inspections: Sort of like the sum of the parts being greater than the whole.
- 08/24/14 09:14 AM
The home was newly remodeled. Why would anyone think an inspection was necessary? I have talked about this many times, as has every other inspector with a blog. There is the very erroneous opinion that homes that have been newly remodeled homes, or homes that are brand-new, will not have defects that warrant a home inspection. I have even heard agents tell clients: “If there was anything seriously wrong, I would have seen it.” Seriously? I know of several agents that used to be home inspectors and I seriously doubt that any of them would say that. For one … (11 comments)
inspections: The Inspection from Hell!
- 04/07/14 01:27 AM
I remember all too well my very first inspection. It was ten years ago—almost to the day of the start of this contest. I was fresh out of the 120 hour inspection training course I had taken at Bellingham Technical College and all my ducks were in a row as far as having my Structural Pest license, insurance, tools etc. It was just a matter of waiting for the phone to ring. In those early days, I wondered if the phone would EVER ring and I was very focused on doing what it would take to make it ring. There was … (61 comments)
inspections: What do you mean the inspection is going to take 6 hours?
- 03/30/14 02:54 AM
I often hear from clients, that their agents have told them that the inspection will take about “X” amount of time. These time “estimates” often have no basis in reality other than perhaps what the agent is used to. I have heard these estimates range from a “couple of hours” to “three or four” hours. I have never heard of an agent stating that the client should expect the inspection to take 5 or 6 hours. I am not sure why this is, but it does not seem to matter what size the house is, how many mechanical systems the house … (56 comments)
inspections: A whole different Mountain View!
- 03/23/14 10:17 PM
I am not sure what a “normal” real estate transaction looks like. I am pretty sure they all are as individual as the parties involved. Some surely move along more smoothly than others while others are mountains that require the most experienced of climbers, with many crevasses and avalanches along the way. Homes can have the greatest of mountain views and still have things come up that will test all the parties involved. Some of these homes with a mountain view will seem more like “Mountain Doo.” I must warn all those with weak stomachs to be cautious about reading any … (15 comments)
inspections: LOOK OUT! Here comes the “honey-do” list!
- 03/05/14 08:34 PM
Home inspectors are pretty much damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Unfortunately the home inspector can’t afford to figure it out. We are story tellers. While a tiny minority of inspectors will go out of their way to not be professional—that is not the norm any more than it is for any other profession. Most inspectors merely want to tell the story about the house and let the involved parties read the book and come to whatever conclusions about the book that fits their agenda. There is a presumption that the buyer and the agent involved want … (51 comments)
inspections: When the inspector does not do what they were hired to do.
- 01/04/14 06:56 AM
When home inspectors are discussing defects, “just plain wrong” might be accurate, and even enough of an explanation. However, it is best practice for home inspectors to convey in writing what the defect is, what will or can happen if nothing is done about the defect, and then provide some guidance as to who should make repairs---including how urgent those repairs. I personally like to give some guidance as to how “difficult” those repairs might be, which typically translates to how costly they might be. Most consumers have ZERO clue as to whether those normal shrinkage cracks on the garage floor … (52 comments)
inspections: Missed it by THAT much!
- 12/28/13 09:54 PM
Even before I got to the inspection, I was already aware that there had been easement issues that had to be addressed in order for the home to be sold. Modifications to the home had to be done in order to satisfy the easement requirements and my buyer was interested in how satisfactory the remodeling had been done. While I have seen lots of homes with “additions,” this was an interesting “subtraction.” What had happened is that the builder had “missed by THAT much,” with the location of the house on the property--in relation to a utility company power line … (15 comments)
inspections: What is the purpose of a home inspection?
- 12/11/13 08:53 AM
This post could be considered an addendum to the post I did yesterday: Why home inspectors care about codes--and don’t give a damn about One of the comments on that post was about the “purpose of a home inspection.” I think if you ask ten agents the purpose of an inspection, you will get ten different answers. So, what is the purpose of a home inspection? The minimalist answer to this question is for the inspector to find substantive structural and safety issues with the home that affect the habitability and use of the home. One of the issues … (17 comments)
inspections: Why home inspectors care about codes--and don’t give a damn about them
- 12/10/13 10:05 PM
I was reminded of the idea for this post from a comment I saw a while ago. I think we have all heard the scenario where the Home Inspector inspects an older home with his or her “New Home” glasses on. The scenario is about how, when the house was built, everything was “to code,” but today it is not to code, so it is “wrong and has to be fixed yesterday.” I would like to argue that, while this might happen on a VERY rare occasion, it does not happen as a matter of course. There are indeed some real … (37 comments)
inspections: Key West, Mountain View Home for Sale!
- 09/25/13 11:36 PM
Everyone knows that new construction homes do not need a home inspection! Why bother---what a waste of money. The jurisdictional inspectors have been all over the home like white on rice since day one. Plus, why would a builder with a good reputation, or any of the sub-contractors working for the builder, that is looking to maintain their good reputation and relationship with the builder, mess with their good reputation and relationships by doing less than professional work? Of course if you believe this, I have some Mountain View property I will sell you in the Florida Keys. Here is just … (18 comments)
inspections: Symmetrical eclecticism---what else?
- 07/25/13 11:53 PM
There is arguably no bigger difference between housing on the East Coast and housing on the West Coast than notions of “symmetry.” On the East coast (and please don’t start throwing the exceptions at me--I know they exist—plenty of them—I am just doing a little tongue-in-cheek generalizing) housing is more symmetrical—god help you if you design your house with a front door that is not in the absolute center or that the windows on either side don’t match or the dormers don’t match. You could be placed in the stocks, publicly flogged, or burned at the stake, for such oversights. On … (40 comments)
inspections: It addles the brain!
- 06/28/13 04:33 AM
I am pretty sure this house has looked like this since the 1980’s. It gives new meaning to the term “staged,” and I have to wonder what a real estate agent would recommend upon taking the listing---and whether they could keep a straight face when recommending it. If you drive up and down Interstate 5, through the University district, this house is pretty hard to miss---especially if you are getting off the highway, north bound, at 65th street (Exit 170). You can see the house for yourself on Google Maps---just look east as you cruise down the exit ramp. I … (16 comments)
inspections: Really---how could anyone do this with a straight face?
- 06/07/13 11:22 PM
To state that the kitchen had some electrical issues would be accurate. That there was only one circuit for all the receptacles in the kitchen is not that unusual---if the house was from 1900---but this was basically “new” work, done less than 7 years ago. We are now forced to conclude that the work was “less than professional” and that the work had no chance of being done under permit. If this was the end of the story you would be perfectly justified in just clicking away---but you just know it has to get better. So this one circuit begins on … (19 comments)
inspections: Just one more bite?
- 04/27/13 11:07 PM
Lately it seems I have had a run of BIG inspections. The inspections and the writing of the reports for these big inspections is akin to eating an elephant. The only way to accomplish it, without being overwhelmed, is to go at it systematically---one bite at a time---the same way one eats an elephant. On a recent commercial inspection, an inspection that took most of the day to inspect and the better part of two days to write the report, the eating-the-elephant analogy was useful once again. At this inspection, in one of the several attics in the building, there … (10 comments)
inspections: ActiveRain is lucky to have a brand new Court Jester!
- 11/23/12 03:48 AM
Everyone knows that the only reason that ActiveRain allows home inspectors on the site is because we provide a level of entertainment that could not be paid for. Who else is daily going to gross out the reader? Who else is daily going to amaze the reader with the bizarre things that homeowner’s do to their homes? Who else is going to explain how houses work and don’t work? Who else is going to make us laugh until we puke? Who else can make you feel like you are driving by some horrible accident and you can’t stop yourself … (8 comments)
inspections: She came in through the Bathroom Window!
- 03/16/12 11:25 PM
The title of this post reminds me of an old Beatle song. At a recent inspection, of a vacant 3 unit apartment building, I had keys to all three units except the top unit---2-1/2 stories above the ground. Not wanting to have to go back to the building at a later date---which would have incurred additional fees to be paid by “someone”--- I opted for getting into the unit via the Bathroom window. I had noted that the second floor unit’s bathroom window was unlocked, and guessed correctly that the one above it was also not locked.
My blog is intended to provide information related to home inspections in Seattle, surrounding communities and anyone else interested. Sometimes I will provide information that has nothing to do with home inspections. Enjoy!
The home was newly remodeled. Why would anyone think an inspection was necessary? I have talked about this many times, as has every other inspector with a blog. 
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