I have seen the problem pictured below many times before, as has every other home inspector. The seller is pleased to report, going into the inspection, that the home has a new roof and it is in good shape -- great selling point! The home inspector takes a look at the roof and it is nicely done.

Later on in the inspection, the home inspector opens the attic hatch. What does he or she find? The inspector finds the photo below.

Bellingham home inspector, king of the house 

What is all the litter? That is the old roof and wood scraps left by the roofers. Can you say unnecessary non-structural material and a possible fire hazard? I see this the most when the previous roof was wood, such as shakes, and the rafters had originally been skip-sheathed. Skip-sheathing leaves gaps below the roof and when the roofing is torn off all the clutter falls through the open holes. It drops into the attic. Any time the roof sheathing above is removed and/or replaced, some of this kind of debris is prone to getting through and into the attic.

This discovery of clutter in the attic disappoints the seller. Obviously, the roofer does not provide a warning or tell the seller that this problem exists. Just the same, it ends up noted on the home inspection report. At that point, some poor soul has to deal with it. The good news is that solving the problem is not usually too hard to do.  Somebody has to get in the attic and gather up all that worthless stuff. In so doing that, this lucky person has to avoid stepping through the ceiling.

 Steven L. Smith

Bellingham WA Home Inspections

        

        

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8 Comments on And You Thought The Job Was Done

JUL
15
2008
917,068 Points 178 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I can sort of understand the mess when you can't get at it to clean it up because of the skip sheathing.  But in your picture they have removed the skip-sheathing (if that is what it had) before installing the new sheathing----a bit unusual for around here.
11:42pm • #1
1,150,590 Points 53 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Charlie,

Yeah, I do not know the specifics on this roof. It is an old photo I have and where it came from is long forgotten. As you say, usually you know they had skip-sheathed because the structure is still visible below the new sheathing.

Those fine details are such a bore
11:48pm • #2
JUL
16
2008
225,809 Points 14 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Sloppy job by the roofer. Im suprised the owner did not take care of this themselves before listing.
12:01am • #3
1,150,590 Points 53 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Mike,

Sellers never seem to look in attics or crawl spaces. They had no clue at all.
12:05am • #4
917,068 Points 178 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Another point is that I don't know of any roofers that will take on the liability of having his workers walking around on someones ceilings:)
12:06am • #5
1,150,590 Points 53 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Those fine details are such a bore
12:11am • #6
917,068 Points 178 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Steve, love the new business logo!
12:14am • #7
1,951,316 Points 478 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

That roofer shouln't have been paid until the litter was cleaned up. 

If I showed that house to a buyer and they wrote a contract, our contract requires that a property be conveyed "broom clean and free of debris". 

If the owner doesn't have the roofer clean their mess, the owner will do it before closing. 
6:21am • #8

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Steven L. Smith, Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Bellingham, WA

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King of the House Home Inspection, Inc

Address: Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Blaine, Sumas, Nooksack, Lake Whatcom, Lake Samish, Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Whatcom County, Bellingham, WA, 98225

Office Phone: (360) 676-6908

Cell Phone: (360) 319-0038

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Steven L. Smith, King of the House Home Inspection, provides information for real estate buyers, sellers and real estate industry professionals. Blog posts emphasize issues commonly found in Bellingham, WA and Whatcom County. Smith is Washington State Licensed Home inspector #207, a state licensed structural pest inspector and one of the most experienced inspectors in the northwest corner of the Pacific Northwest. Steven L. Smith is lead instructor of home inspection at Bellingham Technical College and teaches classes for Washington State University and the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Steve was a two-term member of the state licensing board.


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