When Monday never comes                              Leavenworth Home Inspection Services

Okay let’s start with a little story.

It’s Friday and you are busily working on this beautiful new home. This is not your normal “Spec Home” but a nice custom home with some very nice amenities. The Jones will have a beautiful home.

If you have ever been around the trades you know what Friday usually brings, it is the end of the work week. Many times the guys are ready to bail as quick as possible from the job site on Friday. So clean up starts a little earlier and they need to secure everything for the weekend.

So back to the story, you are working away, you are “Joe the plumber” and you got your rough plumbing done. But on the inspection by the “AHJ” (authority having jurisdiction), he states you can cover (drywall and insulation can go in) but you need to get your main vent stack up through the roof. Codes state that within each plumbing system, a minimum of one stack vent or a vent stack shall extend outdoors to the open air.

                                                 Plumbing System Leavenworth home Inspection

So Joe is working on getting the vent stack over and up in the attic. Joe wants to put it high on the roof line as possible to minimize snow damage to the stack. But heck its 1:00 and Billy and Joe have a date at the local watering hole right after work. Plus it’s mid-summer and that attic has to be 150 degrees plus, and Joe sure is thirsty. So Joe says “damn I will leave my pipe right here and get right back to it Monday”.

Monday morning comes and Joe gets a call from his boss panicking “Joe get over to Wheeler project we have to get that roughed out by the end of the day, we have to be ready for a Tuesday inspection”.

Monday never comes to the Jones place.

Fast forward a couple of years and your happy wandering Wenatchee home inspector arrives to inspect the Jones home. He climbs into the attic to find… you guessed it a vent stack venting into the attic space.

                                   Vent stack venting in attic Leavenworth Home Inspection

The vent pipe is lying right there from that long forgotten Friday.

The moral of the story is that even in the nicest homes things get missed. Even with new construction you should have a home inspection.

Ancora Imparo


NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…  

Your Wenatchee and Chelan Professional Real Estate, Home and Structural Pest Inspection Service

www.ncwhomeinspections.com                                               509-670-9572

 
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43 Comments on When Monday never comes

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

JAN
18
152,508 Points Outside Blog

Yep, heard horror stories about "Friday builds". I know that at one time, you could specify to NOT get a car built on a Friday (not really sure if that was actually true or if the Dealer just "told" the customer that it wasn't...).
6:51am • #26
299,146 Points 21 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor

OMG - Scary ALWAYS get a Home Inpection - No matter the AGE of the property!
6:57am • #27
Outside Blog

Great post and great point.  I have seen some things on new homes that make me shudder.  I encourage my buyers to always have an inspection on new homes but not all of them listen well.  Why should I spend X on an inspection.  Its a brand new home!  I'd be wealthy if I had a buck for every time I heard that.
7:43am • #28
388,395 Points 27 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master
Right, always. It's always good to finish something like that. What if on Monday you can't be there and someone else takes over? Many reasons to do professional workmanlike work. Liability also.
8:23am • #29
292,016 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Travis, I thought they had some statistics on Friday and Monday builds. I really do not know if that has changed.

Debbie, I agree and they should have the new home inspected at the 11th month to see if any issues came up.

Tom, That perception is hard to shake.

Hella, Yeah really is good to finish the job. But you never know what the true circumstance was.
9:46am • #30
583,938 Points 104 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Great story Donald. It could very well be the reason why that vent pipe was never installed. Obviously the City/County building inspector and/or the plumbing inspector didn't bother to examine the crawl space before signing off. I think that happens far more often than people realize.
12:17pm • #31

Had a friend who was purchasing a new home in my home state of Indiana (Ft. Wayne ). I was so happy for her and her family. They had saved for many years. I told her no matter what to have a "new home" inspection. She said the builder told her it wasn't necessary since it was brand new. Unbeknownst to her husband she had it done anyway. There were plumbing issues and the same vent and electrical issues. She was present for the inspection and knew what kind of hotwater heater and size they wanted. None of that was what she had ordered. As soon as she got the report she called me and to her husband surprise let him know what she'd done. He told her it was the best money she ever spent. They still moved in on time and are still living in the same house. I must add she did work with her agent who was very new and surprised about having an inspection on anew construction. So far they have had no issues with the house.  I have all those who don't want inspections to sign a waiver. Doesn't matter either if the house used to be an old family home, either.
3:59pm • #32
292,016 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Marte, Most of the time the municipal inspectors are only on site for like 15 minute. Hard to find much in that time and some contractors have tricks.

Theresa, I think a good home inspection is well worth the investment and then some. Just like your tale things do happen.
4:13pm • #33
470,713 Points 11 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Inspections are an essential part of the home buying process.  They help to protect the buyer from unknown defects in the property and help to protect the seller from post closing complaints.
10:16pm • #34
JAN
19

I agree with everyone else- get a home inspection no matter what!  I had one home that went through with no problems, and most of the time the issues are fairly inexpensive to fix- but occassionally a big problem will be found.  An often something that is inexpensive to fix can lead to major health issues.
4:03am • #35
292,016 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Sharon, I agree, as with so many of you, a good Realtors and Home Inspectors are all part of a process to help people find what they like or need and minimize some of the risk.

Lynn, That is so true about the simple fixes. Many times if they are corrected early little to no effect will happen from them. But give them time they can be a cancer to the home.
8:10am • #36
140,213 Points Attended Rain Camp

Dear Donald,

For new homes, you should have more than one inspection and be nice to "Joe, the plumber," when you come by the jobsite. Imagine, if this had been the sewer pipe? Oh, but for that the city comes out to look, right?
8:28pm • #37
204,056 Points 26 Featured Posts Outside Blog

great story....it certainly pays to be sure because you never know what you will find!!
9:31pm • #38
JAN
20
494,046 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Donald, reminded us of a friends 3 story home.  He is in a wheelchair so needed an elevator.  Guess what the elevator crew cut out?  What a smell!
6:06am • #39
292,016 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Dorte, Always nice to Joe ; ) Had someone just tell me they were on a new home inspection and they had forgot to hook up the sewer line under the home. Luckily it was new and not being used. 

 

Paddy, It is always good to have an inspection. You just never know what you will find.
6:19am • #40
292,016 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Bob, That just stinks ; ) Some guys should not be allowed to have saws.
6:53am • #41
JAN
21
119,566 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog

Congrats on the "Spotlight"
3:02pm • #42
292,016 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

MArshall, Thank you.
3:18pm • #43
JAN
25
1,022,895 Points 15 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I had a brand new home where someone cut the trusses to get the heater in.  Always get an inspection.
3:23pm • #44
292,016 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Gene, I have seen compromised structural members by plumbers and HVAC contractors.
3:36pm • #45

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