Don't sweat the small stuff...

And it's all small stuff. Well, most of the time anyway.  As a home inspector, I  come across a lot of "small" stuff during the course of an inspection, after all, I do like to be thorough, detailed, and comprehensive when performing inspections.  In fact, in my area of Defiance, Ohio and all over Northwest Ohio, I've built up a reputation as being all of these things. I've found that the vast majority of people like these qualities in an inspector – ones who find all the "small stuff," "the medium stuff," along with, of course, the "bigger stuff." Sometimes, though, it does get exhaustive at times noting and taking pictures of all the "smaller" stuff.  To combat the extra labor and slow down the endless pursuit of Mr. Time, I found it easier to sometimes just go ahead and fix some of these smaller issues.  I mean, I'm there looking at it and trying to get it to pose right and say, "cheese!" anyway. By the time I get the picture right, the condition noted, etc., it's more prudent to just go ahead and fix it.  I've fixed small drain leaks under sinks, installed missing junction box covers,  colored white wires in electrical panels with my black sharpie, fixed detached vanity trip lever drains, repaired bulging foundation walls, etc.  O.k., maybe not the last one, but I had to make sure you're still paying attention ;)

Here's an example from a recent inspection.  An electrical wire was crossing over the attic hatch, which isn't a very practical installation.  The wire could become damaged and it doesn't make it any easier getting the hatch cover out of the way or put back.  

Anyway, it took me about 1 minute or so to simply remove the wire staple with a screwdriver and reinstall at an appropriate location with a hammer. 

Now of course every situation isn't always this simple. For instance, 9 times out of 10, that wire pictured above isn't going to be long enough or have enough slack for me to simply move it like I did. If that's the case, well it's out of my hands and into someone else's that has more time to do it right.

Being proactive at inspections, by completing these simple repairs, is helpful for everyone involved -the buyer, the seller, the inspector, and the agents.  And that's exactly what life is about, helping others.  

So don't sweat it, there's always going to be small stuff.