Thread: Fine Homebuilding Article on Home Inspectors

From Fine Homebuilding 243 (Houses 2014) , pp. 14-16 April 23, 2014

Contractor and carpenter Gary Katz recounts his personal experience with the realities of home inspection.

Do home inspections need to be inspected themselves? - Fine Homebuilding Article

Originally Posted by Jim Powlesland

From Fine Homebuilding 243 (Houses 2014) , pp. 14-16 April 23, 2014
Contractor and carpenter Gary Katz recounts his personal experience with the realities of home inspection.

Yeah, I read that. Misinformation on many counts. GCs are not qualified to inspect, his statemnt regarding liability is dead wrong. Just too much wrong with that article. I wrote a letter to the editor in response. Should be interesting to see if it is printed.

I read it a few days ago. I agree with Gunnar. The author's comments about hiring GCs shows a lack of understanding that undermines the credibility of his entire article. I've been on many inspections where the client was a GC or the client brought their GC buddy along. The GCs were great for recommending repairs on the defects that I found, but were terrible at actually finding the defects.

I don't know if there is a state enforced SoP for Oregon inspectors. But the author never mentions whether his crawlspace meets allowable clearances for the Oregon SoP. That is a relevant bit of information. Even if this HI performed some of his inspection beyond his SoP; if a belly crawl through mud was required to get to through the crawlspace, that is well beyond any SoP that I've seen.

As usual with these stories, we don't have enough information nor do we have both sides, to render a judgment on whether the HI failed to do his job adequately or not.

Lon and Gunnar

'Qualified Home Inspector', a contractor is not a qualified home inspector. Legally speaking a qualified home inspector would be an inspector which belongs to an association and has met the associations entry qualifications.

33 states license home inspectors. Most do not require membership in any club or association. The state is the one that decides what makes a qualifed home inspector. In those areas of the world where there is no licensing, membership in a club could be used as means to show the person in question is qualified due to the various membership requirements.

Originally Posted by Bruce Ramsey

33 states license home inspectors.

Actually 30 states, Rhode Island has an unfunded and unenforced mandate with the net effect of no licensing, Virginia is voluntary, and Kansas allowed their law to sunset.

Wow! When you look at the author's 'bio' it's obvious he's very qualified as a GC. Too bad he had a lapse in judgement when it came to selecting a 'service-provider'... in this case, a home inspector. He fell victim to the three biggest blunders when it comes to real-estate 1) don't get involved in a land-war in Asia, 2) don't get involved with a Sicilian when death is on the line and 3) don't use your agent's inspector!

My brother (in Tucson), wanted to purchase an investment property in northern Utah where his kids were going to college, and asked me how to find a good inspector. After some copious research on my part, I referred him to an inspector with the right-best qualifications and after going through half a dozen investment properties (4-6-8 plex's) with this inspector...he decided to forgo the purchase. Everything they looked at needed too much work...as the inspector pointed out. I warned my brother to expect that outcome...having worked and lived up there many years ago...I knew what they'd find...before they started...but he had to go through the exercise anyway. The inspector was very good....my brother learned what he needed to...and rented his daughter an apt. instead.

Point being: Gary should have done his homework and selected his own home inspector...someone with a strong construction background, who would meet his 'expectations'. He even admitted as much in the article. It's sad he couldn't resist pointing the finger and blaming someone other than himself though. Reminds me of my kids in the back seat.... "it's his fault...no it's her fault....no it's his fault"...."ad-nauseum"..... Frequently the real 'cause' of most of our problems...is the visage that lives in the mirror. (Note: that would be the mirror in the bathroom...not the rear-view mirror )

Gary M. Katz



Contributing editor Gary M. Katz is a licensed general contractor in California, a trim-carpentry expert, a book and magazine author, an educator, and a professional photographer. Over a 30-year career, Gary has worked on tract housing, custom homes, and commercial construction. He also oversees the Gary Katz Roadshow, which offers seminars at lumberyards, and his online magazine, THISisCarpentry.com.

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Read more: Gary M. Katz - Fine Homebuilding
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Originally Posted by Jim Powlesland

From Fine Homebuilding 243 (Houses 2014) , pp. 14-16 April 23, 2014

Contractor and carpenter Gary Katz recounts his personal experience with the realities of home inspection.

Do home inspections need to be inspected themselves? - Fine Homebuilding Article

I am so glad I live and work where I do. 90% of my work comes from realtor referrals. As with many businesses/services, 20% of the realtors here do 80% of the business. The realtors that refer me are in that 20%. They have been in business for 10 or 20 years, and plan to be here for another 10 or 20. They look for and refer the best home inspector, termite inspector, title company, well and septic companies, etc. They refer me because they know I will always do the best inspection I can.

So here is my opinion- Professional realtors that want to be the best they can be will only refer professionals they consider the best. So do your research when choosing a realtor, and you won't have to worry about who they refer. Most buyers need to rely on their realtors expertise, especially if the buyer is new to the area. If you can't trust the realtors referral for inspectors, how can you trust them about anything, eg schools, flood zones, taxes, county maintained roads, special assessments, etc.

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