Inspectorjoe

This is Dino's HP at the Flintstone residence. Click to Enlarge 152.28 KB

I agree with everyone else, Marc - there is no problem at all with understanding you. It is a bit long, but I can't think of anything worthy of being cut, as it's jam-packed with great nuggets. I do have one critique, and it's a big one. I found the constant thump, thump, thump, thump of the background 'music' highly irritating. I know background music in promo videos is de riguer, but I personally find it borderline intolerable. I often ditch YouTube videos less than 10 seconds into them, because of it.

I'm a huge B&H fan. I've never had a bad experience dealing with them. Their paper catalog is well over 300 pages. Their website is awesome, with great search and filtering, as well as reviews and Q&A on almost everything they sell. Last year, I spent close to $5,000 there, mostly on video and audio gear for my hobby. BTW, my hobby is shooting video of bands. This is from a 4 camera shoot I did last summer, to make a promo video for the Box Tops. I still haven't finished it. This didn't work out very well: https://www.facebook.com/joe.hancaviz/v ... 04/?type=3

Around here, agents rarely attend and sellers are usually told to not be there during the inspection. It's usually just me and the buyers (and whoever else they invite). Sometimes it's just me. In 15 years, other than a few odd issues (a buyer claiming to have been injured during a fall and a buyer's daughter going through the owner's jewelry box), I really haven't had a problem. I couldn't imagine doing it any other way.

Duh! I knew I was missing something. I should have read it again, s-l-o-w-l-y.

Oh, that's even better. I don't see a problem with doing what you propose, but maybe someone else will think of something I'm missing. Speaking of missing something, maybe I'm missing something here. "This is the rate for the highest ONE hour of electric use during the On-Peak time frame of the billing period." I'm reading that as your highest on-peak hour is going to cost you $12. How would putting those three appliances on timers change that?

Removing drywall in the garage will cause a breach in the fire-resistant barrier. Open the wall on the laundry room side, instead. They'll be in the same place, just facing a different room.

Install the water heater timers near the water heaters. Cutting power to the hot tub is going to cause it to lose any programmed settings, and revert back to the default settings. The tub may have an economy setting that only allows the heating element to come on when you choose it to. That would eliminate the need for an external timer. I assume it can't be programmed to heat only at certain times, or you wouldn't be looking to add a timer.

Yes, with an extension designed for use that particular assembly. Check with the manufacturer or a distributor.

I'm impressed, too. There's not much concrete on the side. It's a small ranch, but it was built by a high-end custom builder who really knew what he was doing. I still have the original kitchen, mainly because I'm cheap. The cabinets are out of style, with dark wood, but I couldn't afford to replace them with like-quality cabinets. I'm sure dark wood will be back in style some day.

This thread got me thinking about my 45 year old porch posts. They're embedded in the slab. It concerned me when I bought the house 20 years ago, although there wasn't the slightest bit of softness where they enter the slab. 10 years ago, when I stripped them to repaint, I discovered they were cedar. To this day, there isn't the slightest hint of softness. I think I can finally put my concerns to rest. Click to Enlarge 44.84 KB

The biggest benefit of the foundation-supported brackets is that the unit won't tilt out of level if the backfill settles. Click to Enlarge 64.96 KB

I've also wondered why people watermark photos in reports. I've only done it with pictures that I posted online, but I don't even bother with that any more. In the past, my copyright notice may have been just a little too prominent. While I had no conclusive evidence, I suspected it may have distracted from the subject a wee bit. Click to Enlarge 67.22 KB

I have hundreds of pictures on my Facebook page. Feel free to use any of them. Most are low resolution. I put a copyright notice on the early ones, but stopped doing it. Joe https://www.facebook.com/homeprolv/phot ... tos_albums

They sure look like asphalt roofing shingles that have been face-nailed and painted. I see roofing shingles used on dormer walls all the time (with varying degrees of success).

I agree with Erby- ACC is the way to go. I've been using them for years and have been very satisfied. They're not cheap. I pay about 50% more than Erby's figures, but it's well worth it. I'm a low volume inspector (6 is a full week) and could certainly do what they do myself, but I don't want to, and in fact couldn't do it as well. They do so much more than answer the phone. After booking the inspection, they arrange access with the listing office, and set things up with the companies I use for WDI inspections and septic. If there is a radon test, I tell them when I'm doing it, and they make arrangements for access. Other than sending the buyer an email with the contract and a few other things, all ll I need to do is look at my schedule, print the appointment sheet and show up. Download Attachment: Appointment sheet.jpg 51.16?KB

I saw many issues in just the 30 seconds I was on your site. I don't want to have to frame what I say as 'constructive criticism', so I'll keep it to myself.

That's beyond sad. I only met him once, about 10 years ago, but it left a lasting impression. He heard I was looking for hardwood flooring for a non-flooring project and offered me some Brazilian cherry he had leftover from a job. I drove to Staten Island to pick it up. I was expecting cut-offs and rejects, but it was almost all brand new, still strapped in bundles - close to 200 square feet of it. When I saw that, I wanted to pay him for it, but he wouldn't take a dime. He simply said to me "we're all brothers".

Holy crap. I'd be out of there!

The buyer wasn't at the inspection this morning. I was alone in the basement, but felt I was being watched. I looked up to see this. Click to Enlarge 41.58 KB

I know many here know Joe Kelly, of Virginville PA. About an hour ago, his daughter Erin announced on his Facebook page that last night he "had a severe bleed in his brain that left him unconscious and inevitably lead to his last breaths today." Joe was a tireless supporter of the home inspection profession in general, and ASHI in particular. He was an ASHI Director 2009-2012. I've known him since 2000, when I joined Keystone ASHI and he was Chapter President. Needless to say, he will be missed. Click to Enlarge 20.46 KB

That setup has been there for a long, long time. I found some video of it that I shot 3 years ago:

Last night I got back from spending two days at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA. It's the largest free admission amusement park in the country and has been family-owned since its start in 1926. It takes its history seriously, and values its trees immensely. It's a beautiful, wooded park in the hills of Northumberland County Pennsylvania. There are a number of buildings and structures that they built around trees, rather than cutting the trees down. Here's an example: Click to Enlarge 108.68 KB Click to Enlarge 68.73 KB Click to Enlarge 51.67 KB If anyone is within a few hours drive, you should go and spend a day there - even if you don't go on a single ride. Ther are tons of cool things to see and do. It's such an amazing and well-run place, and a good example of a management philosophy that is long-term oriented, instead of quarterly profit driven. Here's a neat feature. This waterwheel, attached to the Old Mill ice cream stand is the power that's turning the canopy: Click to Enlarge 60.66 KB

And at a nearby antique gas and steam engine association show, they drive a steam roller around the grounds, among the attendees. What could go wrong?

Kids that grow up on farms seem to learn at an early age to not do stupid stuff. If they don't the consequences can be pretty drastic. A few years back, at a folk life festival, I was surprised to see this steam tractor powering a baler (albeit slowly) with an open belt. It was totally unattended, with no barrier around it.