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  1. #1
    wayne williams's Avatar
    wayne williams Guest

    Cool warranty inspections

    Does anybody out there from spection land have any relevant information on doing a home warranty inspection for a home purchased and built a year ago? Homeowners want an inspection to take to there builder for a couple of issues. First is sagging sheet rock ceiling thirty feet above living room floor. Second issue is noisy floor from large open living area house plan being echoed around living space. This would require major surgery to fix. Any idea on warranty inspection criteria?

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  2. #2
    chris mcintyre's Avatar
    chris mcintyre Guest

    Default Re: warranty inspections

    Quote Originally Posted by wayne williams View Post
    Second issue is noisy floor from large open living area house plan being echoed around living space.

    Is this a flooring issue (squeaking/popping) or just an echo issue?

    Just curious.


  3. #3
    wayne williams's Avatar
    wayne williams Guest

    Smile Re: warranty inspections

    Quote Originally Posted by chris mcintyre View Post
    Is this a flooring issue (squeaking/popping) or just an echo issue?

    Just curious.
    The hollow sound you hear from walking on a deck, say an old warehouse, lots of open space, ceiling above ground floor open with visible ceiling joist. Home is very large 7000 sq ft. From looking in the attic at the framing, minor issues on hip rafters. My father was a Florida licensed contractor if I didnt make a perfect cut on a rafter I would hear about it. Anyhow I am sure it all meets code requirements, Its just my opinion that the minimum is not good enough, especially on a custom home with a ton of money involved. Its like meeting the letter of the law instead of the spirit. Same thing with building a home.


  4. #4
    chris mcintyre's Avatar
    chris mcintyre Guest

    Default Re: warranty inspections

    Quote Originally Posted by wayne williams View Post
    The hollow sound you hear from walking on a deck, say an old warehouse, lots of open space,
    I'm just trying to see how an echoing floor is the builders "issue", if the house was built according to the plans, I would call that a design flaw, and even that is a stretch.

    Its just my opinion that the minimum is not good enough, especially on a custom home with a ton of money involved.
    Still not seeing it.

    Maybe the homeowners should have chosen carpet instead of hardwood.

    Oh well, I know this is off topic, and not what you were asking, I apologize, and thanks for answering my question.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Oregon
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    Default Re: warranty inspections

    I hate getting in the middle of pissing matches with ultra picky people.... I do my best to distance myself.... quickly. Keep in mind the next person they'll be after is likely to be you.


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Spring Hill (Nashville), TN
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    Default Re: warranty inspections

    Quote Originally Posted by wayne williams View Post
    Does anybody out there from spection land have any relevant information on doing a home warranty inspection for a home purchased and built a year ago? Homeowners want an inspection to take to there builder for a couple of issues. First is sagging sheet rock ceiling thirty feet above living room floor. Second issue is noisy floor from large open living area house plan being echoed around living space. This would require major surgery to fix. Any idea on warranty inspection criteria?
    I love doing 1 year warranty inspections. You just report what you find, everything from nail pops to whatever you can think of. No special guidelines or standards, but I do get into cosmetic items in this type of inspection.

    I always ask the client to make a list of items they have found while living in the home. They are the ones who have been sitting in their Lazy Boy looking at that spot or whatever for 8 months. They have most likely found things you might not find in the few hours you are at the home. I then take their list and locate those items and formulate them into the report. Most of the time I have already found 90% of what they have a concern about.

    The sagging drywall is a defect.

    The acoustics in the large room is not a defect. It could be the lack of furnishings in the room that are causing this. Large rooms with high ceilings and hard floors are noisy; ever been into a gymnasium? You can still report this in your report, by simply saying the room has poor acoustics and leave it at that. Home inspectors as a rule really do not get into acoustical problems unless they have some specialized training and equipment.

    You should also get a copy of the NAHB Residential Construction Performance Guidelines., it is what the NAHB says are the minimal standard of care for their members. I have found that most "good" builders will abide and agree to correct things if they do not meet the published standards.

    Scott Patterson, ACI
    Spring Hill, TN
    www.traceinspections.com

  7. #7
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    Atlanta, Georgia
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    Default Re: warranty inspections

    LOVE warranty inspections. The homeowners are either nit pickers or worry warts. They usually have a list of things that are wrong. Most of them are cosmetic. I have them lead me around at the beginning and show me all their concerns. Snap a pic or two and explain the issue. They feel listened to and relax to allow me to inspect. Everything you find after that makes you a hero because they overlooked it and you found it.

    Most complain about a floor squeak. Always the same place. Between the master bed and the bathroom. One gets up to pee and the squeak bothers the other.

    I have a boilerplate just for warranty inspections. Same problems in the same place in every house regardless of builder.

    I specificially market to the 11 month warranty crowd. Easily 1/3 of my business. Often if you get into a new neighborhood, you can work your way down the street by word of mouth. I inspected 11 out of 17 houses on a pair of cul-de-sacs a few years back.

    "The Code is not a peak to reach but a foundation to build from."

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Default Re: warranty inspections

    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Patterson View Post
    You should also get a copy of the NAHB Residential Construction Performance Guidelines., it is what the NAHB says are the minimal standard of care for their members. I have found that most "good" builders will abide and agree to correct things if they do not meet the published standards.
    That's a good idea. I recently bought that book and here is what it says about Wood Floor Framing / Floor System:

    Observation: Springiness, bounce, shaking or visible sag is present in the floor system.

    Performance Guideline: All beams, joists, headers and other structural members shall be sized according to the manufacturers' specifications or local building codes.

    Corrective Measure: The contractor will reinforce or modify, as necessary, any member of the floor system not meeting the performance guideline.

    Discussion: Deflection may indicate insufficient stiffness in the lumber, or may reflect an aesthetic consideration independent of the strength and safety requirements of the lumber. Structural members are required to meet standards for both stiffness and strength. When a consumer's preference is made known before construction, the contractor and the consumer may agree upon a higher standard.


    "Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand." Leo Durocher
    Bruce Breedlove
    www.avaloninspection.com

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