it would cost to temporarily put the house on steel and cribbing so that the old cripple walls could all be torn out at once; the second to pre-fabricate and skin new cripple walls, remove the old one's, install the new ones, secure the house and foundation to them, and side them. She ended up getting quotes to correct the whole thing for a total of less than $20,000, then rolled credit for that cost into her transaction, and got her house sold. A contractor can do that job in a fraction of the time when he doesn't have to screw around with supporting the structure and constantly moving jacks and braces around. The cost of having the house moving guy come in and stabilize things so that the contractor can quickly pre-fab the cripple walls and then get them installed was well worth it in her case. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I've written till I'm blue in the face about drip edging. If you want my point of view, do a word search for "drip" in the roofing forum and you'll have it. OT - OF!!! M.

And one quote taken out of context doesn't tell the whole story. OT - OF!!! M.

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An article in the online edition of Fine Homebuilding will help you understand the various types of PEX system configurations and why each is used. To read the entire article click here.

This article in the online edition of Fine Homebuilding describes a method used by Building Scientist Joe Lstiburek to flash replacement windows. To learn more, click here.

An article in Fine Home Building's online edition by master plumber Rex Cauldwell will help inspectors understand some of the issues that cause low water pressure and what can be done to correct them. The read more, click here.

An experiment using fuel cells at 150 households in Fukuoka, Japan, began in February and will test the use of environmentally friendly household fuel cells for supplying electric power and heat. The experiment claims to be the world's first example of setting up household fuel cell systems on such a large scale. The fuel-cell system will extract hydrogen from LPG to generate its power/energy. To read more click here

The US Green Building Council's newest education webinar series, concludes on April 9 with The Delivery Process session. This series is brought to you in partnership with Environmental Design + Construction. Upon completing this 60-minute webinar, you will be able to: • define the role of builders and design professionals in LEED for Homes • understand the role of LEED for Homes Providers • describe the LEED for Homes certification process For more information about this webinar and other USGBC offerings click here.

Hanley Wood Exhibitions, which owns and manages the International Roofing Expo (IRE), has issued a call for presentations to educators, consultants and specialists who want to share their knowledge and business expertise as presenters for the 2009 International Roofing Expo's educational conference program to be held Feb. 3-5, 2009, at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. If you're interested in presenting a program click here for more information.

The National Roofing Contractor's Association (NRCA) University is offering six educational seminars in April: Roof Repair and Maintenance, April 1-3, in Chicago Maximizing the Life of Your Roof: Implementing a Roof Asset Management Program, April 4, in Chicago Performance Technology for Roof Systems, April 14-17, in Boston Advanced Roofing Technology, April 18, in Boston Roofing Industry Fall Protection From A to Z, April 24, in Denver For Foremen Only, Level 1, April 25, in Denver, CO To learn more click here.

According to this article in Hanley-Wood's Builder, new housing starts for February were down 33% from the same time period last year. To read the entire article click here

Need a convenient source for portable power that's a little more robust than the battery on your laptop and isn't limited to the reach of the cord to your car's cigarette lighter? Check out the Xantrex HP600 Powerpack.

This article in Business Week provides some tips for small businesses seeking to reduce the stress of dealing with the tax man every year. To read the entire article click here

On March 31st 2007, the World Wildlife Federation and The Sydney Morning Herald invited all individuals, companies, organizations, and the government in Sydney, Australia, to turn off their lights for just one hour on March 31, 2007. More than 2 million residents and businesses participated, resulting in a 10.2% reduction in energy. Word of the success of this experiment has spread, and on March 29th, 2008, at 8 p.m., cities across the U.S., Canada, and throughout the world are planning to “turn out the lights.â€

This article by REMODELING contributor Joe Stoddard gives the scoop on Global Positioning Systems, highlighting what to look for if you’re interested in getting one for yourself or for your business. To read more, click here.

This article on how to properly detail metal roofs was first printed in the Feb-Mar 2005 issue of Metal Roofing Magazine. To read more click here

You can advance your roofing expertise and earn professional recognition by participating in NRCA University's Roofing Technologist Certificate Program. This certificate indicates you have completed coursework to attain proficiency in roofing technology, including roof system types, roof system design and basic installation. Program requirements include submitting an application, completing all curriculum coursework within three years and passing a proctored comprehensive final exam. For more information, click here.

The recent ups and downs in the credit market have caused jitters in commercial real estate circles, even talk of a "meltdown." "History has taught us that when the federal government begins to enter the financial markets in order to try and fend off material negative news, the economy and consumer confidence responds by consolidating its positions and retracting," said Donald A. Shapiro, CEO of Foresite Realty Partners. CoStar Group. To read more, click here.