Thread: How do you like these?

Block supports in crawl space. Feel safe yet?

Wayne,

That repair guy gets around. Here's some of mine from today.

Wayne,

I would caution you not to *bump* into them while under there.

Rick,

I think the purpose of turning the brick cells horizontally was for better ventilation as air circulates throughout the crawl.

That's nothing. Check this out. All from the same house.

Yep. You guessed it. In picture 024, that is a live tree on the right and a railroad tie on the left, sitting on a rock.

Here's the funny part. The building inspector in this area okay'd all this. Where's my banjo?

Couldn't resist putting this one from the same house in. I know we should write up vegetation in close proximity to the air conditioner, but what about linoleum?

I took 145 pictures of this house and each one will make you say, "Is that for real?"

Originally Posted by Craig LaMere

Here's the funny part. The building inspector in this area okay'd all this. Where's my banjo?

You know that for sure?

There was a signed off permit there?

I doubt one of their inspectors okayed that. I did inspections in Panama City last September, and from what I saw, they would not okay that stuff.

If you were told 'the city okayed this', then I would take those photos to the building department and ask the Building Official 'Is this stuff okay? I was told the city inspected it, but I suspect it was done without a permit.'

That way, you are, first and foremost, telling the Building Official 'I was told so-and-so, but I don't believe it because I know you would not allow that crap', and, you are also saying 'I would like to know what you say about these types of things'. That's a good way to start building a good relationship with the Building Official and the inspectors. Good HIs build good relationships with their local building departments - first, it eventually earns the respect of the building department for what the HI says and calls out, second, the HI learns what and why the city calls out.

In the end, both the HI and the building department learn from each other.

You might want to slow down on talking with the AHJ about properties you inspect, you MIGHT be violating confidentiality rules if you are in a state that regulates HI. I make it a practice to never disclose or discuss an inspection with anyone unless my client approves it ahead of time.
Now you might talk to the AHJ on a hypothetical basis but don't overload your hummin' bird.
Jim

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

...but don't overload your hummin' bird.
Jim

Never heard this expression before - a quick Google search turned up "Don't let your Alligator mouth overload your Hummingbird A$$" - but I'm still not exactly sure what it means.

Similar to "don't bite off more than you can chew"
or in this situation, "don't open up that can of worms"
It might just be a Texas thang.
Jim

Those rims are bling fo sho ma brotha. That is a great pic.

Would a referral to a structural engineer be a good idea here?

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

You might want to slow down on talking with the AHJ about properties you inspect, you MIGHT be violating confidentiality rules if you are in a state that regulates HI. I make it a practice to never disclose or discuss an inspection with anyone unless my client approves it ahead of time.

You only have to slow down enough to ask your client if you can research and discus this stuff with those you are asking, it is, after all, for their benefit.

You make it sound like you will be violating that by talking to someone else, and that is seldom the case ... once you've asked and been given permission. I made it a habit to get that permission, my clients always said okay, because they know that the more I knew and could find out for their purchase, the better off they were.

To me, it only makes sense to have a little line on your contract with a check box asking for that permission, they check it off and sign it.

I really do not see the problem.

Jerry, since you don't (didn't) operate under licensing rules in Florida, there would be no problems on that part.
I can see the possibility of setting wheels in motion concerning un-permitted work and the like that may come back to haunt the buyers if it is not cleared up and they purchase the house anyway.
I just don't want to create problems that I have to clean up later or worse that my clients have to clean up. Granted, I told them that x,y and z was wrong and not permitted, etc. but I figure if I inform my client, my job is done and to do more than that may breach their confidence and the ethical confidentiality.

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

Jerry, since you don't (didn't) operate under licensing rules in Florida, there would be no problems on that part.
I can see the possibility of setting wheels in motion concerning un-permitted work and the like that may come back to haunt the buyers if it is not cleared up and they purchase the house anyway.
I just don't want to create problems that I have to clean up later or worse that my clients have to clean up. Granted, I told them that x,y and z was wrong and not permitted, etc. but I figure if I inform my client, my job is done and to do more than that may breach their confidence and the ethical confidentiality.

Not to mention that your are not allowed to do so without your clients permission...

§535.220Real Estate InspectorsADOPTED 08/28/2006Section 535.220 as adopted prohibits an inspector from disclosing inspection results or client information without prior approval from the client, except for observed immediate safety hazards to occupants exposed to such hazards.Professional Conduct and Ethics (7) Inspectors shall not disclose inspection results or client information without prior approval from the client. Inspectors, at their discretion, may disclose observed immediate safety hazards to occupants exposed to such hazards when feasible.

Richard

Originally Posted by Richard Rushing

Not to mention that your are not allowed to do so without your clients permission...

§535.220Real Estate InspectorsADOPTED 08/28/2006Section 535.220 as adopted prohibits an inspector from disclosing inspection results or client information without prior approval from the client, except for observed immediate safety hazards to occupants exposed to such hazards.Professional Conduct and Ethics (7) Inspectors shall not disclose inspection results or client information without prior approval from the client. Inspectors, at their discretion, may disclose observed immediate safety hazards to occupants exposed to such hazards when feasible.

Richard

Richard,

Did you not read my post? Is your reading as bad as mine was yesterday and the last few days?

I said:

You only have to slow down enough to ask your client if you can research and discus this stuff with those you are asking, it is, after all, for their benefit.

You make it sound like you will be violating that by talking to someone else, and that is seldom the case ... once you've asked and been given permission. I made it a habit to get that permission, my clients always said okay, because they know that the more I knew and could find out for their purchase, the better off they were.

To me, it only makes sense to have a little line on your contract with a check box asking for that permission, they check it off and sign it.

I really do not see the problem.

Once you have their permission, er, um, YOU HAVE THEIR PERMISSION.

funny piers

Dear Mr. McCarthy,

Some people! I suppose you made a "big deal" out of the custom PVC pier. What was he supposed to do with that left over pipe; throw it away? And I suppose you just "had to" call out the moat around the perimeter, even though the guy had carefully constructed a concrete block dam to stop further erosion? It's no wonder Realtors hate us.

I know your type. You find one little thing to "nitpick" and just gloss over all the stuff done right. Like, did you say anything at all about how he appears to have used duct tape at the junction in the picture so that the crawl would be adequately conditioned at all times? I bet not!

Sorry, didn't mean to lose my temper. It's just that it's hard enough to get six inspections a day without you know-it-all newbies giving us a bad name.

Sincerely,
I.T. Sokay, President
Goodenuff Inspections*
"Save time! Ask about our special pre-inspection reports. Why slow down your closing?"

*a wholely owned subsidiary of Calledwell/Remin Realty.

Good stuff Tommy!!