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For Inspectors Who Don't Do Roofs!

By
Real Estate Agent with RLAH@Properties AB95346

Some of my favorite inspectors are feeling they are too old to climb up shaky ladders and crawl around slippery roofs.  I recently attended an inspection where DC area home inspector, Ken Cox, found an interesting solution. 

It's a long sort of metal pole that has a camera on the tip of it. 

He then fastens an iPhone where he can see the screen holding the pole.  

And the camera talks to the iPhone and he can see the roof, the gutters, the chimney and anything else that he needs to see that is taller than he is.  

So his report will have photos of the roof and chimney.  If there are leaves clogging the gutters, you'll see them.  If there is a raccoon sticking its head up out of the chimney, "Smile, little fur guy!  You're on Candid Camera!"

So if you're a home inspector and find that climbing a ladder to check out the sloping slate roof is a risk you might not want to take, this could be a solution!

 

 

 

Comments (15)

Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Pat- this sounds very interesting. Not sure how the iPhone talks to the camera but these days our gadgets can do amazing things!  Those roofs are dangerous for any age. 

Jan 01, 2017 04:32 PM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I can see where a drone may help these guys, but nothing beats the hands on

Jan 01, 2017 04:49 PM
Marnie Matarese
DWELL REAL ESTATE - Sarasota, FL
Showing you the best of Sarasota!

Great idea but I am still of the old school and agree with William Feela - hands on is still the best.

Jan 01, 2017 05:55 PM
Les & Sarah Oswald
Realty One Group - Eastvale, CA
Broker, Realtor and Investor

I think this is ingenious. If there are options to not climbing any ladder, count me in.

Jan 01, 2017 06:03 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Kathy, roofs are dangerous!  I've always been amazed at how agile so many inspectors are.  But we'er all getting older, and I stay off most ladders these days. 

Jan 01, 2017 06:54 PM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

My last home inspection, the inspector used a drone to do the roof. It was very good coverage Patricia Kennedy 

Jan 01, 2017 07:56 PM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning again Patricia. What a creative solution your inspector came up with.

Jan 02, 2017 06:06 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

William, hands on is OK, except that out home inspector population isn't exactly The Young and the Agile.  And this was a 4-level house with a slippery slate roof.  So this is pretty close to hands on!

Jan 02, 2017 07:42 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Marnie, I think hands on can work well in many areas where the homes tend to be one or two levels and the roofs are not especially pitched.  Here, the inspectors who do scale tall homes with slate roofs look like they are seeing their lives flash before their eyes.  Almost all automatically recommend a separate roof inspection by a real roofer, although they tend to try to sell  new roofs.

Jan 02, 2017 07:45 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Lee and Sarah, I hate to even watch one of my favorite inspectors climb a ladder! 

Jan 02, 2017 07:46 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Paul, what a great idea!  The only problem here is that we are too close to the White House and they are not legal in most of the DC area and close-in suburbs.

Jan 02, 2017 07:47 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Nice idea, put it up there set it to video and then capture what you see for the client.  Clever and safe

Jan 02, 2017 07:48 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Sheila, I thought it was a smart approach.

Jan 02, 2017 07:48 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Ed, with safe being the operative word!

Jan 02, 2017 07:49 AM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Pat - That's a great idea. I may not be an inspector, but I've always been too old (and afraid) to climb up on a roof.

Jan 02, 2017 01:26 PM