AHI in AR

I realize there aren't many Hawg fans out there except me, but those of you who like to see # 1's beaten need to pull for us Friday when we take on LSU. Unfortunately, the game is in Death Valley, and we're already banged up from the earlier games. Add to that the fact that we will likely (again) be without the services of one of our starting running backs. Looks anything but promising from where I sit. Brian's Bulldogs put up impressive passing numbers yesterday, but we held them to 80 yards rushing. It seems that our secondary wasn't quite as ready to play as the rest of the D. I've got friends in New Orleans that I generally see at least a couple of times a year. I need some bragging rights for those occasions even if the rest of our season was mediocre!

Enough, already. This thread is getting cilia and cilia with each additional posting...including this one.

OK, no more eggnog for you. It seems that it causes you to break out into poetry. [] Oh yeah...one last thing. I try to save my poofs for after I exit the crawlspace. That way I'm not trapped in there with them.

Man, some of you guys are harsh. I think we should at least give the operator in charge of the, uhhhh, wide load some credit for placing the load over a proper structural member which appropriately transfers the load to good ol' Mother Earth. And for the record, I saw no crack. It seems to be covered by a black form of camouflage.

I don't have the data in front of me, but in an earlier post someone gave a link to a website which deciphered manufacturer's date codes. However, my recollection of GE in particular is that they sold off their HVAC division sometime in the early 80's. Occasionally, I still see some of their heat pumps still in operation in condo's. Pretty durable stuff. But based on what I've seen, I would assume it's over 20 years old. Consider every day it works as a gift.

Thanks to everyone for the input. Your opinions and experiences pretty well parallel mine. Calls from the "dumb and cheap" are what I also got and they are not what I'm after. I have been wrestling with whether to drop the YP ad for the last 2 years. Looks like now's the time to do it.

Warning: thread drift! Ya know what ... it's funny. I signed up for this forum never imagining I would be exposed to the type of humor and, more importantly, the depth and breadth of knowledge represented here. I don't mean just home inspection knowledge. I hadn't thought a lot about good ol' Thorstein Veblen since my college years. I wrote a paper on The Theory of The Leisure Class during my freshman year. The course was called something like "The History of Western Thought". I don't remember exactly; after all, it was my freshman year. There was some beer involved. A liberal arts college does that to you. And now? Now I spend my days inspecting status symbol homes for those following their conspicuous consumption muse. Occasionally, those days involve crawling around in rodent droppings. I don't feel cheated.

No offense taken. And no, I'm not an Aggie. As I said in the first post, I have to wonder why the guys with the big ads keep using them if they don't produce. And if you'll see my follow-up post, you'll see that I make the exact same observation about price shoppers. But are they all that way? That's the big question.

I've already done that. My site is my second best lead source behind personal referrals. I'm conflicted regarding the Yellow Pages since it seems that too many of the calls I get off of that are strictly price shoppers who don't care about qualifications or anything else that really matters. My experience has taught me that the better educated client is a better fit for me, and these days, they don't seem to hit the Yellow Pages too often -- at least not when looking for a home inspector.

I'd appreciate knowing what do you guys think. I have always had a small YP ad. Those things always seemed too expensive. However, I notice that the guys with the big ads seem to keep them year in and year out. Logically, I have to conclude that either the big ads do work OR the inspectors with them don't ask clients where they got their phone number or name from. Of course, the YP salesman says they work but there's no money back guarantee! Strangely enough, I won't call my local competitors and ask what they think. I track all my jobs and all the lead sources. YP leads are way down on the list. So far this year, the jobs generated barely exceed the cost of the ad. By the time you add in the risk assumed and the overhead costs, it's absolutely not worth it. So I'm actually considering a bigger ad. Does that work for anyone? If so, is there a "sweet spot" that anyone has quantified of cost vs. revenue generated? Thanks in advance.

I disagree. I disagree some more. I think it's unprofessional talking to a gadget in front of your clients. For 22 years I've used a 5 page worksheet for field notes. I dictate the report into the recorder AFTER the inspection, then e-mail it to a typist. It's not entirely a checklist, but the worksheet has served me, and several co-workers, quite well for 10s of thousands of inspections. I guess it depends on what system you are comfortable with. I'm not saying my system is better than anyone else's. But it works well for me. If you've got something that works for you, stick with it. If you are a new inspector, I think you should openly consider all possible methods and decide what best fits your personal strengths. I can't see how any checklist can possibly cover all the screwed up things you might encounter. Then again, I haven't seen the checklists in question. That's why I recommend simply going in and looking at everything. If you faithfully do that, you have to try really hard to miss something. I suppose the only checklist I could see a use for is a brief "tickler" that just makes sure that you found the sometimes hidden items: water heaters, all HVAC equipment, distribution panels, etc. I don't dictate notes into a "gadget" in front of clients, and I find that term unnecessarily and unfairly dismissive. It's not like I am walking around with an iPod in my ear. I'm not a twenty-something embracing all new technologies; neither am I a technophobe who slavishly insists on doing everything the way it was done previously. I can record a very detailed voice message in a few seconds to enter into the report later. Maybe you can write as quickly as you can speak, but I sure can't. We don't all have a helper waiting to type up what we dictate. Obviously you have been successful in what you do to have reached that point. You have my sincere respect for that. However, I would guess that most of us don't have a helper to listen to our notes and produce the actual report, and I feel pretty sure John doesn't. For the record, I have actually had more than one person tell me that they use voice recorders in their work, and they universally say they are a great help. Admittedly, one guy called his "cool", but he was an 70-something guy who was used to a microcassette recorder. My procedure is to perform the entire inspection without any interference from agents or clients. That way I can maintain total concentration on the job at hand. I require my clients to show up near the end of the inspection. I tell them that they are more than welcome to be there for the entire inspection, but not to expect me to do much talking until I am through. Immediately after I am finished, I walk through the home with them and explain my findings. I also give them unlimited time to ask questions. In my opinion, by doing this, the house gets my undivided attention during the inspection, and the clients get it afterward. The voice recorder assists me in being both more efficient, AND -- more importantly -- more accurate. I sure don't see any problem with that. One other question...is it unprofessional for a courtroom reporter to "talk into a gadget" during a trial? Should they just ask everyone to speak very slowly while they write or type furiously?[]

John, I agree with Richard. I don't think checklists would work well under actual conditions. More importantly, it might appear to your clients that you don't know what you are doing exactly, and are actually learning on the job. Their job. I also use a digital recorder and I go from room to room and look at everything before moving on to the next one. I find also that I can write the report about 95% or more from memory and the photos. I only listen to the voice notes after I have basically written the report just to ensure that there isn't anything I forgot. You will have to find out what suits your style and then run with it. The inspector who trained me wrote notes down. I quickly chucked that technique and went to a digital recorder.

Well, if we're going to let this thread wander aimlessly and talk about the "old" days, here's my contribution. I was listening to a 9 year old boy the other day and he told a friend that he sounded "like a broken record player." I was pretty sure he'd never heard or seen an actual vinyl record on a turntable to have mangled the phrase that way. My kids were fascinated when I dug out my old turntable (from 1988) and set it back up a few years ago. They stood there transfixed, watching it go around and around. . .then they went back to their Nintendo. Now that's something I just don't get at all.

One thing bothers me...if you watch episodes of COPS, you almost always hear the police referring to the suspect as a "gentleman." (Yeah, Mike, I know your background!) I'd say that's misguided courtesy -- although done with good intentions. Almost never does the man in question fit the true definition of "gentleman." I'd say that "gentleman" doesn't apply here either. What Bain said is absolutely true based on my experience: Any one of us who has done this for very long has probably noticed this...unless you work in a VERY large metro area and never see the same home twice.

Maybe it be you that no work. It work for me.

Washington, D.C./October 30, 2007 - Release #08-0583 The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Connecticut Electric & Switch Mfg. Co. (Connecticut Electric), of Puyallup, Wash., today announced a voluntary recall of approximately 64,000 circuit breakers that are counterfeit and could fail to trip when they are required to, posing a fire hazard to consumers. The counterfeit circuit breakers are black, were made in china, and are marked as Square D products. They were sold through electrical Distributors and hardware stores nationwide from February 2005 through August 2006 for between about $6.50 and $15.50. Connecticut Electric has identified the following breakers as possibly being counterfeit: QO115, QO120, QO140, QO2125, QO215, QO220, QO230, QO240, QO250, QO260, QO1515, QO2020, QO3100, QO320, QO330, QO340, QO360, QOB120, QOB130, QOB220, QOB230, QOB250, QOB330, and QOB360. Actual Square D circuit breakers have (a) the amp rating written on the handle in white paint on the front of the breaker; (b) the Square D insignia molded onto the breaker side, and; © a yellow chromate mounting clip with half of the top of the clip visible. If your Square D breaker does not match this description, it could be counterfeit. Inspectors finding these breakers should advise homeowners to contact Connecticut Electric to determine if the breaker they have is counterfeit and if necessary, to arrange for a free inspection and replacement or refund. For more information, contact Connecticut Electric at (866) 264-3702 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the company’s Web site at www.connecticut-electric.com. Consumers also can obtain additional information by emailing Connecticut Electric at bdunham@connecticut-electric.com. To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please click here. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Let's see...11 buildings with, I'm assuming, an absolute minimum of 4 units per building??? If some idiot is willing to do all that for about a buck per unit, I say let him have it. He may be starving and have kids to feed...however possible. You'd hate to deprive them, wouldn't you? Seriously, I would recommend leaving your name and quote with the company handling it since I would be pretty sure that the company doing it the first time for $50 won't do more than one -- at that price.

That "tater" bin was undoubtedly made in China. Other than flea markets catering to tourists, I've never seen one.[]

I'm not familiar with the Bic lighter method; I use my flashlight. Hold your light at waist level (that part is important; it must be below your head level to see the effect more easily) and turn it on. If the reflection of the light is white and looks "normal" it is NOT low-E glass. Low-E glass will have a purple or green reflection. Sometimes, when the sun is right you can see this from the outside. When the sun angle is really right you can feel yourself bake if you walk through the reflected light outside the home. Admittedly, that won't tell you which side of the glass the coating is on, and that is supposed to vary depending on whether you are in a heating or cooling climate. But it will confirm that there is a coating somewhere.

I think you are missing -- or ignoring -- a critical issue. Real estate agents and HI's are frequently alone in a home...one with valuables in it. Can you say that about your accountant, dentist, or mechanic? Personally, I don't like it when an agent leaves to go do something more "fun" while I am in an occupied home. Call me paranoid (how's that for irony) but I'm always afraid a homeowner will lose something during the subsequent move, and start to thinking...well, that home inspector guy was in here...he must have taken it. Let's file a police report! Admittedly, that's never happened to me, but I could see it happening. Let's face it, the sellers don't like us anyway, right? Yeah, I don't like more gov't intrusion on our lives. You won't find me voting for Hill..y. I want to work for a living, not have the gov't take care of me. But if this comes to pass locally, I won't freak out about it. I won't run joyfully through the streets but I won't protest either. I only want to see that everyone has to play by the same rules. I've got nothing to hide. And please...this is a long way from requiring DNA samples to buy milk.

I had a one-man paint contracting business in the late'70's and early 80's during the summers when I was in school. One contract I got was to paint a new storage building at a cemetery which was split face block. Seems the GC didn't realize that concrete block weren't waterproof. They were even less so after the face had been split. Anyway, I found a product at a paint store which was designed for that application. It was a latex product with a cementitious component and was applied through my airless sprayer, but it was so abrasive that I ruined a tip on my gun each day. The orifice was about double the original size after a day's spraying. I assume it had fine sand in it to help plug pores. It worked real well, though.

Without a compelling argument otherwise, I'd have a hard time finding fault with fingerprinting. As I see it, it establishes a higher degree of trustworthiness, and thus a higher professional standard. Stories of thieving agents and HI's are out there. Why not combat the problem?

OK, you guys won me over. After spending a little time looking at a few websites for shingle manufacturers, I can't find one where they show one piece rake flashing. Step flashing seems to be the preferred method. I still have a hard time recommending that a buyer change out a functional system which shows no signs of leakage, or damaged shingles from lack of nailing at the few inches against the vertical wall. So what I've decided to do is add a comment to my reports that recommends changing to step flashing when possible at the next re-roof with the explanation that says it's the method the Mfr. recommends. I'll admit that I had never looked up specific shingle installation instructions. I work in about 8 cities regularly, each with their own separate code enforcement guys, and the one piece flashing is by far the predominant method in all of them. It has been for a long time. With that many AHJ's allowing it, it never occurred to me that it might not be a method allowed by the manufacturers. As a practical matter, I don't regularly call items out like this as being code issues on new homes if I have no evidence of problems which have resulted, or can result from the issue. Especially since around here, at least, each flea-bitten town can adopt or not adopt any provision of any version of any code they want. Even then, they give wide latitude to the individual enforcement guy in the field. I save the C word for the safety or glaring functional issues where I can justify a fight. Electrical items, deck issues, etc. Or even items such as the toilet I found in a brand new home whose center line that was all of 10 inches off one side wall. The AHJ had already issued a CO. The buyer asked me what he'd have to do. I suggested that he and his wife could adopt a sidesaddle method of seating. Alternately, he could use the TP holder as a handy armrest and sit down facing forward, albeit with his left, uhhh, cheek planted hard against the wall. Imagine my surprise when he didn't seem too receptive to either of those ideas. Anyway, it appears that despite my best efforts, I learned something on this forum. Dang...I hate it when that happens. [:-graduat

The previous responses all contain good info. I believe the most important advice is the admonition to look closely at things if this is indeed a flip. I have done a bunch of those locally. Almost without exception, they do a lot of cosmetic work and the mechanicals are an absolute train wreck. After all, buyers fall in love with the sizzle of a property, not the (unknown to them) condition of the plumbing, wiring and HVAC systems.

Isn't that the purpose of a roof? I agree that the one piece flashing does not restrain the edge of the shingles. But considering that they are protected from the wind by the vertical wall above them, it's doubtful that you will experience a problem. I've never seen one. Has anyone else seen problems such as missing shingle ends where this type of flashing is used? I'm not trying to be a smart ass, I just want to know if I haven't seen what others have. I agree with you that the labor pool is lacking in skills. 25 years of experience as a custom builder pretty well burned me out dealing with subcontractors. The problem as I see it is that the younger guys are not only largely lacking in skills, they are sorely lacking in motivation. I can show you laborers pushing hard against 40 who are still doing what they started doing at age 16 or so. So long as they make enough money to last until Friday, they think they're doing OK. And then there's the widespread substance abuse problems... Around here, at least, the idea of trade schools is not pushed for those kids who clearly aren't college material. I think that's a mistake; there's good money to be made if you have talents and are willing to forget the idea of working in an office wearing a suit. We need to eliminate the mindset that you are a failure without a college degree. Look at the rates of students in remedial classes in public colleges and tell me that they all belong there. Not convinced? Check out the percentage of students who enroll and actually make it all the way through college. Resources are being wasted. The days seem to be long gone where a kid who wasn't college material would graduate high school (or not) and seek a job as an apprentice hoping to eventually learn enough to own his own company. Quality is suffering as a result. I suspect that's the real cause. It's not any "acceptance" of substandard skills, it's being forced upon us.