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wayne soper
10-02-2008, 04:13 PM
What would your determination be as you walk up these stairs?
If you know for sure, wait a few days. This is something you don't normally see and a good lesson in observance.

Jerry Peck
10-02-2008, 05:11 PM
Not sure what you are asking, but what I see is that very limited photo is:
- risers not of equal heights, exceed 3/8" difference
- risers not of equal heights across riser, i.e., tread slope exceeds 1/4" per foot
- nosings unequal
- tread depth unequal, exceed 3/8" difference

Not sure what else you are trying to show or ask.

Billy Stephens
10-02-2008, 06:39 PM
Fire !!!!
.

wayne soper
10-02-2008, 07:51 PM
Yes Billy is the winner as expected but a week early, You Donkey.
Jerry. This is right up your alley. Thought you had this one for sure.
What I saw going ot this inspection was,
Older stairway, re-used in present renovation
Water stains on kicks with black sooty borders:confused:
FIRE, FIREMEN, HOSES,WATER
So I looked in the attic
Burnt rafters, New Sheathing
So I looked in the basement
Burnt Joists, New floor underlayment
So did the Inspector who did the buyers inspection see these things also?
We will see in the next installament.
I only meant this to be an educational post for newer inspectors who have never seen evidence of past fires.
Many times what you are left to view is minimal because the evidence has been concealed behind finished surfaces. Hope fully contractors would do what's required. But as you will see in the photos. NOT!!!!
Arrows in first photo point to holes drilled through removed main beam that was burnt 90% through but still seemed acceptable to someone enough that they would drill and run wiring though to install recessed lights in the living room ceiling.
Making a buyer aware of possible unseen problems in these situations is Key. What we see on the surface is our paycheck, what we see behind the walls is our longevity and what is expected of us by our clients.
I wonder how this home would look with IR photography?
What is the first thing in your mind when you see painted floor joists?
SUSPICION!
Last pic is the stairway as it was prior to renovation, But that was just too obvious. I had to look behind the garage to find that top section in a pile of debris and set it back in that location for the picture.
Enough said. I hope someone has learned something from this.
Hee Haw Billy, You da MAN
http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3 Fei%3DUTF-8%26p%3Dburning%2Bhouse%2Bpicture&w=550&h=550&imgurl=www.bergphoto.com%2Fimages%2Fburninghouse.j pg&size=102.1kB&name=burninghouse.jpg&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bergphoto.com%2Fqtvr&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bergphoto.com%2Fqtvr&p=burning+house&type=jpeg&no=1&tt=48%2C316&oid=2dab7551579050a4&tit=burninghouse.jpg&sigr=10t167frt&sigi=119htam3k&sigb=11vukn11q

Billy Stephens
10-02-2008, 08:03 PM
Tell the Trim Carpenter to install the missing stair nosing. :D
* must screen calls, must screen calls, must screen calls *
.

.

Rick Hurst
10-02-2008, 08:06 PM
Here's SWAG

rick

wayne soper
10-02-2008, 08:13 PM
That's pretty good Rick, But it was a big 10"

Ted Menelly
10-02-2008, 08:16 PM
That's pretty good Rick, But it was a big 10"


Does size realy matter :D

Rick Hurst
10-02-2008, 08:31 PM
Does size realy matter :D

Yes sometimes it does matter.

wayne soper
10-02-2008, 08:38 PM
Looks like a Memphis cheerleader squad:D
HAWHAW

Billy Stephens
10-02-2008, 08:40 PM
:eek: Sure Hope He Didn't Look Up! :eek:
.

Jerry Peck
10-02-2008, 08:52 PM
Jerry. This is right up your alley. Thought you had this one for sure.


I presumed those stains to be from age as they looked to be basement stairs - things being carried to and from the basement, dripping onto the stairs.

Of course, if you had posted the second stair photo the first time ... it would not have even been a guessing game - smoke which means fire (besides the charred end of the riser).

wayne soper
10-02-2008, 08:53 PM
He did!

Ken Bates
10-02-2008, 09:15 PM
Hey Wayne,

Even Sarah Palin would have discovered the damage.

Erby Crofutt
10-03-2008, 03:21 AM
Shucks, I thought it was just a test to see if Jerry could wait a day or two (he couldn't) and give the newer guys a chance to guess at stuff before he provided the right answer. (He didn't, but then I missed the water stains too.)

wayne soper
10-03-2008, 04:32 AM
Sarah Pailhead would have seen the stains if her team had prepped her to see them. I didn't hear one thing come out of her mouth that was not put there by someone else. Didn't answer one question with a straight answer.
So much for her
And Jerry, Why would you give the answer at the beginning of the test. That riser made it too easy. Should have had the smellovision in there too. Smelled like a boy sout camp in that house

Jerry Peck
10-03-2008, 09:08 AM
And Jerry, Why would you give the answer at the beginning of the test.


Because you did not say it was for new guys?

Besides, I proved that us old guys are still learning too.

I get run over by a truck and I'm telling you what the tire tread was like, but you were asking 'Were you run over by a truck?' ... sometimes the obvious is 'too obvious', i.e., "hide in plain sight".

Billy Stephens
10-03-2008, 09:58 AM
He did!
.
That's Not Funny. ( I'm Still Missing Meals.) :p
.

Matt Fellman
10-03-2008, 09:58 PM
Had the obvious evidence of the fire elsewhere not been found, what would the recommendation and comment have been?

The subject picture is very close in and there doesn't appear to be anything to learn from it without the other evidence found to back up an otherwise fleeting suspicion.

So, without any other evidence, what do you say? Rip all the walls out and look for a past fire?

I hope you do and continue to do so.... I'm stealing all of your clients because I don't needlessly scare people.

I'm not trying to degrade the OP but I don't see the point of the stairs alone.

wayne soper
10-04-2008, 05:10 AM
Oviously Matt you did not understand the post. the post was to help people and teach them to look at what is right in front of them and be able to read it as what it is.
I am not posting to show what I know but to help other people know more.

Good question. No you don't tear walls down, but you comment on the possibility of hidden damage, you recommend they consult with owner for disclosure, and the local fire department, or neighbors. You try and protect your client.
And why would you assume I needlessly scare people.
I've been in business for 15 years not scaring people but Protecting their best interests
And a good inspector knows that one piece of evidence always leads to more if you know where to look.
As for stealing my customers, you must be charging alot to cover the travel expenses.
And now a question for you.
If you were the inspector or that home and saw the evidence, What would you write up in your report?

Rick Hurst
10-04-2008, 05:55 AM
Actually Mr. Fritzkelly was the first one to mention "Soot" suggesting that either a fire or smoke had been present at sometime.

So the 1 million dollar game prize has to be taken from Billy and given to Fritz.:D Why does Billy need another million to have to worry about anyway?

Fritz, you owe me lunch.

Billy Stephens
10-04-2008, 04:02 PM
Actually Mr. Fritzkelly was the first one to mention "Soot" suggesting that either a fire or smoke had been present at sometime.
.
So the 1 million dollar game prize taken from Billy
.
.....

wayne soper
10-04-2008, 05:23 PM
No good deed goes unpunished!

Billy Stephens
10-04-2008, 05:39 PM
No good deed goes unpunished!
.
I Take American Express *travelers checks. :)

Promise to Forward any of the ( 700 Billion ) Received. ;)
.

mark ferrell
10-09-2008, 06:31 AM
Sarah Pailhead would have seen the stains if her team had prepped her to see them. I didn't hear one thing come out of her mouth that was not put there by someone else. Didn't answer one question with a straight answer.
So much for her
And Jerry, Why would you give the answer at the beginning of the test. That riser made it too easy. Should have had the smellovision in there too. Smelled like a boy sout camp in that house

O-Slama wouldn't have the education or experience enough to get close

wayne soper
10-09-2008, 06:48 AM
Mabey not, It's just tough watching the guy standing behind Palin jerking the string that makes her speak. " Well Noooooooooooo I don't want to answer what Americans want to know, I want to talk about winks to nowhere.":D Hey I didn't get that avatar for nothing.