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AHI in AR

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  1. John-- It appears that my advice and experience (8 years) may run slightly contrary to the previous responses here. I started out writing brief notes...the sweat dripping on them posed a problem here, at least in the summer. And how do you write notes in a dark crawlspace? I quickly started using a digital voice recorder. A very quick dictated note can still give more data than a fairly long written note could convey. I tried different brands; I always come back to Olympus. And no, I own no stock in the company! I carry mine around my neck on a lanyard, so no worries about accidental dunks...unlike my cell phone. That's another story. When I get ready to record a note, I lift it up to my mouth and speak quietly. Anyone close enough to hear that has to be REAL close. If the seller is around, I have politely asked them to allow me to do my job in peace previously. As for Bob. E's comments, I don't quite follow them. I understand the value of a pic, but I don't take a pic of everything. If there's a constantly dripping faucet, or an outlet with reversed polarity, for example, I call it out by location. I don't think that needs a photo; it needs to be identified by location. A voice recorder does that perfectly, and very quickly. Others may disagree. Maybe it's only me, but I find that the act of dictating notes into a recorder somehow burns the item into my memory better than writing it down ever did. When I sit down to enter the data, I write from memory prior to accessing the notes. I find I can remember at least 90% of the items without even accessing the voice notes. I write what I remember and then skim through the notes afterwards. Usually, I only need to add an issue or three to the report. I've never lost or accidentally erased a file. To erase one (on Olympus, at least), takes a conscious effort. Some types use a pocket clip. My first one did. (RIP) Bad idea for my use. Perhaps that's the origin of Jim Katen's comment about surviving a dunking. Gotta be on a lanyard. Never falls off. Buy what brand you like, but I recommend that you look closely at the controls. The "round" thumbwheel type controls allowing quick recording and scrolling are great. Forget buttons laid out in straight lines--you have to look at those. And as for style, I DO NOT use a checklist type report. Mine is a narrative. I don't see any downside to using the recorder unless you generate the finished report while you inspect. I don't. I like to produce a detailed report. To do so, what works best for me is to 'write' it on the computer back at the office in a comfy chair, not on the job. As for price, there's a huge markup in these things. I buy off eBay, frequently "last year's model" but new, not refurb. Big savings possible.
  2. Those things can be a real pain. I dutifully tested the garage outlets in a home once only to have the master outlet trip. Usually, it's not too far away. Right? Not this time. An hour later I found it. The rocket scientist who wired the home--all 3 stories of it--put it in the attic. I had to find it since there was a freezer in use in the garage. The owner had no clue where it was. As a last resort, I went back to the attic and started moving the boxes of Christmas decorations, etc. There it was, nowhere near the furnace or anything else requiring an outlet.
  3. Thanks, Jim, for the detailed response. I was obviously going to run any contract thru an attorney. However, since this may be such a limited part of my business I was trying to avoid the expense of having him write a contract from scratch. I was hoping there might be a standard contract form I could buy and simply have him modify it for local conditions. As for the other suggestions, I didn't specify that the 2nd inspection would be prior to insulation, but that was a given as far as I was concerned. My note about the job sites being an hour away was not to ask how to price that, but rather a way of amplifying the fact that supervision of the site would be difficult since I couldn't simply drop in occasionally while in the area. Therefore, it would be easier for changes after the inspection to be slipped by me. Your suggestion to take photos is good; it just would seem to require a ton of them to document everything. I hadn't thought about asking to be in the loop regarding changes, but that's an excellent idea since we both know that's where a lot of structural problems arise.
  4. There are only a very few areas around here where these systems were used extensively. When I find them I point out that replacement parts are getting harder to find...as are electricians familiar with them. Replacement solenoids are still available, but that has to be a diminishing market. Who knows what the availability and cost will be in 5, 10 or 20 years. My interpretation is that the system saved $$ initially for the builder by using light gauge wire in places. Good for the builder initially; not so good for subsequent purchasers of a system which never really caught on. Mostly what I see is a lot of "hybrid" systems where the system is abandoned, piecemeal, as the solenoids die.
  5. JLC sent out an email recently with a link to This Old House and a collection of home inspector photos. Some of you guys may even have sent some of these in. Be sure to look at all the galleries...there are 5 of them and you have to select each one of them separately. Some funny stuff here: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tohnews ... 42,00.html
  6. It's funny how they'll sometimes spend more energy and time on something like this than FIXING the problem properly would require.
  7. Hi guys-- I have been contacted and asked to do phase inspections on 2 new homes being built simultaneously for out of state buyers. As a custom builder for 25 years, I certainly think I can handle it. (Don't boo me for being a builder also; I'm not a guy who "builds" through the windshield of a Mercedes or from behind a desk -- although I've inspected some homes built by those sorts!) However, I've not done phase inspections before and I need a good contract that makes it clear that I'm NOT doing code enforcement or compliance checks. Any suggestions? And what do you guys charge for these inspections? I suggested a minimum of 3 inspections: 1) Prior to placing concrete in the footer, 2)after rough-ins and prior to drywall, and 3) final prior to closing. My main concern is, obviously, limiting liability. It's not hard to imagine a scenario where a sub comes back and changes things after my inspection. How do you handle that? To complicate things, the jobs would be in a town about an hour from here. Thanks in advance.
  8. First post here, so I'll go with a non-controversial subject. Wouldn't want to step into a mess such as a discussion about the various national organizations or similarly divisive topics! I realize that this is drifting a little bit... but John did mention efficiency and I notice several of you make references to writing notes. If this works best for you, great; I wouldn't presume to tell you to change. However, years ago I switched to a digital voice recorder kept on a lanyard around my neck. Best thing I ever did as far as speed and accuracy go. I use an Olympus with 3 folders each capable of 100 notes. Good voice quality and rugged. I've got one also for really busy days that has 5 folders of 100 notes each. It's also an mp3 player, though I don't use it for that. Notes from it can be transferred to my computer via a built-in USB plug, making it possible to dump the notes and free up folder space before heading to the next inspection. This unit is a little quirky and not as robust as my older 3 folder one so I don't usually use it. The funny thing is that I find that there is something about dictating the notes that "locks" the info into my brain better than writing them did back when I used a clipboard. I can recall about 95% of the info when I sit down to generate the report later without even accessing the recorder. Then I just play the notes back quickly and check for missed items. The digital recorders are worlds better than the old microcassettes (for you older guys who have actually seen or used one of those) since you can instantly skip forward or back from one note to the next without any delay. John, as for your original question, I suspect if you read the posts you'll find no two inspectors do exactly the same things in the same order. I think what's important is to find a method that you are comfortable with and refine it to make you the most accurate and efficient inspector you can be. I find that keeping a fairly structured routine makes me less likely to miss something, but at the same time, keeps wasted time or repeated motions to a minimum.
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