Nolan Kienitz

I assume the house and compressor unit are the same age. Regardless, the HVAC dude is a wad for not remotely following compressor clearances to walls. Any idea what that clearance is supposed to be? Never heard of it before though it makes sense. Marc Typically its the manufacturer that recommends 18-inches. Nolan K.

I'm not a summary producing person for a lot of reasons. I also find it interesting that the summary is in the front of the report, but then each application does their report compilation differently. The application I use can automatically generate a summary from the core information I put in the report and I could configure it to put it at the front as well ... so i think that is just an application thing (I'm thinking out loud while keying here). RE: Summaries ... I leave it up to my report to convey the information and have been doing more and more like Kurt and use short or one line comments and images. To me, summaries are just a repeat of what I've already written and shown with images. Cutting way back on the many sentence narratives ... I'm just not a Pulitzer Prize level writer []

Kevin ... You could have a part-time job writing headlines for newspapers, but then there are getting to be fewer of them around much anymore. Darn good eye catcher for sure !! [^]

Yup. You can still get the belts that have clips that work with those brackets. Jerry, There you go ... a sideline. Window washing for that building and others with those pegs. Maybe on weekends !!

As noted above ... I do similar. T-Stat set to heat and turn the temp up to 90+. Wait for flame to ignite and burn a few minutes and be sure it is as blue as possible and then go back to A/C. If flame isn't blue then I have something else to write up ... even at 95+ degrees. Yesterday's home the attic was about 105-110. Certainly didn't leave the heat on for long. [:-bigeyes

I believe I'm seeing them packaged with all GDOs being sold and have also been seeing such labels in almost (repeat ... almost) all new home construction over the past 4-5 years. I do make note of it in my reports when it is not there.

Kurt, Which camera are you using these days? I'm still doing well with my Pentax Optio. Most of my data collection is via my camera, but I still have a small ring notebook in my hip pocket, but relying more and more on JPGs.

Only that there not not any pressure balancing valves present.

Assuming that there are single control valves installed. If traditional individual hot and cold valves are present I've seen different things.

Erby, Tnx ... got the message and sent Spatz the information for a good local Austin inspector. NEK

Spatz, If you do sign a contract for the property and start your option period it would be wise for an independent inspection on your behalf. Send me a message offline and I can provide you with some contacts in the Austin area who are extraordinary inspectors ... NOT "drive-bys". Nolan AT NolansInspections.com

Did you not have an inspection done on the home prior to closing? If you did (have it inspected) ... if there were any extreme situations your inspector should have noted same in a detailed report ... assuming you chose a good inspector rather than a "drive by" inspector. Your image shows a downspout with a missing extension and turnout and possibly missing splashblock or other extension to move water away from the foundation. The cracks (in the image) appear to be a superficial cracking in what might be a coat of mortar spread over the actual foundation beam for the sake of making it look 'nice'. IE: In other words: Cosmetic. Without more establishing images it is hard to say for sure. This is not to suggest that there are not any foundation issues with properties in Austin ... all depends upon many issues that are hard to discern from on image and not actually being able to inspect the property.

Lack of kickout on old roof has allowed for water stain on veneer below the roof.

I received an e-mail from the TREC Administrator (today - 06/03/13) advising me that TREC has posted the approved documents relating to the new SOP, Form Rules and 7-3 Form. I've attached those three PDFs to this message. The new SOP, Rules and Forum will be required as of 01/01/2014. It will be considered a "hot cut" from the old SOP/Forms to the new SOP/Forms. No overlaps allowed. New SOP: Download Attachment: 01012014_535.227-233_SOP.pdf 356.59?KB New Form Rules: Download Attachment: 01012014_535.223_ReportForoRules.pdf 280.14?KB New 7-3 Form: Download Attachment: 01012014_ABR_535.223_7-3_Template.pdf 49.8?KB .

Ditto here for what Kurt noted. Albeit I am quite "emphatic" in my bolded/underlined comment. []

My attorney told me several years ago to "leave 'em alone". Most of the litigation he was involved with (concerning home inspections) was related to swimming pools done by home inspectors who (more times than not) missed items that cost them big time. I don't inspect them. I'm fortunate in the D/FW market to have a contact who used to build pools, maintain pools and for the past 10+ years inspects pools as a contact resource for about 30 of the D/FW based inspectors. He is a walking encyclopedia of pools and proper maintenance and he is "independent" ... NOT related to any pool company or service. He is an honest pool inspector and advises of all the required safety items. He covers all pool/spa equipment, fences, doors/windows from the house to the pool (safety) and even provides information from TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission) as a matter of educating the clients. His fees for his inspection range from $125 to $175 and I do NOT take any kickbacks, spifs, etc.. I simply try to coordinate a slot in his calendar for my inspection time frame. He keeps threatening to "really retire", but then adds that he likes the additional income to help buy some toys for his grandkids.

While I was a technician with The Associated Press (in Texas) I used to get all sorts of similar directions to radio station transmitter/tower sites "out in the country". Actually made me feel 'at home' due to the Montana directions.

There is a Northwest Dallas neighborhood of Disney Streets of Midway Hills. Streets all have Disney names: Snow White Drive Pinocchio Drive Sleepy Lane Cinderella Lane Dwarfs Circle and so on ... Neighborhood that is sought after for families. Homes all single-story brick, about 2000 s.f., circa ~1950s and on 1/3 to 1/2 acre lots. Homes start at about $400K No this is not a real estate sales note ... just some information about the neighborhood.

Now that would be an image worth posting here at TIJ - [:-bigeyes

Input line to the toilet is possibly from the "hot water circuit". Was the water in the tank warm? I had a new home construction once that had 3/4 of all hot/cold lines reversed and I could have steamed hot dogs in the toilet tanks.

I've always used: "Ductboard Distribution Box" They are made out of "ductboard" and they "distribute" ... Like JL noted ... some company may have a fancier name in their catalog.

The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) approved the new SOP and report template 7-3 at their meeting in Austin this morning ... 05/06/2013. Effective date will be: 01/01/2014 The current SOP and approved templates (7A-1 and 7-2) will no longer be valid at that same day (01/01/2014). It is a hot cut from old to new with no overlap. Typical effective date for changes at TREC is usually September 1st, but in this case the Inspector's Advisory Committee wanted to allow some extra time to allow the software companies time to get their Texas-required templates changed in their systems and made available to their client base as appropriate. As soon as TREC finishes processing the SOP and template documents and makes them available I'll post them here. It will likely take a week or two for TREC to make the official documents ready. I already have the proposed documents in my files, but want to wait for TREC's official-final approved versions.

Just curious ... Has Frank retired?

"Some" new home builders raising the bar as well. Over the past year or so some builders in various Texas cities have also been ramping up insurance requirements for us 3rd party inspectors when a home-buyer wants us to provide our inspection/report. Builder won't let us on-site without a signed agreement/statement with copies of various minimal insurance requirements. One builder had these three items: E&O - $2M GL - $4M Auto - $1M They are not all that extreme, but this builder was getting away with it and pretty much stopping inspections by 3rd parties for the buyers.

I just went through the process and got a new/refurbished laptop from Dell with their business line called: Latitude. I've had Latitudes for years dating back to when I was with AT&T Labs. They are (for me) a rock solid laptop. The new unit is now my main inspection/business unit and I've moved the other laptop over to my Ham Radio work. The laptop I was using for my Ham Radio will soon be scrubbed and I'll be handing it down to my neices' kids. The new units all have Windows 7 and it works well for me as I migrated from XP-Pro that I really liked and was stable. W-7 might (repeat 'might') be as long term stable as XP-Pro at least for what I use the O/S for. I'm avoiding W-8 like the plague. With the two Dell Latitudes in my office/Ham Shack and the one my wife has we're currently at three in the household. After reading and re-reading posts from KM about Apple and their products I just couldn't bring myself to make that jump. I do have an iPhone and iPad and enjoy both very much, but figured I would be wrapping my mind around too many things to get things done that I can rather easily do now. I'm sure it is all about learning and understanding the Apple OS, but I just wasn't willing to step on that ice.