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We all know looks are not everything!

By Charles Buell

Home Inspector with Charles Buell Inspections Inc.

January 21, 2016 10:59 PM

As a home inspector I see examples how looks are not everything at almost every inspection. Take this wall at a stairwell for example.

Poor stairwell guard

In all likelihood, when the home was built, there was some other type of guard or wall to protect against falls into the stairwell.

For whatever reason, someone wanted a wall that provided more privacy to the hallway and bedrooms that could be viewed from the front entryway. This guard wall looks great and does the job of blocking the view!

However the translucent panels are merely very light shoji screen material and would not support a fall against it of any magnitude. Kits horsing around in the hallway might find themselves suddenly downstairs. This type of guard should not just give one the psychological feeling of safety, it must actually resist a real fall against it.

So while it looks great---it is not actually so great in terms of real safety.

Charles Buell, Real Estate Inspections in Seattle

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Richie Alan Naggar

people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA

agent & author

Yes to one false push, shove or lean and the whole thing comes tumbling down

Jan 21, 2016 11:05 PM

Charles Buell

Quite the mess it would be

Jan 22, 2016 12:22 AM

Chrissi Chapman Topoleski

Coldwell Banker Realty - Woodbridge, VA

Helping agents live an exceptional life!

I'd be a nervous wreck if there were children around!

Jan 21, 2016 11:09 PM

Charles Buell

Yes, kids are not going to think about whether the walls they run by can come tumbling down

Jan 22, 2016 12:23 AM

Tamara Elliott-Deering

Central Metro Realty - Austin, TX

People amaze me, I can't believe they didn't keep some sort of barrier up, they must not have kids or pets - or if they do they don't want to keep them.

Jan 21, 2016 11:09 PM

Charles Buell

It is things like this that make for job security I guess

Jan 22, 2016 12:24 AM

Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®

RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI

Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

It is sort of pretty but defeats the purpose doesn't it...great post again!

Jan 21, 2016 11:21 PM

Charles Buell

People sometimes have great ideas that just don't get properly thought through because of lack of understanding about the big picture

Jan 22, 2016 12:25 AM

Fred Hernden, CMI

Superior Home Inspections - Greater Albuquerque Area - Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque area Master Inspector

Pretty... I can see someone stumbling right through that center panel!

Jan 21, 2016 11:30 PM

Charles Buell

For sure Fred

Jan 22, 2016 12:25 AM

Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist

KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA

Probate Real Estate Services

Charles, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I don't even think it looks good ... but that the point. It will not prevent someone from finding their self downstairs if they happen to stumble into it.

Jan 21, 2016 11:35 PM

Charles Buell

Certainly not a case of its being better to look good than feel good----as Billy Crystal said.

Jan 22, 2016 12:26 AM

Kat Palmiotti

eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT

Helping your Montana dreams take root

As soon as I saw the picture and before I read your post, I thought, "OMG, I hope no one ever falls into that!"

I could picture going to use the facilities in the middle of night and walking right into the wall. haha. That would be me.

Jan 21, 2016 11:43 PM

Charles Buell

Kat, it sounds like you could be a home inspector How are you with spider filled claustrophobic crawl spaces?

Jan 22, 2016 12:27 AM

Anna "Banana" Kruchten

YUCK!!!!!

Jan 22, 2016 02:05 AM

Patricia Kennedy

RLAH@properties - Washington, DC

Home in the Capital

Charlie, forget kids horsing around. My friends tend to drink a lot, and I'd hate to have someone take a short cut down the stairs after a trip to the loo!

Jan 22, 2016 01:08 AM

Anna "Banana" Kruchten

Phoenix, AZ

Charles Buell

Exactly Patricia Kennedy and then there are the newly weds that get carried away against walls too impatient to get on down the hall

Jan 22, 2016 01:12 AM

Anna "Banana" Kruchten

HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ

602-380-4886

Charlie - that is a really good call. I'm not sure I would have 'seen' it - THANK YOU! You've opened my eye to another issue....

Question - what type of translucent product would be safe?

Jan 22, 2016 02:03 AM

Charles Buell

It really might be missed by lots of people---certainly whoever installed it.

Jan 22, 2016 03:54 AM

Joshua Frederick

Home Inspector for ASPEC Residential Services, LLC - Defiance, OH

Home Inspector in Defiance & all of Northwest Ohio

You can always tell the houses where kids don't usually reside (they're always clean!)

I also see some railings in the background (or is that a mirror?) that don't look very kid-friendly.

Jan 22, 2016 03:38 AM

Charles Buell

Hey Joshua Frederick , so nice to see you. Yes, I suspect that is what the guard along the other side looked like originally. Not much safer for sure---but oh so 60's. Still love that picture of yours of the alligator clip electrical panel.

Jan 22, 2016 03:56 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Charles- that looks scary...one slip and I wouldn't want to think what could happen.

Jan 22, 2016 10:31 AM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

The fact that you know to call is "shoji screen" is impressive enough!

I was thinking more like - plastic screen crap - but that's just me.

Unsafe is still unsafe! Even when it's shoji unsafe.

(And a rose by any other name is still a rose...)

Jan 22, 2016 05:57 PM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

One might further say that if you practice safe hallway you prevent Falling Transmitted Diseases (FTDs).

Disease - noun - a particular abnormal condition, a disorder of a structure or function, that affects part or all of an organism.

Falling over a ledge certainly fits that definition.

On the Pacific Rim do they call it shoji screen sickness?

Jan 22, 2016 06:00 PM

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We all know looks are not everything!

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