Thread: This is how it's supposed to work

Yesterday I had a great day, could have been really bad.....but it was more surreal.

The inspection was 106 YO flip house. First time buyers that REALLY loved the house, since it met all of their needs and wants.

Background: The flipping contractor was busted by the City Codes people for working without permits, so they mad him get all the permits, etc.

The house was great on the inside. I did find a GFCI outlet for the washer, and the ground wire had come loose too. There was a leak at the shower enclosure, stove anti tilt bracket missing, and a couple other minor things. Pretty much normal stuff.

Went into the crawlspace, part of which is stand up, part of it is only inches from the floor framing. Here's where it got interesting.

The entire back of the house had new floor framing. Everything about it was wrong.
It was too close to the ground, and was not PT lumber.
They had cut two joists for plumbing, and supported the cut joists with scrap lumber resting on the ground.
No ledger board or joist hangers were uses where they ties into the existing floor system.
At the rear of the house, they didn't support the framing on the foundation. They just had random bricks holding it up along the back. The house has a brick foundation.
There were just a zillion framing issues, and it was just "ALL WRONG".

If this would have been a family member, we would have been out of there right then. But this couple loves this house. While they are calling their Realtor to come over, I placed a call to the City, they gave me the inspectors number.

I called the inspector, and he actually answered his phone. I told him my concerns without asking him how in the world he passed this crap. He was kind of non-committal, but took my name and number.

He called me back within a few minutes and told me he only did the final, and was just working off the list from the prior inspection. He also found a snafu where there was an open framing inspection, but it was never called for (and not followed up). They got a final by mistake. "OK, thanks for the call".

I continue on, and about 10 minutes later, the City Inspector shows up. WE go into the crawlspace with the client, the inspector says, "I was never in here". He takes a look at the crap and says, "Your inspector is right, this is just wrong, and should never have passed."

Meanwhile the Realtor shows up and goes down in the crawl with all of us and starts taking photos to e-mail to the other agent and the owner.

A little later the owner shows up and wants to go into the crawlspace to see for herself what's going on. She tells me the original contractor was fired in the middle of the job. She compliments me on my skills too. (OK, where is the hidden camera?")

She is clearly pissed at her contractor, but is also interesting in making it right (so she can sell the house). She is on the phone to her new contractor who is going to come out on Monday and do whatever it takes to fix it.

So at the end of the day (after at least 6 trips into the crawl, and about 2 hours longer than normal) here is the tally.
A City codes guy that compliments me on my skills, and admits I am right, AND cares enough about his job to show up and see if he messed up.
A property owner/flipper that doesn't stand there and argue about everything, also compliment me on my skills (and asked for my card), AND seems willing to do whatever it takes to fix the house.
A Realtor that isn't pissy about maybe having a sale go down the toilet, and was proactive about getting everyone on board because of the problem. I had a real head swell moment when I was in the other room and I heard her tell my clients that she had been at another inspection that morning and I was clearly a much better inspector.

The topper was they paid cash and gave me a tip.

I have been doing this a long time, but it still feels good when you get validation for doing a good job, and drive away without anyone being unhappy with you for doing a good job and telling the truth.

it was a great end of the week.

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Jack, Don't forget the " No good deed goes unpunished" clause.

Jack

Are you biting your finger nails? Is your brow sweeting? Have you talked to your attorney because of the situation that just happened? Have you pulled all your money out of the bank and hidden all your cash?

You might want to think about doing all that. That situation happens for 2 reasons. They are being sincere and you are just a sweet heart, OR, man, are you about to get it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Story Jack.

Now take that cash and invest it back into the market so we can get this economy moving again.

Its all up to you Jack.

rick

Ted,
I don't think I'm about to get it - I feel pretty safe about that.

Rick,
I just got back from helping the economy. I put a little back to the local govt. (renewed my drivers license on account of a really BIG birthday), stopped and got some coffee, and picked up some work gloves for those crawlspaces.

Probably go out to lunch this afternoon and maybe out to dinner tonight.

I've done my part for the day.

are you sure you have not been "punked"?

I also helped the international economy this afternoon. I bought some mexican beer.

You guys can't rain on my parade, I'm taking the good feelings and running with them. They only come once in a blue moon, so I'm hanging on.

Getting ready to watch some pathetic football. UT has just not had a good year, and probably won't finish it out all that well either. Well, the beer is cold and the salsa is HOT, so I'm good to go.
Go Vols!

I kept reading expecting Jack to say, "... and then, I woke up."
Glad it was real Jack. Not very often you get those kind of days, enjoy!

Jack

That was a good story and I am sure it will all be just wonderful. Be thankful you have not been getting those calls like I have been in the past couple weeks. "You did and inspection for me last February, and............"

All were nothing calls where folks were trying to get something for nothing and when things started going wrong in their homes they did not re-read their reports where it addressed the concerns to begin with. Everything from bad foundations, slab leaks, equipment stopped working and even fogged windows that were addressed as broken seals and moisture between the window glazing, you should hire a window man for further evaluation and repair.

The phone has fell silent on those calls, thank God. And the phone picked up last week for inspections with a couple already for next week. I guess it is my turn for things to go right.

Jack – Good show !
That's a once in a life time experience. Something similar happened to me years ago, but only once. I'd consider having that inspection report bronzed?

Congratulations, Jack.

Those, however few and far between they are, are what makes all the other years worth it ... ummmm ... "between" implies there are "more than one" ... so ... you have another one coming!

Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann

Getting ready to watch some pathetic football. UT has just not had a good year, and probably won't finish it out all that well either. Well, the beer is cold and the salsa is HOT, so I'm good to go.
Go Vols!

You must not have been talking about University of Texas because we beat the Sooners. 45-35

rick

NO - UT in these parts means University of Tennessee - and they suck this year.

Glad to hear you've had a good one, Jack.

Congratulations. Hang on to that feeling.