Or so you thought. Some people who attend home inspections seem to think nothing of little items mentioned by a home inspector because the repair is so easy to do.

For example: loose wiring at the circuit breakers. This is an easy fix - all you need is a screwdriver and a little muscle. So it is so easy that I should not mention it? Loose wiring connections are a very common cause of electrical fires.

Todays inspection was quite frustrating for me because the homeowner was breathing down my neck discounting almost everything I said, and dismissing it as 'such a small issue' that it is hardly worth mentioning.

Sloppy workmanship, especially in residential electrical situations, can be a BIG deal. Another example:

The wiring in this particular service panel was so sloppy, with wires packed into this box that made it look like a rats nest. No big deal right? Just put on the cover and the problem disappears right? Not so. When putting the screw back to fasten the cover, the screw dug into a 'sloppy and poorly placed' wire which shorted and tripped a breaker, and gave me a shock too!

It was a big deal for me, and the buyer was alarmed after I got zapped. An easy fix? Yup. The problem existed because someone thought they knew what they were doing. Should the problem be addressed by a professional? You better believe it. -Ray