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Everyone loves "What is wrong with this picture?" type contests.

Now I am sure this will be easy for all the inspectors out there so I would appreciate it if they would all refrain from commenting to give everyone else a chance to have some fun. So the question is: What is wrong in this picture. And let's see who can come up with the most "creative" excuse for how the defect got to be this way.

What is wrong in this picture

Charles Buell

PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.

Raven DeCroe, is my "certiflied" home inspector assistant and occassionally flies into my blog to offer assistance. To find out more about her beginnings just click on Raven.

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle, WA, Home Inspector on 11/15/2008 07:07 PM

Comments (50)

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Originally posted at: Seattle Home Inspector's Blog: Everyone loves "What is wrong with this picture?" type contests.

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50 Comments on Everyone loves "What is wrong with this picture?" type contests.

NOV

2008

It's a partial wall installed purposefully to avoid having to use an unsightly door bumper.

There are not any door latch (guts)on the door/knobs that insert into the door frames latch plate. Gee, what do I know, I'm a Realtor..... ha,ha,ha.....

Richard, nope

Christine----good eye---and your are correct----but only partially-----keep looking.

Looks like the door is upside down or the knob is at the wrong height.

The lock is on the wrong side!!!!!!!!

It does appear as if the door was installed upside down.

Laurie Bailey-Gates

The top of the door has a larger gap than the bottom of the door, so the door looks warped somehow, but that could just be the picture? Maybe it got that way because the door frame isn't tall enough and therefore the door doesn't close properly.

I don't see anything wrong?

HHHmmmm....Looks obvious to me.... There is packaging tape on the glass to that cabinet.

Sean Allen

It looks inside out and upside down like the frame is backwards too - and all my doors have 3 hinges... I give ... what is it?

I don't know who "Mr Annoymous" is but they have it right, but not just the door it is the whole side jamb that is upside down as well as the space from the hinge to the top of the door should be the smaller length---which is just the opposite of this door.

Sandy, what do you mean the lock is on the wrong side?

Laurie, yup---door upside down.

Amy, no, you are right the door doesn't close parallel in the strike jamb either.

Door should have three hinges and not two?

Sean Allen

I bet that 'mr. Anomymous" is that Nutsy guy cheating. Typical for a squirrel, they always cheat when it comes to getting into bird feeders.

Sean Allen

Looks like Michael, Sean and Valerie, came in while I was responding. Solid doors will often have 3 hinges---depends on the weight. These light weight type doors will often have only two. Varies with manufacturers as well.

I am pretty sure the "Mr" part gives it away Sean:)

Maybe it's a door for really tall people with really short arms. ;-) And they have a very short pet (snake, perhaps?) and they want him to be able to get from room to room with the door closed.

Susan---funny!

One of the things that gives what is wrong away is that light switches and door handles are not usually at the same height:)

Interesting points of view. Noticed to door nob was not the right height.

Easy....They built the house upside down.

I give up.....tell me? Hampton NH Real Estate Patricia Aulson

Thomas, thanks for commenting

Steve, ya think?:)

Patricia, the answer is in the previous comments---but to repeat the door is upside down:)

I'm going to print your blog post and pass it out at my sales meeting on Tuesday to see if anyone gets it. I am betting the one married to a builder will be the only one who might. I'll let you know Tuesday.

I think everyone missed the second part of the contest. I was busy today so I didn't get to be the first one to notice that the door was upside down but in reality it is just keeping up with the Jones's door. After all aren't all doors really free to choose how they want to hang themselves. No more right or left it is all about feeling good about how you open and close. JMHO- Cheryl (what did I win?) Willis

Well duuuhhhh, if the door was flipped over it would block the door behind it. Why bother spending any money on a door that swings the right way when you can just flip it over and presto-change-o left hand door becomes a right hand door (or vice versa).

Tammy, that sounds like fun---let us know what you find out.

Cheryl, so good of you to arrive at the true meaning of the doors----Old Jim Morrison would be proud---I hope "this is the end":)

Good point Mr. Anonymous

NOV

2008

Charles - duh! you are inside the room the mother-in-law stays (a little too long I might add), the "kids" needed to slap up a door to keep that nosy *&(^ in her room, but were in a hurry and "slapped" the door on upside down - heck they don't know much about handyman stuff anyway! And they needed to get the lock on the outside of the door - for obvious reasons - duh again - Uncle Ray brought over the door, who cares if it didn't fit right, as long as the old bag lady couldn't squeeze out through the cracks. ~Rita Obviously they had to tape the furniture too!

P.S.It's just a story folks :) - kidding, with humor, funny, haha...

Rita, come on, you know and I know that story is the word for word absolute truth:)

DUUH... Do you think that the handy man was a leftie instead of a rightie? I was wondering where Bubba has been off to the past few days. Come to think of it, he is ambidextrous - he can screw a job up with either hand...

It's obvious - no bucket of water on top of the door.

Michael, I take it you think Bubba could have done this:)

Jack, that is for sure

Charles - I know, that was just to throw off the ones that don't know LOL -Rita

Charles it's time out for a 2 yr. old. Can't reach a knob that high. Easy to fix, just rotate the room.

Rita, ;)

Jack, so you think this is a "time-out" room?

Well now upside down and backwards is what appears to me - at least that will make it child-proof - for awhile! Will it even close without turning the knob first?

Deborah, it is a little hard to see in the picture, but there is actually no strike bolt present in the edge of the door----so it doesn't latch at all:)

I'm kind of surprised that no one pointed out the huge safety issue in the picture! Look above the door and you will see a Nebraska sign. It's not safe to be a Cornhusker fan in Seattle! GO Dawgs! I guess that would be "Outside the scope of the inspecton"

Scott----too funny----sorry, my bad to not call that out:)

That was a pretty obscure one, guess i need something easier !

The most obvious issue is the Nebraska banner. It is highly likely covering toxic mold. Why else would any one have one?

NOV

2008

Angela, I will see what I can come up with:)

Erik, it should be obvious to everyone by now that I am not much of a "football" fan---now if it had been "futbol" I might have stood a chance:)

Hi Charles - that makes sense, but it still looks upside down and backwards, which would be reason for removing the strike bolt, as it would otherwise just bang and restrict closure?

... your 'What's Wrong.......' post inspired one of my own - didn't think you would mind. What is Wrong With 'The Singing Butler'?

NOV

2008

You should change your title from "Everyone loves...." to "Almost everyone loves...." I hate trying to determine from a picture what is wrong.

I really like Steve's answer above .......... '...Easy....They built the house upside down.'

Charles, you could post a picture of a rusty bucket of bolts and get people to comment on it.

Someday, I will learn your secrets.

Is the door ............oops, sorry, I forgot we were not supposed to comment

NOV

2008

Russel, you mean to say you didn't like those old pictures with all the things hidden that you had to find?

Deborah, I think if you stood on your head this will still be wrong:)

Kevin, I should try that sometime?

Jack, anyone can comment by now:)

NOV

2008

Charles .....

Not sure if you do the "What is Wrong" photo often but you really should do more of them....

Not only are they fun to look at... but it helps others gain knowledge!

Very Cool Idea!

I like doing them but like to orient them to the general public---not just inspectors since there really aren't that many of us here. I will have to see what else I can come up with.

Charles... I guess you can say I am a "Nerd" when it comes to buildings. I love knowledge and I love learning new things... Not every house or building are the same as far as their condition. Everytime I enter a building for the first time (doing an inspection or not) I always see something I have never seen before...

I thought you may be interested in the photos I have attached below...

Let me give you a little backround on them... Not too long ago I saw a sign on a house not too far from where I live. I have out grown my townhouse and really have been looking into buying a single family home. Well I saw this house and I really liked it (from the outside)... so of course I called the number on the sign and went to visit the property alone..... I never disclosed the fact that I am a Home Inspector. I felt there really wasn't a reason too at the time, plus this is my own personal interest and I wasn't on the job. Anyway.... A Lawyer was handling the estate due to the fact that the lady that once owned it passed & there was no family. As the "Lawyer" and I enter the house I was so upset by the condition. I have NEVER and I mean NEVER seen a home that someone was trying to sell in the condition this house was.. The Lawyer told me that the house was in Perfect condition and a little soap, water, and paint would make this house new again...... I couldn't hold back.......

I feel sorry for anyone else that goes to look at this home that is clueless to major issues....

I really think if he knew I was a Home Inspector he would not have told me that all the house needed was a little soap, water, and paint in order to make this house look good!

lol What do you think? lol

Nikki, looks like a "fixer" to me:) Lots of deferred maintenace and outdated systems.

Wow looks scary to me

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