randynavarro Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 In various threads, bad work has been id'd as different things. I was trying to find those threads but had a hard time so I figured we could compile a list here of how we describe bad workmanship in our reports to give the report some. . . color. Words I remember: Amateur Jackleg Bootleg Unconventional What else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Manor Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Ham-handed. -Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob White Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Off topic --- a little. I used to work with an elect. tech whose last name was Baines. Any unit he "repaired" and released to the field was identified as "Baine- Damaged" --- We called another guy "Hammer-Hands" On topic: I liked slack jawed .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 It always bothered me when I read a HI report and the inspector wrote: The electrical wiring in the basement is "amateurish" (yes, I've seen that word in an HI report). Just because a home-owner ran new wiring and the wiring was not perfectly stapled or didn't run at 90 degrees doesn't mean it was done by an amateur. Last I read, a homeowner is allowed to do any work in his house as long as it's properly permitted. If the wiring meets code and is acceptable, leave it alone. For something less than the norm (caulking at a sink drain), I write something like; Improper repairs have been made to bathroom sink drain. These are a "handyman" special. Have a plumber make the necessary repairs to ensure a leak free drain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lamb Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Originally posted by randynavarro In various threads, bad work has been id'd as different things. I was trying to find those threads but had a hard time so I figured we could compile a list here of how we describe bad workmanship in our reports to give the report some. . . color. Words I remember: Amateur Jackleg Bootleg Unconventional What else? "Bad workmanship," is better than any of those descriptions. "Amatuer," and "Unconventional," don't describe bad workmanship at all. "Bootleg," to me, means stolen. "Jackleg," might be regional. It's not common to me. I don't think we need to go beyond, "Poor or bad workmanship." I use, "Substandard," a lot or if it's really bad, "Dangerous." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 mouth breather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Morrison Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Originally posted by Darren It always bothered me when I read a HI report and the inspector wrote: The electrical wiring in the basement is "amateurish" (yes, I've seen that word in an HI report). Just because a home-owner ran new wiring and the wiring was not perfectly stapled or didn't run at 90 degrees doesn't mean it was done by an amateur. Ummm....yes it does. Look it up. There's nothing generally wrong with an amateur working on their own house, but if I can tell something was done by an amateur just by looking, then I start to worry. It can certainly be a valid criticism. I'd bet that I've used the word 'amateurish' in hundreds of HI reports over the years. No one ever argued or questioned my use of it. I think it's a terribly useful word to sum up some of the hallmarks of inadequecy that are too numerous or perhaps insignificant to list separately, yet together, warrant mentioning. (Not all amateurish work is worth mentioning in my opinion. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lamb Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 My Dad used to describe crappy work as, "done by a shoe maker." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randynavarro Posted January 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 "Amateur" has been discussed earlier. I built my own home and because I'm not a "professional" home builder, then by definition, I'm an amateur. Amateur certainly is useful though, as Jim has stated. People know what it means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 "Skilled Homeowner" is a term I have used for many years. I am not in the amateur camp. Seldom if ever use that term. Darren, I agree with you except your last para. I likely would write, bath sink drain improperly caulked/sealed. I also am an "at" writer not a "to" writer. Fact is I probably would not even write it. Most of the inspections I perform at, the client is present and we talk abt stuff like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtblum Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Originally posted by kurt mouth breather Kurt, I'm pretty sure that it's "window licking mouth breather" How about half assed, FUBARed, unskilled, unprofessional, inept Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homnspector Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 dad-dun-it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian G Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I also find the word "improvised" to be very useful, often in conjunction with adjectives like "crappy, crummy, sloppy, unprofessional, wrong, dangerous, etc.". I see lots of things that have been improvised. [:-headach Brian G. Too Bad Clusterf*** Is Unprofessional [:-boggled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWagar Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 How about unprofessional, unworkman like, improper, or inadequate? Sometimes just plain wrong works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Originally posted by Brian G Too Bad Clusterf*** Is Unprofessional [:-boggled I always kinda just wanted a big red rubber stamp that said "Clusterf***", to stamp on the title page of the report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWagar Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 There is no way that the (fill in the blank) could be remotely construed as anything close to acceptable, even to the most ignorant and naive. Have the person responsible for this checked for an IQ over 25. or It appears as if this (fill in the blank) was done by a third grader with attention deficit disorder. or I looked at (fill in the blank) in many different ways, it looks the best with my eyes closed. or In my opinion this (fill in the blank) could best be repaired with a gallon of gas and a book of matches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erby Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Just for you, Kurt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenT Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 sub-standard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Originally posted by kurt Originally posted by Brian G Too Bad Clusterf*** Is Unprofessional [:-boggled I always kinda just wanted a big red rubber stamp that said "Clusterf***", to stamp on the title page of the report. My wife has a stamp that reads "important shit". I think I may have a use for it in this line line of work. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lamb Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Originally posted by SonOfSwamp IMHO, "unworkmanlike" is perfect for HI work. The definition is easily understood. Definition: Lacking the qualities, as efficiency or skill, required to produce desired results. The definition fits my self-imposed requirement of being impossible to misunderstand. "Unworkmanlike" works great in depositions and courtrooms, especially in standard-of-care disputes. Makes people nod their heads. WJ Not only does, UNWORKMANLIKE, look like the name of a town in Russia, it's also way too many syllables. 3 syllables should be the limit in HI reports and used rarely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Chew Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 I just say the work was not completed in a professional and workmanlike manner. Most folks can understand that. Then they are free to put whatever label on it that works for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Mulloy Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 The __________ does not appear to conform with generally acceptable building practice. I advise that you ______________ Bob Mulloy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 What was the "generally acceptable building practice" again.....(?)..... I used to say that a really long time ago until I got educated by a really good attorney about how dumb that made me sound. Also, what's with the "appears" thing? If there's an acceptable practice cited and referred to (what was it again...?) , then the subject either conforms, or it doesn't, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 On occasion I've written stuff like: The _______ is unbelievably screwed up and it's hard to believe that this work was done by anyone with an IQ above 75.. or The _______ is a rat's nest of unbelievably sloppy workmanship. or The guy who installed the ___________ must have had one too many beers at his lunch break that day; because.... or A fourth grader, after watching one episode of This Old House, could have done a better job of installing the ____________. It all really depends on how cranky I feel that day. I generally write like I talk and don't really worry too much about whether what I've written sounds like it was written by a techie or a highly educated person. Most of my customers (probably 90%) weren't born in this country. They may not understand half of the buzzwords we use but they will understand plain 'ol talk that they're used to hearing around the workplace from their American born co-workers. They know before they hire me, from the sites that they network on, that I'm a cranky old fart who talks a lot, doesn't take pictures and writes an often too-detailed full-narrative report that would make the Freemont Troll close that left eye. If they can accept that, they can accept that I'll write a little quirky too. However, some days I do just stick to the professional script and use stuff like: unworkmanlike unprofessional jackleg ham fisted do-it-yourselfer While I respect the various arguments against using some of these terms, such as amateurish, I think that how these words are received will depend mostly on the context in which they're used and all are perfectly acceptable, or not, depending on the situation. Works for me. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 "A fourth grader, after watching one episode of This Old House, could have done a better job of installing the ____________." While I was preparing pictures for my last report, my 7 year old son (second grader) was looking over my shoulder. He cocked his head at one picture, said "wow, that's messed up." Then he walked away, almost in disgust. I wish I could have taped his reaction, it would have saved me hours of typing. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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