hausdok

Yeah Steve, But people don't buy the Kilbasy flanges anymore because they only work with left-handed slobber daubers. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

That's a shame, I suspect though that it's a quality of work issue. I bet if you flew over to Germany and took a tour of a hundred basements to look at boilers you wouldn't be able to find a single one doing that. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Maybe you accidentally pushed delayed start and it waited the length of delayed start that it's been programmed for. I've done that once or twice. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Well, That's a voided warranty for sure. If you hired someone to inspect that house before you bought it, he/she's got some 'splainin' to do. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Yeah, Here's why; the guys whose name is on the company letterhead don't do the building anymore. Around here the work is subbed out to the same foundation contractors, framing contractors, window and door contractors, siding contractors, roofing contractors, wiring contractors, HVAC contractors, plumbing contractors, drywall contractors regardless of who the builder is. Up to the point where the floor and wall finishes and the fixtures, appliances and countertops go in the homes are identical in quality and technique and the only difference to that point is location, size and style. So, you can purchase a Quadrant Home, which is supposed to be the equivalent of a Chevy Aria in quality around here in comparison to a Burnstead home which is supposed to be like the Mercedes M classl; and they've been built by exactly the same guys using products from exactly the same manufacturer's up until the point where the final finishes start going in. The dumbass roofer and the dumbass siding guy over there probably both end up on many of the same jobs. And yes, it is an epidemic. The term custom home seems to be a joke anymore. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

That's just dumb. Looks like they brought in the siding guy before they put the roof cover on and both the siding guy and the roofing guy lacked the ability to use common sense. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I'll put an example below. (url="put the site url between the quotes")Now give it the title you want(/url) Now, wherever I used parenthesis symbols replace the parenthesis symbols with the appropriate left or right bracket like these []. When you click submit entry the software will display the words you wanted as a hotlink. You can display that hot link in lines of words or as a simple one or two word link such as Click or Click Here. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Just got back to my computer and re-read what I put here. Jeez, it sounds really really harsh. I just turned 61 and I think I'm becoming even more of a curmudgeon than my Dad had been at my age. For that I apologize; please understand I wasn't trying to denigrate you or be critical of your hard work - you obviously have skills because that's a thorough report and I can't argue much with anything you've told them - it's just that reports seem to set me off sometimes. I am trying to help - as is everyone else above. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Richard, I've seen that many times. Lots of times the metal frames that 'goop' is in gets all rusted. Normally see it on the sunny south and west sides of the house. The east and north sides, where the sunlight is less, sometimes fail too albeit more slowly. I normally stick that kind of thing in the interior section but a broken pane I put in the exterior section 'cuz it's the weather envelope. Works for me anyway. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

This kind of layout drives me a little nuts, 'cuz there's too much stuff going on. - Do you email the report to the client? If you do, scrub the cover letter from the report and make it your email that delivers the final product to the client and make the report an attachment to the email. One page eliminated from the report. - If you feel that you must put tips on how to read the report in the report, put them in the back and reference them in a footnote someplace up front. Another page between the cover and the actual report eliminated. - If you feel that you must include the invoice in the report than put it in the back. He/she already knows what was paid for the inspection anyway. If they paid by check the cancelled check is as good as an invoice. Another page between the cover and the actual report eliminated. - You know what the problem is with conventions? You have to explain them. Why not lead with what needs to be done to fix a problem so that the reader can quickly find and zero in on those things that the reader feels are critical without wading through all of the conventions and text to figure out what it's about. Instead of saying: Safety Issue: There are double-sided dead bolts and lock sets at the residence. This type of lock requires a key to unlock the door from the inside and can resent an obstacle to anyone trying to flee in the event of a fire. I strongly recommend replacing by a locksmith (noted at front and rear entryway doors) Photo 7. Say Replace the double-sided dead bolts and lock sets at the front and rear entries: Double sided bolts (see photo right) are a safety hazard because they'll slow down someone's escape if there is a fire. Have a locksmith replace them. Remove your every-report recommendations from the observations and move it to somewhere else so it won't clutter up the list of issues. For instance, if as far as you can tell there aren't any pest issues but you want to recommend that they get a pest inspection just to cover your ass put that in the back someplace and don't mix it in with the stuff that you actually found wrong with the house. Item #23 about smoke alarms is another example. #28 - the location of the furnace filters is another one that shouldn't be mixed in with the deficient issues and should be somewhere in the descriptive narrative. - I personally hate the idea of sticking the summary report up front. It means the client, who has never seen one of these reports before and has no idea how they are formatted, has to wade through the entire summary before actually getting to "the" report that he or she paid for. If you want to send a summary report, include it as a second attachment to the email wherein you've sent the report to the client and clearly deliniate it as such. Three more pages eliminated between the cover and the nitty gritty. - Never "monitor" stuff that's wrong. For instance, a rotted subfloor over a crawlspace. If it's actually 'rotten'to the point where you can see deterioration it needs to be repaired, not looked at. Today it looks fine but it's out of sight and out of mind. If it's left there, how often do you think they'll climb down there to "monitor" it? Once a year? Rot gives off an odor that attracts wood destroying insects. If subterranean termites find that soft rotting subfloor and take up residence, they can make deep inroads into a structure in a year. By not telling them to remove a food source that attracts WDI, you are aiding and abetting the very insects you hope to keep out. - Why "monitor" a chimney crown that's been caulked due to failing mortar? The caulk told you there is an issue with the stack. Recommmend they get it fixed. Get the chimneystack worked on: The caulking that's applied to the chimney and chimney crown is a bandaid concealing crumbling mortar and a deteriorating crown. A deteriorating crown and crumbling mortar are only going to allow more water into the stack that will make that deterioration worse. Caulk can't fix that. Have a reputable brick mason touchup/repoint the mortared joints of the chimneystack and replace the crown as necessary. - Why are you "verifying" damage you noted. You saw damage by wood-destroying insects that might have occurred prior to construction but now you are saying verify it? Isn't that what you just did and stated? Bottom line; you and I are hired to make the tough calls. Make 'em! Yes, pleeeeeeeease ditch the passive voice. Repair/Replace: A previous or active leak (not noted at the time of the inspection) was observed at the temperature-pressure relief valve (TPR) extension paipe and may be the cause of the leak nonte inthe Structural Section of this report-Verify. (Also, the extension pipe does not extend to within 6: of the flor (may be impossible due to installed plumbing below the pipe) and the end of the pipe appears to be threaded (code/manufacturer violation). This also applied to the TPR valve serviceing the hot water boiler. Replacement is recommended Photos 18 & 19 of hot water boiler TPR extension). Mama Mia! Signs of a previous leak and rotting wood that resulted from a previous leak are an entirely different issue from a screwed up TPR valve configuration which is the current issue. Leave the conjecture about the previous leak you suspect out of this particular observation and use it where it applies such as with the rotted wood issues. Try this. Correct some screwed up TPR discharge pipes: There are safety devices on the water heater and boiler known as TPR valves. The discharge pipes attached to these devices (see photos right) are required to extend to within six inches of the floor and the ends are not supposed to be threaded. Neither pipe extends to within six inches of the floor and both pipes have threaded ends. Have a licensed plumber correct both of these now. Don't waste words on stuff that doesn't need it. Improve/Upgrade: There are hazards presented by missing screws at the service entrance panel. Recommendation: Install proper screws as appropriate. I'm picturing a power-point presentation about electrical hazards being given by a baton that's floating in the air because it's wielded by a "missing" screw. Why are we improving/upgrading this when it simply needs to be fixed? I'd prefer this: 22. Replace the missing screws at the service entrance panel. Your client will understand that; however, knowing that agents can't seem to understand what to do with a common sense statement and would wonder if there should be some additional commentary, you could write. 22. Replace the missing screws at the service entrance panel:Further comment isn't necessary. That way the agents won't have an embolism wondering what to do. - Unless the SOP is required as an enclosure in the report, I wouldn't provide them a copy. Put the URL to the SOP on the bottom of your contract and when you are briefing them prior to the inspection about what standard you'll be inspecting to, point at that URL and tell them to go there to see specifically what you are required to do and aren't required to do. Another six pages eliminated. - The maintenance advice is nice to have but I'd send it as a separate attachment to the email. I send the report as an attachment to an email that essentially is your cover letter. If they've paid cash or have requested an invoice, the invoice is a second attachment. I ask them to review the report and then to call me with any questions or concerns so that we can discuss them. I tell them to let me know by return email or by phone if they'll want a summarized version of the report. I don't include the summary with the email because I want them to read the entire report first. If I send the summary report along with the full report, I know damned well from past experience that the agent and most clients won't bother to actually read the entire report. That can cause a client to get an incomplete picture of what I saw and what my take on it was. I prepare the summary when I finish the full report; and then, once they've had time to read the full report, I send a second email with the summary report attached. If I were sending a full report with the stuff that you have, my first email would be the cover letter with the full report and invoice attached; the maintenance advice and the SOP would be sent as separate attachments to the follow-on email along with the summarized version. Works for me. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I agree, they look exactly like the circuit breakers I sometimes see inside fan coil units. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I can hear Elvis singing to the melody, I'm All Shook Up.... Ah, ah, uummm, Ah, ah, uummm, baaabeee, it's all screwed up. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

The screws and nuts are there 'cuz someone tampered with it. The cover and pull block were one unit. When that cover/pull block is in place the two blades on the pull block engage the contacts circled in the photo below. Someone unscrewed those screws and the nuts fell inside. They're lucky they didn't short something out and cause an arc flash. Click to Enlarge 38.67?KB ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Agree with Kurt except make sure you get the wood in early and sticker it in an out-of-the-way place. That means busting ass to finish one room way ahead of the others so that the stack won't get disturbed. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Nah, For real results you have to give it the lick test. [:-tong2] ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

That looks like a pullblock inner door. It looks like the block was supposed to be screwed to the portion on the bottom of the photo in the first picture and someone unscrewed it. Are those the screws and nuts there - did you remove them? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

That looks like a 10% moisture reating - not 100%. My meter only goes to 99.9 - it never displayes 100. Got a dog there that might typically exit that door to relieve himself and might use that wall if someone doesn't immediately open the door? My little guy seems to always demand to go out at about the point where his bladder is going to burst. Even the slightest hesitation on my part enroute to the door has resulted in "accidents" near the entrance. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Reaction of the zinc in the galvanizing to some sort of VOC in the air of the basement. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

It's a 23 year old unit and it was designed to last about twenty years. Time to start looking for alternatives. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I'm assuming you don't have a crawlspace or basement from which you can access that from below? Around here, they'd just go into the crawlspace, reach up through the opening for the drain. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Yep, Am'a still livin in them thar dark ages. I still don't got wun uf them thar infry red doohickies and am'a still climin' 'round on roofs and typin' out full narrativity reeports. Eyup, eyup. Wun Teem - Wun Fyt Mike

How do you frame a shot in the viewfinder and adjust your exposures from the bottom of the pole? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

It might have been an addition added over an old patio. The patio was sloped to drain. When they built on top of it they had to add another layer of concrete to level it up and bring it level with the rest of the floors. When you take pictures of somethiing you'd like folks to evaluate, take establishing shots from far enough back to show what we're looking on. Straight on and then left and right and the move in and take detail shots of the area you want to focus on. That enables us to see what you are talking about in the setting it's in. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Like any accessory, I just explain to the client that accessories and nice-to-have items that have nothing to do with the function of the house are outside the scope of the inspection and that I'm primarily concerned with how they are attached/plumbed/wired to the house's systems. I open and close them one time to ensure they actually function and then tell the client that I'm not warranting the thing - that if it fails as I back my car out of the driveway don't call me - call an awning guy. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hee Hee, Bet if you'd contacted Ameri-vent they would have said the same thing but recommended replacing all Dura-Vent materials with Ameri-Vent materials. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike