First Argument

[Eric Smith]

Ok guys I wish I had apic but I can not get them resized yet. Had a sill plate that has major rot and has been half chisled out. They have beat a 2x4 about 5 foot long in from the inside only about 1 1/2 in. Leaving a space of about 2 inches from old piece of sill and new 2x4. The 5 foot pieces are not the whole length just here and there. Contractor and seller are giving me tons of flack about it. My point is that there is still old rotten sill supporting the outside of the home and that the new 2x4 is not really supporting that much. Opinions??

[Jerry Peck]

Opinions??

Tell them that if they are that sure it is okay, then get a structural engineer to give it his blessing on an engineer's letter, signed, sealed, and delivered.

*YOU* still will leave it in your report to cover your butt because if an engineer is found who will sign it off, *you* know it is still wrong - so it stays in your report ... let the engineer 'buy it'.

I've had those some debates (a 'debate' after all, is simply two opposing 'arguments' ;) ) and have advised my client that *I* would not accept the engineer's letter, but they can if they want to. I also advised my clients that if they are 'forced' to accept that engineer's letter, then they should turn that letter over to the state Board of Professional Engineer for peer review - if the engineer is as wrong as I think they are, the Board of Professional Engineers slaps the engineer's hand, sometimes HARD, sometimes it is just a probation and take more continuing education hours, all depends on how egregious the error and intent was.

[Eric Smith]

Thanks Jerry u the best. I really. Was confident but my first argument so little nervous.

[John Kogel]

You are right. Stick to your guns. I would question why the sill would rot along the inside only.
Did every tiny bit of rotting wood get removed? If not, rot fungi could continue to spread in the dark slit they've created for it.
Did they solve the moisture issue which caused the rot in the first place? Probably not.
They haven't fixed the problem.

[Marc M]

Yea, get an engineer and stick to your guns...

[Jerry McCarthy]

Ah yes, the age old, "my contractor said you are wrong, bla, bla, bla."
Home inspectors are paid for their opinion which they put in writing, date and sign it and can be held financially responsible if wrong.
I have always answered “my contractor said” BS with "Have your contractor put it in writing and sign and date it like I did and then we can discuss who is correct?”
Invariable that was the end of story….. ;)

[Marc M]

Ah yes, the age old, "my contractor said you are wrong, bla, bla, bla."
Home inspectors are paid for their opinion which they put in writing, date and sign it and can be held financially responsible if wrong.
I have always answered “my contractor said” BS with "Have your contractor put it in writing and sign and date it like I did and then we can discuss who is correct?”
Invariable that was the end of story….. ;)

Well said JM..

[Zane Remenda]

Hi Eric,

To resize your pictures I use Fotosizer.

Its free and works fairly well. Sometimes I lose a bit of detail in the shrink, but not much.

Fotosizer Batch Image Resizer - Image resizing made easy (http://www.fotosizer.com)

Zane

[Bruce Walker]

I would not hire an engineer. I would note it in my report and recommend that the owner hire an engineer to analyze it it.