Like Real Estate, Home Inspecting is a Local Thing...

Correcto mundo...we have people who move up here from the south and want to know how much a termite inspection is...i bet they could find someone who would charge for one...but the truth is, they can't survive the climate here...and then there is the whole local code thing which explains the electrical outliet required behind the bedroom door....

I learn a lot from your posts. Thank you. Have a good weekend.

Michael....yes, local codes are whole new story compared to state codes.....and in your photo, where would the car fit???? 

This makes total sense. It should be local. There are so many codes that it amazes me how you can remember them all!

Around here the State adopts a particular code (IRC) which is usually behind what ever is current. The individual towns can decide to go above and beyond the minimum in the present State code, but never below the minimum. To make things a little more confusing the State also has its own addendum to the code that does not appear in the code books. It's enough to make you crazy!

Michael, I admire you and Russel and Jay....plus my own inspectors.  There are just a few jobs I wouldn't want to have and yours in one of them.   Thanks for all the hard work and keeping us informed of what you have found as "issues". 

You are right!  Just like every profession, we have to stay abreast on all the new changes....great post!

Michael - You are correct, the local bubba's in the government are always behind the curve. It's really no surprise, that's why they work in government.

Michael, you make a great point here about building codes being local, and ever-changing. By the way, I read Captain Bill's reblog of your folds in the American flag post; I had not heard of the meanings in the folds.

Great info.

Good morning Michael,

We do have to stay ahead on all changes in our industries. Our broker is always keeping us informed..sales meetings and emails..I love the speakers we have come to sales meetings giving us their take on changes occurring in real estate.

Hi Michael...so much to know, you certainly know building codes for your area

Each town has different laws and codes, so, like you mentioned, a quick call to the local boards will answer any questions that might come up during an inspection.

I would think having to stay on top of so many accepted trade practices would keep you very busy!

All the more reason to hire the professional building inspector when you are buying your new home.

"most municipalities have not kept up with or are slow to adopt the current changes in the building codes"

Hey Michael, I did not know that.

Actually I'm embarassed to acknowledge that I'd missed the idea of home inspectors being an integral part of real estate. RE hire me to get them ranked locally in Google, I've had tunnel vision while giving them what they paid for.

I see your activerain blog is boosting your main websites ranking locally:

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=home+inspectors+in+brentwood+tenn 

You're #1 in the organics and your AR blog is coming in @ #8 (2 in the top ten is a really good thing)

http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en#hl=en&source=hp&q=home+inspectors+brentwood+tennessee

I might suggest you get ranked in Google Places/ Google maps / google local business listings to complete your dominance in local Google searches

Michael,

I ran into that on a water heater a few weeks back and had to do some studying myself.

Hi Michael, good info.  The FVIR water heaters are one item of many which change and vary in acceptance locally.  Sometimes it feels like a treadmill to keep up.  Thanks for posting.

Michael, it looks like a basement although you clearly said it's in a garage. If so, it should have a wall or a protective bollard in front of it to protect it from vehicle impact. Charles Buell had a good post entitled something like "What the Bollocks is a Bollard"