Once in awhile I come across a salesman who reminds me of Mr. Haney from the show Green Acres. "Would you be interested in this genuine replica of a bronze colored plasticized Japanese coin"?
Are not required.. there's something missing to this statement when I hear certain salesmen (and women) mention to a potential home buyer that certain things are "not required". Carbon Monoxide, Seismic Straps, Smoke Alarms, it doesn't seem to matter to them the safety conditions as long as they don't have to provide any contingencies. That's OK, when I hear these words being mumbled by a salesman while I'm minding my own business inspecting a home, I already know how I'm going to report it.
Being a home inspector does'nt mean I'm the referee. It doesn't mean I am "the man" or the pass/fail expert. I am not a compliance inspector like the role of a city building inspector. Frankly, the word "required" is not even in my professional vocabulary. Suggestions and Recommendations are my go-to choice for things like this. Carbon Monoxide is a deadly gas and although there may be loopholes preventing the contingency to have them installed upon a sale, I don't care because I recommend (in yellow or red) they be installed for today's standards for safety and health.
Seizmic Straps are suggested on water heaters at 1/3 from the top and 1/3 from the bottom and not less than 4" from any controls. I am not an officer that will RED FLAG things like this and there may be loopholes that I am not aware of. My job is not to know building codes from the late 1800's or early 1900's. My job is to suggest or recommend repairs or upgrades on what is currently considered a "safety concern" and bring it to my clients attention.
Whether or not my client wants to buy a genuine replica of a bronze colored plasticized Japanese coin is not my concern. What is my concern is will it harm my client now or later? Safety counts for roughly 90% of my inspection process and I can (and do) suggest everything in my report to allow my client an opportunity to decide for themselves.
"Are not required" [for me to sell this house] is what's missing from this sentence. It saddens me to think of new home buyers who did not have an inspection and don't have safety precautions in place throughout their home because someone told them they were not required.
My job is not to make mountains out of molehills like some real estate agents might think. My job is to make those molehills visible to the potential home buyer.
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