Leighton Jantz Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Hello gentlemen, I'm curious, I inspected a 4 year old house, 2 story with an unfinished basement, when I get to the basement I can see that the stairs were outsourced to a stair and spindle "factory" the landing was not supported by cripple studs. Just one or two nails through framing of the landing into wall studs. I'm thinking that the stair installer expected the framers to finish supporting the stairway and the framers figured it was the installers job. I point this out to my client and then tell him I also have suspicions about the stairway to the upstairs. Now I'm wondering if I should mention "suspicions"? Leighton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Hello gentlemen, I'm curious, I inspected a 4 year old house, 2 story with an unfinished basement, when I get to the basement I can see that the stairs were outsourced to a stair and spindle "factory" the landing was not supported by cripple studs. Just one or two nails through framing of the landing into wall studs. I'm thinking that the stair installer expected the framers to finish supporting the stairway and the framers figured it was the installers job. I point this out to my client and then tell him I also have suspicions about the stairway to the upstairs. Now I'm wondering if I should mention "suspicions"? Leighton Unless I see something to make me suspicious at the actual stairway, I don't speculate about things like that. In my area, the basement stairs are rarely built to the same standards as the 2nd-floor stairs. It seems like there's an unwritten rule that says it's ok to skimp on stairs to an unfinished basement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inspector57 Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Depends on the basis of your "suspicions." Do they have a basis in fact or just the hair on the back of your neck? When I see crap electrical work, I point out that from what I CAN see it makes me worry about what I CANNOT see... but that is based on the fact that the electrician did not do good work so it follows that there may be more hidden faults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 I often 'raise suspicions' about framing in finished areas based on what I've seen in unfinished areas where the framing is exposed. It's fair game but a risky one. There's a threshold that must be passed before I venture there and should the threshold be passed, I tend to record those observations that led there just in case things start to go south. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 To bolster my point, I offer this poem by one of my favorite poets, Walter Hard, who wrote about life in the small village of Manchester, Vermont, in the early part of the last century. A Stair Builder After working along for some years as a carpenter Henry found himself unexpectedly expanded. He had become the village's first contractor. For the first time a house was being built According to blueprints from an architect's plans The dignity of the city planner might have suffered If he'd known what most of the people called him. They spoke of him as "that fool city architaker." Hiram had once had some blueprint-reading experience and he managed to get the new house going. He was driven to despair by this employer Who insisted on being on the job, right in the way, An was forever changing the plans Involving tearing down and rebuilding. She also tried to hurry things in spite of the fact That there were only a few men to be hired in the village And materials had to be sent for out of town. One hot summer day when she had been most trying A stranger came along and offered his services. He said he was a carpenter but his kit hadn't been shipped. Anxious to get things done, Henry opened his own tool chest And told the stranger to pick out what he'd need To build some stairs to the cellar. Assuring Henry that he was good at stairs, The new man disappeared down below. Henry was too busy to think of him again Until an hour before quitting time he appeared. Henry was surprised to find he was almost done with the stairs. "Got one thing I want t' ask ye. Do you wan two little bits o' steps to the top Er do you want one old heller?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leighton Jantz Posted June 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Depends on the basis of your "suspicions." Do they have a basis in fact or just the hair on the back of your neck? When I see crap electrical work, I point out that from what I CAN see it makes me worry about what I CANNOT see... but that is based on the fact that the electrician did not do good work so it follows that there may be more hidden faults. The basis of my suspicions was the unsupported stairway to the basement, therefore thinking the same practice was used on the upstairs stairway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Amaral Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Now you are going down the road of assumptions... I'd report on what I saw with my eyes.. everything you can't see.. you can't see... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.