davidlord

Did the moisture meter or thermal cam detect active moisture?

Looks like powder post beetle damage

Click to Enlarge 65.01 KB

Its going to be 57 here in St Augustine tonight. Think I'll go start a fire in the fire pit and make smores with the kids.

The owner must be european

Since its gas just install a tankless unit. No more stinky water.

Most of those newly licensed Florida inspectors dont really inspect much. Talking with a contractor last week and he told me he had done 10 inspections this year. I did 426 in 2011 and 226 so far this year as of 6/25. I know the market is different throughout the country but its busy here. My pest control company is also busy. The economy does not suck at the Lord household. Its not all gloom and doom as the mainstream trys to sell. There are positive examples out there as well.

Looks like a sawtoothed grain beetle to me. The pointed projections on the sides makes me think so.

I'm currently shopping for another inspection vehicle for myself. I was driving a 2007 GMC Sierra (basic work truck) that worked well for me. We just hired a new pest control tech so I switched my truck over to the pest control company for him to drive. I'm driving my personal F350 diesel dually right now and lets just say that it is not the ideal inspection vehicle. I don't need 440hp and 760fptq to do inspections with. It is great for towing my big travel trailer though. I will probably purchase another basic work truck like the one I had or an F150 but the HHR has crossed my mind. I don't do the debt thing either so I always buy used and pay cash.

Ive accepted credit cards from day one. I say make it easy for folks to pay you. I have alot of clients that I never see so a credit card means I get paid. If a small transaction fee is gumming up the works I need to either charge more or do something else. I personally don't own a credit card but use a debit card daily.

I use an iPhone. I have an iPad, laptop (pc), and desktop. I use MobileMe ($100 a year). I can input info on any one of my devices and it syncs the info on all of the automatically.

432 inspections last year and not one person wanted me to come back and "go over" anything. I do get the occasional email or phone call about something specific and most of the time its in the report they just failed to read it. I build the report on my laptop at the kitchen counter while i do the inspection. I insert the pics later and email that evening or the following morning. What works for some does not for others. You have to find what best works for your style. I don't think my way is the best and olny way it should be done its just the best way for me. On another note the home inspection software folks just don't seem to be willing to get on the Mac train. All of the venders at Inspection World in Atlanta either say they are thinking about it or just say they aren't going there. They are all fast to say their software will work on a Mac but not native or either their out there in the cloud. They seem to think the windows based phone is the ticket. There was one group that had a decent application for doing 4-point and wind mitigation forms on either an iPhone or iPad. That was about as exciting as it got. Everything else was the same stuff i've been seeing for the last 12 years.

I have the iphone 4. Great tool. I get great reception everywhere except inside my house.

Not sure about that Jim. I'll have to ask.

RP runs in MS Word. I could run RP on a Mac if I use BootCamp or the like which isn't out of the question but would rather not have to do that.

I also use the laptop "hub" method and it has served me well over the last 12 years. I've been using ReportPlus since I started but I am going to be looking at the software venders in Atlanta at Inspection World. I want a system I can use on a Mac.

Got the TK15 in the mail today. The TK11 is now officially the backup. Great lights.

I just ordered the 15.

I just had a new Trane 15 seer heat pump system installed with a 4 ton condenser and a 5 ton variable speed evap.

Supposed to be in the 20's here in Florida (on the coast no less) tonight with wind chills in the 12-14 area. Low 70's Friday.

I'm going to install one of the GE Geospring units in my house just to experiment with. I'm going to leave the gas fired (propane) unit in place and install the heat pump unit next to it and valve it so I can use either or. I have a dedicated hot water circulation loop in my house as well. I just want to compare the performance and cost of the heat pump unit verses the gas fired unit.

My Mac just laughs at them.

The main desktop for my pest control company crapped out about 2 weeks ago. I use Carbonite so all data was preserved. Decided to replace it with a Mac. All I can say is I doubt I will ever purchase another non-Mac. Took it out of the box plugged in the only cord there is (power) and went to work. No virus software needed cause they don't get them. Took the new Airport Extreme out of the box connected it to the cable modem and instant wireless network shared printers and all. Got an ipad for service tech to use in the field. Logs into the main destop from the field via LogMeIn, gets his schedule, and completes the service tickets as completed and emails invoice to client. My report writing software that I use for the inspection biz works in Word so my desktop and laptop for that company are pc's but I will soon replace them with Mac's and just run Bootcamp or switch to a server based product or Mac compatible product. Yes the initial investment is expensive but the stuff just works. My new iPhone 4 arrived Friday. I'm all in.

Speaking of trunks. Not uncommon but rarely see them with the drawers and hangers. Click to Enlarge 66.23 KB

Never had anyone ask. I'm 6'2" 205 and buff at 45 thanks to Tony Horton and P90X.