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What's Yer Gripe? It Works...

By TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.

Home Inspector with Complete Home Inspections, Inc. TN Lic#050

August 26, 2011 10:47 PM

What's Yer Gripe? It Works...
Home inspectors can be picky so and so's. Like certain parts of the anatomy, Flippers... sometimes we raise a stink, but we do serve a purpose.
     Having been in the home inspection industry as long as I have, I think I have seen just about everything - or at least new adaptations of the same 'ol same 'ol. That is, until I came across this ingenious plumbing issue in a flipper. What makes this plumbing issue not so common are the following:
    1.    The nipple just below and above the plumbing stop under the sink is black iron which is not designed for potable water. This material is commonly used for gas lines. The proper material would be galvanized steel.
    2.    The coupling used to join the two sections of pipe is a compression type coupling. While these may be okay for pipes under the house or buried in the yard, these can leak. And, being in the cabinet under the sink, a leak here has the potential to do a lot of hidden damage.
    3.    Although this handy man repair is functional, it does not comply with acceptable trade practices and will need to be reviewed by a professional in the appropriate trade.
     Flippers, ya gotta love 'em. Well, at least I do. They keep me employed...

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Bill Reddington

Re/max By The Sea - Destin, FL

Destin Florida Real Estate

Don't get it. Too easy to fix it the right way. The depot or Ace can't be that far away.

Aug 28, 2011 03:34 AM

Doug McVinua

Blue Sky Living - Gilbert, AZ

Seems to be notable for creative use of available resources! HA

Aug 28, 2011 03:45 AM

Rafi Footerman

Mid Jersey Inspections - Edison, NJ

Home Inspector, Mold Inspector, Radon and More!

Just like the house I inspected yesterday just before the hurricaine hit. They used drywall screws for everything from vent connections to electric panel covers and they were only the tip of the iceberg.

Aug 28, 2011 04:15 AM

The Derrick Team - Indy Metro Realtors

Carpenter Realtors - Avon, IN

Your Pet Friendly Realtors

I've found it seems investors hire the cheapest contractors they can. Those contractors cut corners and probably use what ever it in their truck to do repairs like this. I'm glad inspectors can catch these things for my buyers.

Aug 28, 2011 04:30 AM

Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner

Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA

Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

This is the reason we need a good home inspector....because to me? that looked fine. Ugh

Aug 28, 2011 04:31 AM

Anonymous

Scott

As a rehabber, I tend to have the opposite problem. We need to leave a few minor things unfixed (like a miswired outlet, a door that doesn't shut cleanly or a dirty air filter) just so the inspector doesn't feel the need to make up issues because he can't find any. Ultimately, the 30 minutes and $10 we spend fixing the issues we left for the inspector to find is a lot cheaper than having to fix the exaggerated (or even made-up) issues the inspector will "find" just so he can justify his fee to the buyer.

Aug 28, 2011 04:39 AM

#52

Larry Brewer - Benchmark Realty llc

Benchmark Realty LLc - Nashville, TN

Michael - I see rusty water leaking in the future. I really don't care for iron pipes, but old houses tend to have them. Maybe that's why I've never owned an old house.

Aug 28, 2011 05:02 AM

Kimo Jarrett

Cyber Properties - Huntington Beach, CA

Pro Lifestyle Solutions

Interesting, yet I often wonder why wouldn't the flipper use the proper materials to repair a defect? The cost wouldn't be much more, wouldn't it?

Aug 28, 2011 05:15 AM

Ann Wilkins

Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty - Oakland, CA

Oakland, Berkeley, Piedmont CA

Since our houses are older, buyers ALWAYS have a home inspection. Often the seller supplies a home inspection and if we don't know the inspector the buyer obtains another. There are inspectors who are known to be "tougher" than others. There are some (my favorite) who call out everything but prioritize what is critical and what can be done at a later time.

Aug 28, 2011 06:04 AM

Gene Riemenschneider

Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA

Turning Houses into Homes

Many years ago when in Insurance I was at a Construction Defect Seminar. They were showing some slides on a case study. During some destructive testing they were taking apart some windows and found a soda can had been flattened out and used to finish of some flashing. It was working very well - but it looked very bad.

Aug 28, 2011 07:20 AM

Liane Thomas, Top Listing Agent

Professional Realty Services® - Corona, CA

Bringing you Home!

Hmm, if they did the cheap fix on that, I would be concerned what other corners they cut. Glad they hired you!

Aug 28, 2011 08:05 AM

Lyn Sims

Schaumburg, IL

Real Estate Broker Retired

I don't think being a flipper had anything really to do with it other than let's 'repurpose' every scrap of iron, pipe, etc. that was left over in the remodel job. Very stupid & frugal.

Aug 28, 2011 08:43 AM

Vickie Nagy

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate - Palm Springs, CA

Vickie Jean the Palm Springs Condo Queen

Flippers are not the only guilty parties. A great many occupied homes show a significant deferred maintenance or shoddy rigged up repairs yet have granite countertop upgrades. Sometimes people's priorities amaze me.

Aug 28, 2011 09:18 AM

Gerard Gilbers

Higher Authority Markeing - Asheboro, NC

Your Marketing Master

Gas is under pressure and water is under pressure, since the pipe fits that should work right? ;) I wouldn't use gas pipes for water because I don't play with gas!!

Aug 28, 2011 02:27 PM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Just like in Virginia, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? And galvanized might have been "proper" 60 years ago!

Aug 28, 2011 11:29 PM

Michael L. Brownstead

Brownstead Real Estate, LLC - Frisco, TX

ABR, GRI, MRP, SRS, 1SG US Army (Ret.)

Michael, thanks for the great info on inspections, I will be sure to pass on the info.

Aug 29, 2011 12:12 AM

Chris Smith

Re/Max Chay Realty Inc., Brokerage - New Tecumseth, ON

South Simcoe, Caledon, King, Orangeville Real Esta

Michael, just another reason any buyer should have their home inspected by a knowledgeable home inspector.

Aug 29, 2011 06:10 AM

Beverly Femia

BlueCoast Realty Corporation - Hampstead, NC

Broker Realtor Stager - Greater Wilmington, NC Are

Terrifying!!!

Aug 29, 2011 03:29 PM

Tony Hager

United Realty Texas - Denton, TX

Broker

I have to agree with #47, it really would not have cost that much more to do it right the first time.

Aug 31, 2011 09:17 AM

Mike Grumbles

Gray Fox Realty - Franklin, TN

The Relocation Engineer in Franklin TN

Michael,

Great point and a perfect reason to have a hoem inspection for each of our clients before the deal closes and also a great reason to have a home inspected when it is going to be listed for sale. No need to showcase how bad the home repair may have been handled over the period of curretn ownership.

Thanks for the information.

Sep 05, 2011 07:02 AM