I must be getting old, I've been in a relflective mood...
Once upon a time, I did a 3 year stint as an electrician, this was mixed
in with various carpentry and masonry jobs.
We did mostly industrial work but filled in with new house work and
rewiring old houses.
One job was the rewiring of a 30's era house, the lady that owned the
place had a minor electrical fire and wanted everything replaced and
brought up to code, all light fixtures with the exception of one was to be
replaced.
The fixture in question was a huge, many socketed affair made of cast
brass, probably weighed 50 lbs, a price was agreed on to repair the
fixture and one rainy day work began.
Some one in the past had painted the fixture with a brown enamel paint,
we disassembled the fixture, soaked the whole thing in stripper. cleaned
it up, polished it with a buffing wheel, reassmbled with new wiring and
sockets, and finally give the whole thing a clear coat to prevent
tarnishing.
It was a work of art and shone like new money.
Made the trip to hang the refurbished fixture and unboxed it in front
of the owner, she turned white, then red, sputtering in anger
saying that it had to be painted brown.
A can of brown spray paint returned the fixture to its former
tacky glory and everyone was happy.
Main lesson learned: never assume anything when dealing
with a client.
basilisk
On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:01:04 -0800, Larry Jaques
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:47:30 -0500, Bill <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>Mike Marlow wrote:
>>> [email protected] wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 20:54:37 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
>>>>> That's why home inspectors are worth their weight in gold, or the
>>>>> simple few hundred bucks they charge.
>>>> I've never met one who was WORTH a few hundred bucks, personally.
>>> I have - for those who don't know what to look for, or know anything about
>>> construction.
>>
>>The house inspection I paid for led to a new roof at no cost to me (it
>>was still under warranty to the original purchasers, the sellers).
>
>The warranty system finally worked for someone? Wonderful!
If you know less than nothing about construction or what to look
for, someone who knows nothing is still an improvement, I guess.
Personally, I'd get a plumber, an electrician, and a good handiman or
contractor to look it over if I didn't have the knowledge myself. MOST
home inspectors have no in-depth knowledge of either electrical,
plumbing, framing, concrete, or finishing.
On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 13:50:32 -0800, Lew Hodgett wrote:
> "basilisk" wrote:
>
>> The county I live in has no rural permitting/inspection structure,
>> there
>> are some rules that apply to general contractors for construction
>> for
>> resale.
>>
>> Basically, anyone can build anything on their property for their use
>> in
>> any way they see fit, this is nice from a freedom point of view, but
>> many
>> of these properties eventually come on the market and leave buyers
>> with a
>> pile of crap that is expensive to fix.
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm surprised the insurance companies will write policies given the
> above.
>
> Lew
Not a problem getting insurance, but it is expensive relative to
city dwellers, my homeowners would be 1/3 it's present cost if
I lived in the city. And that is with a large deductable that would leave
me almost on my own should the roof get blown off.
Not surprising, the nearest accredited fire station is 14 miles away,
and it isn't a manned firehouse.
There are some downsides to living out and away, but worth it IMHO.
With all that said, ALFA, one of the big insurers in AL, culled 60,000
older properties in AL last year. State Farm picked up most of the slack
and life goes on.
basilisk
On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:30:21 -0600, Swingman wrote:
> On 3/4/2013 9:10 AM, basilisk wrote:
>
>> Main lesson learned: never assume anything when dealing
>> with a client.
>
> Especially when it requires doing something stupid/unsafe. That is when
> you can righteously thank gawd for building codes, and inspectors. ;)
The county I live in has no rural permitting/inspection structure, there
are some rules that apply to general contractors for construction for
resale.
Basically, anyone can build anything on their property for their use in
any way they see fit, this is nice from a freedom point of view, but many
of these properties eventually come on the market and leave buyers with a
pile of crap that is expensive to fix.
I am never in favor of more gov't intervention, but the unsuspecting
buyer can get burned badly.
When i worked in the trades here, there was no enforcement of any branch
of building codes, the only thing that controlled the quality of the work
was a GC's moral character.
The electrician I worked with held a master license first in TX and then
in AL, he was a sticlker for abiding by the code. We lost a lot of work to
those willing to cut corners.
basilisk
On Wed, 6 Mar 2013 21:57:41 -0500, "John Grossbohlin"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>"Mike Marlow" wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>>As I had said much earlier in this commentary - Work Ethic not
>>withstanding...
>
>Yup.... sort of a random variable!
>
>John
Sometimes you have to read all the paper work. If it sounds like they
take no responsibility ask questions, pay a lawyer to read it. I know
when I bought this place it is still my first place it was money well
spent. Since I didn't understand some terms in terms of mineral
rights and some of the escrow companies exclusions. He got the escrow
company to take responsibilty for everything and had a mobile home
converted to real property. It was well worth the money.
Mike M
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "basilisk" wrote:
>
>> The county I live in has no rural permitting/inspection structure,
>> there
>> are some rules that apply to general contractors for construction
>> for
>> resale.
>>
>> Basically, anyone can build anything on their property for their use
>> in
>> any way they see fit, this is nice from a freedom point of view, but
>> many
>> of these properties eventually come on the market and leave buyers
>> with a
>> pile of crap that is expensive to fix.
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm surprised the insurance companies will write policies given the
> above.
That is one of the main reasons why, for any house I build in a rural area
with no code or inspection requirements, I hire, FBO homeowner, a licensed,
third party inspector to inspect every step of the construction process
before going on to the next, including a formal Building Final.
Not that I need one, but It is naive to think that any third party, from
insurer to future homebuyer, is going to take the word of any GC that
everything was done correctly. Not only does it benefit me as a double
check, but the client is protected, now and in the future.
I also insist the PE make foundation and framing visits so that he can
issue 'wet stamp', "As Built" letters for both foundation and framing, as
well as I photographically document all Engineering plan specification
requirements for both structures:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/ToEngineer?authkey=Gv1sRgCOaP_82H94IW
Only a damned fool, or a crook, would do otherwise.
--
www.ewoodshop.com (Mobile)
Ed Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:20:23 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> On 3/4/2013 5:47 PM, Pilgrim wrote:
>>> How does one get financing to build or purchase a house with no
>>> certification as to it soundness[for lack of a better word]?
>>
>> It is always possible to get a third party inspection ... AAMOF, it is
>> common practice here before buying one, even a brand new home, to pay
>> for a third party home inspection.
>>
>> The cost is generally in the neighborhood of US$300, and well worth the
>> expense for the buyer.
>>
>> Now, if you could just say the same for Realtors ...
>
>
> Worth it if you get a good one. I've heard many horror stories about
> things inspectors missed and became problematic months later.
There are vastly many more "horror stories" to be told from not having an
inspection.
Many states certify home inspectors, who are generally required to carry
E&O insurance along with the certification. If so, you have a better chance
of mitigation than otherwise.
--
www.ewoodshop.com (Mobile)
"basilisk" wrote:
> The county I live in has no rural permitting/inspection structure,
> there
> are some rules that apply to general contractors for construction
> for
> resale.
>
> Basically, anyone can build anything on their property for their use
> in
> any way they see fit, this is nice from a freedom point of view, but
> many
> of these properties eventually come on the market and leave buyers
> with a
> pile of crap that is expensive to fix.
--------------------------------------------------
I'm surprised the insurance companies will write policies given the
above.
Lew
basilisk <[email protected]> wrote in news:a_aZs.214031$Yp1.147753@en-
nntp-13.dc1.easynews.com:
>
> LOL,
>
> At a yard sale local to where I work, there was a picture
> frame made from a toilet seat, recessed in back and glass
> cut to fit hole. That takes recycling just a hair too far.
>
> basilisk
>
That's one of those shock things... The appeal isn't in the recycling,
but the surprise someone gets when they see it for the first time.
I was looking at pinball machine parts yesterday, and there was one place
selling a decal set so you can decorate your toilet with a pinball theme.
(It was in the appropriate section, though: Stupid things you don't
need.) DAGS for "Poop bumper" if you're so inclined.
Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.
On 3/6/2013 10:43 AM, John Grossbohlin wrote:
> Anyhow, like with any service provider, it pays to check them out before
> committing!
If there is an Angie's List in an area, folks might want to check to see
if they list home inspectors.
Here are the applicable Texas rules/regs on real estate inspection:
http://www.trec.state.tx.us/inspector/rules_governing_inspectors.asp
And mandatory continuing education:
http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=22&pt=23&ch=535&rl=92
The available public information on an inspector who has been used by
some of my buyers just to give you an idea:
http://www.trec.state.tx.us/newsandpublic/licenseeLookup/LicenseeDetail.aspx?inType=10&id=ng&inLicno=7669&txtSearch=7669
This guys also has noting but "A" reviews on Angie's List.
Looks like some parts of North America would do well to take a page or
two from Texas in this regard.
--
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Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
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http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
On 3/4/2013 5:47 PM, Pilgrim wrote:
> How does one get financing to build or purchase a house with no
> certification as to it soundness[for lack of a better word]?
It is always possible to get a third party inspection ... AAMOF, it is
common practice here before buying one, even a brand new home, to pay
for a third party home inspection.
The cost is generally in the neighborhood of US$300, and well worth the
expense for the buyer.
Now, if you could just say the same for Realtors ...
--
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Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
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http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
On Mar 6, 1:23=A0pm, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
> Looks like some parts of North America would do well to take a page or
> two from Texas in this regard.
As a follow up to Karl's post...
Not so hard to find the right guys down here in sunny South Texas. We
are a big state, so I won't comment on every corner of every city.
Licensing and continuing education are a requirement here, as well as
a period of time working under a licensed inspector before one can
go out on their own. IIRC, to be a licensed inspector now, you must
have a certification from a college that encompasses that aspect (such
as a degree in residential home building) or a degree from a junior
college that offers a State certified diploma in home inspection.
There are alternate paths and certifications, but all end with testing
and certification.
Like contractors, you have to find a qualified guy to do the work.
Because one has a personal experience with an idiot doesn't mean
everyone in a profession is an idiot.
The guys that inspect here are focused on structure, safety,
sanitation, damage, infestation, and remaining life of certain items,
proper operation of mechanical equipment, and poisons. People do not
understand that hey do no do cosmetics such as bad color of carpet,
poor paint choices, ugly counter tops, outdated hardware, etc. Some
of these guys are quite good and have spent years of their time on
education and thousands in testing equipment.
http://www.scottsinspections.com
I knew this guy when he started out, and I have used him myself and
don't hesitate to recommend him <anytime> anyone I know needs and
inspector. He isn't perfect, but he is pretty close.
Robert
On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:20:23 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>On 3/4/2013 5:47 PM, Pilgrim wrote:
>> How does one get financing to build or purchase a house with no
>> certification as to it soundness[for lack of a better word]?
>
>It is always possible to get a third party inspection ... AAMOF, it is
>common practice here before buying one, even a brand new home, to pay
>for a third party home inspection.
>
>The cost is generally in the neighborhood of US$300, and well worth the
>expense for the buyer.
>
>Now, if you could just say the same for Realtors ...
Worth it if you get a good one. I've heard many horror stories about
things inspectors missed and became problematic months later.
On 3/4/2013 6:28 PM, basilisk wrote:
> At a yard sale local to where I work, there was a picture
> frame made from a toilet seat, recessed in back and glass
> cut to fit hole. That takes recycling just a hair too far.
Where the photo of the ex goes?
--
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KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
On 3/4/2013 5:52 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:
> "Swingman" wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>> Only a damned fool, or a crook, would do otherwise.
>
> There seems to be an abundance of both from what I've seen. Sometimes it
> is hard to tell if ignorance, dollars, or dishonesty are driving the
> decisions and actions... in other cases it is clearly all three. The
> homeowners I feel sorry for are those who try to do the right thing and
> bring in inspectors and professionals and still end up with problems.
> The stories I'm hearing from associates in FL suggest that the elderly
> are being preyed upon with pretty much no recourse. Things may look OK
> cosmetically but fail quickly...
>
> I wonder how the masses in the younger generations can avoid being taken
> since they themselves generally do not know how to use tools or
> understand how things work. It is probably fair to say that in general
> the trades have become "installers" rather than "builders" and that
> leads to problems on both sides. I've had discussions with my sons about
> what their friends and classmates can do and the response is that they
> generally don't know how to do anything... except push buttons perhaps.
> My sales and service business owning friends have been saying for years
> they cannot find youth whom know enough to train let alone possess
> skills. Perhaps in the future the ruling class will be those who can
> actually do something... everyone will be at their mercy! LOL
That would be a switch ... :)
Actually, I'm surprised, at least around this neck of the woods, with
the increasing sophistication of both buyers and remodel clients, even
first time home buyers.
I originally thought that it might be TV that was driving that relative
sophistication, but after watching a few of those show ... Naaahh, don't
think so.
I'm more inclined to think now, that those who can afford housing and
remodeling are obviously the few who have the money; and most of those
(elderly excluded) who were smart enough to make it in these times, are
also smart enough to keep it.
So far I can't attribute my observation to anything else ...
--
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Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
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KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:24:51 -0500, Greg Guarino wrote:
> On 3/4/2013 10:10 AM, basilisk wrote:
>
>> it had to be painted brown.
>
> Yup. One man's beauty is another's trash. And vice versa.
>
> The very first non-critical task I did when we bought our house was to
> replace the light fixture from over the kitchen table. My wife and I
> shuddered a little each time we looked at it, especially when it was
> lit. It was wrought iron, designed to look like a bouquet of
> long-stemmed flowers that splayed out on curving stems "tied" together
> in the middle. It was painted in numerous loud colors, each flower (10
> or so) with a candelabra bulb.
>
> I put it out with the recyclables at maybe 9pm for the next morning's
> trash pickup. It wasn't out there fifteen minutes before someone had
> snatched it up. I picture the picker chuckling at his good fortune.
> "These people musta been CRAZY to throw this out". "Hey honey, you're
> never gonna be-LIEVE what I got for free!".
>
> And I'm glad frankly that someone got some use out of it. Someone other
> than us, of course.
LOL,
At a yard sale local to where I work, there was a picture
frame made from a toilet seat, recessed in back and glass
cut to fit hole. That takes recycling just a hair too far.
basilisk
"Mike Marlow" wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>As I had said much earlier in this commentary - Work Ethic not
>withstanding...
Yup.... sort of a random variable!
John
On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:50:49 -0500, FrozenNorth wrote:
> On 3/4/2013 7:38 PM, basilisk wrote:
>> On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:31:13 -0600, Swingman wrote:
>>
>>> On 3/4/2013 6:28 PM, basilisk wrote:
>>>> At a yard sale local to where I work, there was a picture frame made
>>>> from a toilet seat, recessed in back and glass cut to fit hole. That
>>>> takes recycling just a hair too far.
>>>
>>> Where the photo of the ex goes?
>>
>> That was the first thing that crossed my mind as well,
>> but I don't have a picture of her :)
>>
> You flushed them?
Nah, I walked out with the clothes on my back and left everything
else, including paid for brick house and vehicles.
basilisk
"Mike Marlow" wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>Home Inspectors in NY are very informed, and have a great deal of knowledge
>of the trades - at least to the extent that they need to perform their jobs
>on behalf of the consumer. Seeing your comments, it's clear that NY is not
>alone in its requirements for Home Inspectors, and that at least one other
>area of the country places requirements on them to insure they are
>qualified. I know several people who are Home Inspectors and I have looked
>into doing that sort of work myself. I have never spoken with one who was
>not fully qualified, and as for going into that myself, the investment in
>time and understudy is more than I wanted to invest in. It is certainly
>not a matter of printing up business cards in NY and calling yourself a
>Home Inspector.
Credentialing is a good step in the right direction but there is still an
element of luck with finding a good one here in NY... I have two associates
whom encountered what my kids would refer to as "epic fails" on home
inspections.
The most egregious of the two completely missed serious, readily visible,
code and structural problems resulting from water leaks in shower/tub tiles.
What was noted as "loose tiles" in one of the two back-to-back bathrooms
wasn't even mentioned from the perspective of the missing drywall in the
ceiling of the garage below.
The missing drywall in the garage ceiling was a code violation all by
itself. Without removing anything or using a ladder or even a flashlight, a
look up in the hole revealed the subfloor and joists were rotten and covered
with mold... not a single word about any of that in the report. There were
other problems too... unvented washer/laundry sink drains, grading problems
that sent water into the basement, deck steps that were so rotten they
barely supported themselves, etc. About $30K to fix everything.... no
recourse! The two back-to-back bathrooms had to be gutted, the joists
repaired, the sub-floor replaced and the wall between the rooms replaced as
the studs were rotted off and covered with mold. From that starting point
the rooms were renovated...
The other house was similar in that water damage was readily visible from
the basement... the toilet waste line was no longer connected to the toilet
as it dropped away from the toilet as the floor and toilet flange bolts
rotted away. It was the smell that the new homeowners noticed that led to
this discovery... I'd have thought the inspector would have noticed that the
toilet rocked even if he didn't look up in the basement. Things were so
rotten they were lucky they didn't end up in the basement while using the
toilet! The inspector refunded his $300 fee... they ate the rest.
Anyhow, like with any service provider, it pays to check them out before
committing!
John
On 3/4/2013 10:07 AM, basilisk wrote:
> On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:30:21 -0600, Swingman wrote:
>
>> On 3/4/2013 9:10 AM, basilisk wrote:
>>
>>> Main lesson learned: never assume anything when dealing
>>> with a client.
>>
>> Especially when it requires doing something stupid/unsafe. That is when
>> you can righteously thank gawd for building codes, and inspectors. ;)
>
> The county I live in has no rural permitting/inspection structure, there
> are some rules that apply to general contractors for construction for
> resale.
>
> Basically, anyone can build anything on their property for their use in
> any way they see fit, this is nice from a freedom point of view, but many
> of these properties eventually come on the market and leave buyers with a
> pile of crap that is expensive to fix.
>
> I am never in favor of more gov't intervention, but the unsuspecting
> buyer can get burned badly.
>
> When i worked in the trades here, there was no enforcement of any branch
> of building codes, the only thing that controlled the quality of the work
> was a GC's moral character.
>
> The electrician I worked with held a master license first in TX and then
> in AL, he was a sticlker for abiding by the code. We lost a lot of work to
> those willing to cut corners.
Know the feeling ... those who have the ultimate responsibility, and
LIABILITY, call the shots ... it would be foolish to expect otherwise,
something not always appreciated by clients, architects and other
wannabe builders. (Architects are the worst, and I have turned down many
a job because of the project Architect)
Also, there is an upside to rigidly enforced building codes that the
fly-by-night GC doesn't appreciate it:
... not only does it protect the home owner, it protects the
builder/GC in just as many, if not more, ways, particularly when it
comes to enforcing performance clauses in contracts ... it is
impossible/futile for a subcontractor to argue if his works fails to
pass inspection because it does not meet code.
That alone has done wonders for job site relationships and harmony in
pursuit of getting the job done right, if you know what I mean ... it
takes a bit of "BTDT" to appreciate that point fully. ;)
--
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KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
"Swingman" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>Only a damned fool, or a crook, would do otherwise.
There seems to be an abundance of both from what I've seen. Sometimes it is
hard to tell if ignorance, dollars, or dishonesty are driving the decisions
and actions... in other cases it is clearly all three. The homeowners I feel
sorry for are those who try to do the right thing and bring in inspectors
and professionals and still end up with problems. The stories I'm hearing
from associates in FL suggest that the elderly are being preyed upon with
pretty much no recourse. Things may look OK cosmetically but fail quickly...
I wonder how the masses in the younger generations can avoid being taken
since they themselves generally do not know how to use tools or understand
how things work. It is probably fair to say that in general the trades have
become "installers" rather than "builders" and that leads to problems on
both sides. I've had discussions with my sons about what their friends and
classmates can do and the response is that they generally don't know how to
do anything... except push buttons perhaps. My sales and service business
owning friends have been saying for years they cannot find youth whom know
enough to train let alone possess skills. Perhaps in the future the ruling
class will be those who can actually do something... everyone will be at
their mercy! LOL
John
On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:31:13 -0600, Swingman wrote:
> On 3/4/2013 6:28 PM, basilisk wrote:
>> At a yard sale local to where I work, there was a picture frame made
>> from a toilet seat, recessed in back and glass cut to fit hole. That
>> takes recycling just a hair too far.
>
> Where the photo of the ex goes?
That was the first thing that crossed my mind as well,
but I don't have a picture of her :)
basilisk
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in news:5135171c$0$7657$c3e8da3
[email protected]:
>
> "basilisk" wrote:
>
>> The county I live in has no rural permitting/inspection structure, there
>> are some rules that apply to general contractors for construction for
>> resale.
>>
>> Basically, anyone can build anything on their property for their use in
>> any way they see fit, this is nice from a freedom point of view, but many
>> of these properties eventually come on the market and leave buyers
>> with a pile of crap that is expensive to fix.
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm surprised the insurance companies will write policies given the
> above.
Why does that surprise you? It would be surprising only if they did so without adjusting the
premiums to take those factors into account.
On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:24:51 -0500, Greg Guarino wrote:
> On 3/4/2013 10:10 AM, basilisk wrote:
>
>> it had to be painted brown.
>
> Yup. One man's beauty is another's trash. And vice versa.
>
> The very first non-critical task I did when we bought our house was to
> replace the light fixture from over the kitchen table. My wife and I
> shuddered a little each time we looked at it, especially when it was
> lit. It was wrought iron, designed to look like a bouquet of
> long-stemmed flowers that splayed out on curving stems "tied" together
> in the middle. It was painted in numerous loud colors, each flower (10
> or so) with a candelabra bulb.
>
> I put it out with the recyclables at maybe 9pm for the next morning's
> trash pickup. It wasn't out there fifteen minutes before someone had
> snatched it up. I picture the picker chuckling at his good fortune.
> "These people musta been CRAZY to throw this out". "Hey honey, you're
> never gonna be-LIEVE what I got for free!".
>
> And I'm glad frankly that someone got some use out of it. Someone other
> than us, of course.
LOL,
At a yard sale local to where I work, there was a picture
frame made from a toilet seat, recessed in back and glass
cut to fit hole. That takes recycling just a hair too far.
basilisk
On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:47:30 -0500, Bill <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Mike Marlow wrote:
>> [email protected] wrote:
>>> On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 20:54:37 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
>>>> That's why home inspectors are worth their weight in gold, or the
>>>> simple few hundred bucks they charge.
>>> I've never met one who was WORTH a few hundred bucks, personally.
>> I have - for those who don't know what to look for, or know anything about
>> construction.
>
>The house inspection I paid for led to a new roof at no cost to me (it
>was still under warranty to the original purchasers, the sellers).
The warranty system finally worked for someone? Wonderful!
--
If more sane people were armed,
crazy people would get off fewer shots.
Support the 2nd Amendment
On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 20:54:37 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>basilisk wrote:
>
>>
>> Basically, anyone can build anything on their property for their use
>> in any way they see fit, this is nice from a freedom point of view,
>> but many of these properties eventually come on the market and leave
>> buyers with a pile of crap that is expensive to fix.
>>
>
>Just one man's opinion of course, but I'm fine with that. The couple of
>thoughts that I have on that matter are that it should not be the business
>of any government agency, what the resale issues with any private property
>are. Beyond that, I believe that if a prospective buyer elects to be so
>uninformed as to be generally unaware, then they should simply hire a home
>inspector for a few hundred bucks, to ensure their investment. That should
>not be a consdieration or a concern of building permits, or government
>agencies. Like I said - it's just my opinion.
>
>
>> I am never in favor of more gov't intervention, but the unsuspecting
>> buyer can get burned badly.
>
>That's why home inspectors are worth their weight in gold, or the simple few
>hundred bucks they charge.
I've never met one who was WORTH a few hundred bucks, personally.
On 3/7/2013 1:17 PM, Dave wrote:
> On Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:17:22 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Above average? No thanks ... more TV bark than bite?
>> Click on his "Standards of Practice" link and see where that takes you.
>
> Maybe, but I've seen several of his constructions around the Toronto
> area. Taking into account my limited experience with repairs around
> the home, it all looks very well built to me.
It damn well better be ... with an audience ready to pick you off, you
better have the cream de la cream of consulting expertise to keep the ox
between the ditches.
--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
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KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
On Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:17:22 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>Above average? No thanks ... more TV bark than bite?
>Click on his "Standards of Practice" link and see where that takes you.
Maybe, but I've seen several of his constructions around the Toronto
area. Taking into account my limited experience with repairs around
the home, it all looks very well built to me.
On 3/4/2013 10:10 AM, basilisk wrote:
> it had to be painted brown.
Yup. One man's beauty is another's trash. And vice versa.
The very first non-critical task I did when we bought our house was to
replace the light fixture from over the kitchen table. My wife and I
shuddered a little each time we looked at it, especially when it was
lit. It was wrought iron, designed to look like a bouquet of
long-stemmed flowers that splayed out on curving stems "tied" together
in the middle. It was painted in numerous loud colors, each flower (10
or so) with a candelabra bulb.
I put it out with the recyclables at maybe 9pm for the next morning's
trash pickup. It wasn't out there fifteen minutes before someone had
snatched it up. I picture the picker chuckling at his good fortune.
"These people musta been CRAZY to throw this out". "Hey honey, you're
never gonna be-LIEVE what I got for free!".
And I'm glad frankly that someone got some use out of it. Someone other
than us, of course.
On 3/4/2013 7:38 PM, basilisk wrote:
> On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:31:13 -0600, Swingman wrote:
>
>> On 3/4/2013 6:28 PM, basilisk wrote:
>>> At a yard sale local to where I work, there was a picture frame made
>>> from a toilet seat, recessed in back and glass cut to fit hole. That
>>> takes recycling just a hair too far.
>>
>> Where the photo of the ex goes?
>
> That was the first thing that crossed my mind as well,
> but I don't have a picture of her :)
>
You flushed them?
--
Froz...
The system will be down for 10 days for preventive maintenance.
basilisk wrote:
>
> Basically, anyone can build anything on their property for their use
> in any way they see fit, this is nice from a freedom point of view,
> but many of these properties eventually come on the market and leave
> buyers with a pile of crap that is expensive to fix.
>
Just one man's opinion of course, but I'm fine with that. The couple of
thoughts that I have on that matter are that it should not be the business
of any government agency, what the resale issues with any private property
are. Beyond that, I believe that if a prospective buyer elects to be so
uninformed as to be generally unaware, then they should simply hire a home
inspector for a few hundred bucks, to ensure their investment. That should
not be a consdieration or a concern of building permits, or government
agencies. Like I said - it's just my opinion.
> I am never in favor of more gov't intervention, but the unsuspecting
> buyer can get burned badly.
That's why home inspectors are worth their weight in gold, or the simple few
hundred bucks they charge.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
Pilgrim wrote:
> How does one get financing to build or purchase a house with no
> certification as to it soundness[for lack of a better word]?
The same way they get financing to purchase any house that is older than
about 10 years old. There is a good chance that most, or a lot of homes
over 10 years old have been altered in some way, and likely not documents
(often not even requiring an inspection process), so the original CO is out
of date. In many areas the presence of a CO is not even all that
meaningful. It does not certify soundness.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
[email protected] wrote:
> On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 20:54:37 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
>>
>> That's why home inspectors are worth their weight in gold, or the
>> simple few hundred bucks they charge.
> I've never met one who was WORTH a few hundred bucks, personally.
I have - for those who don't know what to look for, or know anything about
construction.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
Mike Marlow wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
>> On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 20:54:37 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
>>> That's why home inspectors are worth their weight in gold, or the
>>> simple few hundred bucks they charge.
>> I've never met one who was WORTH a few hundred bucks, personally.
> I have - for those who don't know what to look for, or know anything about
> construction.
The house inspection I paid for led to a new roof at no cost to me (it
was still under warranty to the original purchasers, the sellers).
Greg Guarino wrote:
> On 3/4/2013 10:10 AM, basilisk wrote:
>
>> it had to be painted brown.
>
> Yup. One man's beauty is another's trash. And vice versa.
>
> The very first non-critical task I did when we bought our house was to
> replace the light fixture from over the kitchen table. My wife and I
> shuddered a little each time we looked at it, especially when it was
> lit. It was wrought iron, designed to look like a bouquet of
> long-stemmed flowers that splayed out on curving stems "tied" together
> in the middle. It was painted in numerous loud colors, each flower (10
> or so) with a candelabra bulb.
My former step father in law generaled the log house my wife wound up with a
couple of years ago. In addition to his general stupidity and incompetency
he must have been short in the esthetics department too because he used 3'
shop-type fluorescent fixtures as vanity lights in all the bathrooms.
--
dadiOH
____________________________
Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net
Larry Jaques wrote:
> On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:47:30 -0500, Bill <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> Mike Marlow wrote:
>>> [email protected] wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 20:54:37 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
>>>>> That's why home inspectors are worth their weight in gold, or the
>>>>> simple few hundred bucks they charge.
>>>> I've never met one who was WORTH a few hundred bucks, personally.
>>> I have - for those who don't know what to look for, or know anything about
>>> construction.
>> The house inspection I paid for led to a new roof at no cost to me (it
>> was still under warranty to the original purchasers, the sellers).
> The warranty system finally worked for someone? Wonderful!
Yep, there was a bit of paperwork, but the end result was good.
The warranty covered the shingles and their installation, but not the
tearoff--but the seller agreed to pay for that.
>
> --
> If more sane people were armed,
> crazy people would get off fewer shots.
> Support the 2nd Amendment
On 3/5/13 9:33 AM, Larry Jaques wrote:
> The guy who inspected this house didn't even tell me that all the
> outlets were 2-prong. I had to install all new outlets myself. That
> would be too big a job for the masses.
>
That usually occurred in homes where they ran the electric without ground.
I hope you didn't put grounded outlets on an ungrounded system. :-)
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply
Larry Jaques wrote:
> On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:38:56 -0500, [email protected] wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:01:04 -0800, Larry Jaques
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:47:30 -0500, Bill <[email protected]>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Mike Marlow wrote:
>>>>> [email protected] wrote:
>>>>>> On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 20:54:37 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
>>>>>>> That's why home inspectors are worth their weight in gold, or
>>>>>>> the simple few hundred bucks they charge.
>>>>>> I've never met one who was WORTH a few hundred bucks,
>>>>>> personally.
>>>>> I have - for those who don't know what to look for, or know
>>>>> anything about construction.
>>>>
>>>> The house inspection I paid for led to a new roof at no cost to me
>>>> (it was still under warranty to the original purchasers, the
>>>> sellers).
>>>
>>> The warranty system finally worked for someone? Wonderful!
>> If you know less than nothing about construction or what to look
>> for, someone who knows nothing is still an improvement, I guess.
>>
>> Personally, I'd get a plumber, an electrician, and a good handiman or
>> contractor to look it over if I didn't have the knowledge myself.
>> MOST home inspectors have no in-depth knowledge of either electrical,
>> plumbing, framing, concrete, or finishing.
>
> That's true. Certification for home inspection licensing is lax.
> Try to find one who is ex-Trades for your best bet. Your ploy is a
> good one, clare. I've only known one inspector who tested outlets for
> polarity and function, and he retired.
>
Maybe where you live, but not everywhere. New York has very stringent
requirements for certification which requires years of working under a
certified inspector, testing, etc. Personal work ethic not withstanding,
these guys probably know more about this stuff than the guys who state that
they don't.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On Tue, 5 Mar 2013 21:43:26 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> Maybe where you live, but not everywhere. New York has very
>> stringent requirements for certification which requires years of
>> working under a certified inspector, testing, etc. Personal work
>> ethic not withstanding, these guys probably know more about this
>> stuff than the guys who state that they don't.
>
> Are you talking about the municipal/town/government building
> inspectors or the typical home inspector you hire when you are buying?
> In some places, to be a private home inspector all you need is a
> business card and yellow pages listing. No training, no testing.
Home Inspectors, as the conversation has spoken of - not town/municipality
officials. Note that I specified NY state. Such is not the case in NY, and
in many other places around the country.
>
> When I bought my first (and second) house, the only inspection was to
> have your father or uncle take a look at the place. There was no
> formal home inspection or inspectors. This is a relatively new step
> in the buying process.
Quite true.
>
> "Look honey, they have granite counter tops, lets buy this house"
Or worse - "Look hone, we could..."
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
Swingman wrote:
> On 3/4/2013 10:38 PM, [email protected] wrote:
>
>> Personally, I'd get a plumber, an electrician, and a good handiman or
>> contractor to look it over if I didn't have the knowledge myself.
>
> Yeah, that's real smart ... considering that a POS house was built by
> plumbers, electricians and contractors.
>
>> MOST
>> home inspectors have no in-depth knowledge of either electrical,
>> plumbing, framing, concrete, or finishing.
>
> In Canada, perhaps ... then again, truth dies at the lips of the
> utterer blanket statements.
I find that statements like Clare's and those from a couple of others which
express the same feelings about Home Inspectors must be from anecdotal
experiences, local experiences, or uninformed fears. I can only speak for
the area of the country that I am familiar with, but for a certainty, our
Home Inspectors in NY are very informed, and have a great deal of knowledge
of the trades - at least to the extent that they need to perform their jobs
on behalf of the consumer. Seeing your comments, it's clear that NY is not
alone in its requirements for Home Inspectors, and that at least one other
area of the country places requirements on them to insure they are
qualified. I know several people who are Home Inspectors and I have looked
into doing that sort of work myself. I have never spoken with one who was
not fully qualified, and as for going into that myself, the investment in
time and understudy is more than I wanted to invest in. It is certainly not
a matter of printing up business cards in NY and calling yourself a Home
Inspector.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
John Grossbohlin wrote:
> "Mike Marlow" wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>> Home Inspectors in NY are very informed, and have a great deal of
>> knowledge of the trades - at least to the extent that they need to
>> perform their jobs on behalf of the consumer. Seeing your comments,
>> it's clear that NY is not alone in its requirements for Home
>> Inspectors, and that at least one other area of the country places
>> requirements on them to insure they are qualified. I know several
>> people who are Home Inspectors and I have looked into doing that
>> sort of work myself. I have never spoken with one who was not fully
>> qualified, and as for going into that myself, the investment in time
>> and understudy is more than I wanted to invest in. It is certainly
>> not a matter of printing up business cards in NY and calling
>> yourself a Home Inspector.
>
> Credentialing is a good step in the right direction but there is
> still an element of luck with finding a good one here in NY... I have
> two associates whom encountered what my kids would refer to as "epic
> fails" on home inspections.
>
> The most egregious of the two completely missed serious, readily
> visible, code and structural problems resulting from water leaks in
> shower/tub tiles. What was noted as "loose tiles" in one of the two
> back-to-back bathrooms wasn't even mentioned from the perspective of
> the missing drywall in the ceiling of the garage below.
>
> The missing drywall in the garage ceiling was a code violation all by
> itself. Without removing anything or using a ladder or even a
> flashlight, a look up in the hole revealed the subfloor and joists
> were rotten and covered with mold... not a single word about any of
> that in the report. There were other problems too... unvented
> washer/laundry sink drains, grading problems that sent water into the
> basement, deck steps that were so rotten they barely supported
> themselves, etc. About $30K to fix everything.... no recourse! The
> two back-to-back bathrooms had to be gutted, the joists repaired, the
> sub-floor replaced and the wall between the rooms replaced as the
> studs were rotted off and covered with mold. From that starting point
> the rooms were renovated...
> The other house was similar in that water damage was readily visible
> from the basement... the toilet waste line was no longer connected to
> the toilet as it dropped away from the toilet as the floor and toilet
> flange bolts rotted away. It was the smell that the new homeowners
> noticed that led to this discovery... I'd have thought the inspector
> would have noticed that the toilet rocked even if he didn't look up
> in the basement. Things were so rotten they were lucky they didn't
> end up in the basement while using the toilet! The inspector refunded
> his $300 fee... they ate the rest.
> Anyhow, like with any service provider, it pays to check them out
> before committing!
>
As I had said much earlier in this commentary - Work Ethic not
withstanding...
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
On 3/6/2013 11:02 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On Wed, 6 Mar 2013 08:01:29 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
>>
>> I find that statements like Clare's and those from a couple of others which
>> express the same feelings about Home Inspectors must be from anecdotal
>> experiences, local experiences, or uninformed fears. I can only speak for
>> the area of the country that I am familiar with, but for a certainty, our
>> Home Inspectors in NY are very informed, and have a great deal of knowledge
>> of the trades - at least to the extent that they need to perform their jobs
>> on behalf of the consumer. Seeing your comments, it's clear that NY is not
>> alone in its requirements for Home Inspectors, and that at least one other
>> area of the country places requirements on them to insure they are
>> qualified. I know several people who are Home Inspectors and I have looked
>> into doing that sort of work myself. I have never spoken with one who was
>> not fully qualified, and
>
> I'm not going to check out each state, but evidently some are rather
> lax in their requirements. Good to see that Texas and NY have real
> requirements.
>
>
>> as for going into that myself, the investment in
>> time and understudy is more than I wanted to invest in. It is certainly not
>> a matter of printing up business cards in NY and calling yourself a Home
>> Inspector.
>
> You can do it in your spare time
> http://www.ahit.com/index.htm
>
> Once you complete the course, you get your business card printed.
>
> Then you have people like this to tarnish the reputation of the good
> ones.
> http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/299437/8/Home-inspector-to-serve-8-years-for-12-M-fraud-case
>
I don't know about other states but usually some where in the contract
there is a phase that says the inspector can only be held liable for the
obvious, easily found problems. If you have a wall full of bees, that
are not obviously swarming on the outside that is your problem and the
inspector can not be held liable for it.
If you have a broken sewer pipe where the leak is not visible on the
surface of the ground, same.
On Wed, 6 Mar 2013 08:01:29 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>I find that statements like Clare's and those from a couple of others which
>express the same feelings about Home Inspectors must be from anecdotal
>experiences, local experiences, or uninformed fears. I can only speak for
>the area of the country that I am familiar with, but for a certainty, our
>Home Inspectors in NY are very informed, and have a great deal of knowledge
>of the trades - at least to the extent that they need to perform their jobs
>on behalf of the consumer. Seeing your comments, it's clear that NY is not
>alone in its requirements for Home Inspectors, and that at least one other
>area of the country places requirements on them to insure they are
>qualified. I know several people who are Home Inspectors and I have looked
>into doing that sort of work myself. I have never spoken with one who was
>not fully qualified, and
I'm not going to check out each state, but evidently some are rather
lax in their requirements. Good to see that Texas and NY have real
requirements.
>as for going into that myself, the investment in
>time and understudy is more than I wanted to invest in. It is certainly not
>a matter of printing up business cards in NY and calling yourself a Home
>Inspector.
You can do it in your spare time
http://www.ahit.com/index.htm
Once you complete the course, you get your business card printed.
Then you have people like this to tarnish the reputation of the good
ones.
http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/299437/8/Home-inspector-to-serve-8-years-for-12-M-fraud-case
On Tue, 5 Mar 2013 21:43:26 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> That's true. Certification for home inspection licensing is lax.
>> Try to find one who is ex-Trades for your best bet. Your ploy is a
>> good one, clare. I've only known one inspector who tested outlets for
>> polarity and function, and he retired.
>>
>
>Maybe where you live, but not everywhere. New York has very stringent
>requirements for certification which requires years of working under a
>certified inspector, testing, etc. Personal work ethic not withstanding,
>these guys probably know more about this stuff than the guys who state that
>they don't.
Are you talking about the municipal/town/government building
inspectors or the typical home inspector you hire when you are buying?
In some places, to be a private home inspector all you need is a
business card and yellow pages listing. No training, no testing.
When I bought my first (and second) house, the only inspection was to
have your father or uncle take a look at the place. There was no
formal home inspection or inspectors. This is a relatively new step
in the buying process.
"Look honey, they have granite counter tops, lets buy this house"
On 3/4/2013 9:10 AM, basilisk wrote:
> Main lesson learned: never assume anything when dealing
> with a client.
Especially when it requires doing something stupid/unsafe. That is when
you can righteously thank gawd for building codes, and inspectors. ;)
--
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Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://plus.google.com/114902129577517371552/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
> Is there an above average level of inspection available? Something
> along the lines of
> http://www.mikeholmesinspections.com/?gclid=CMWGrKnc6rUCFWGrPAodU28A9A
>
> Agreed, he is promoting his own organization, but a lot of what he
> states certainly sounds reasonable.
Above average? No thanks ... more TV bark than bite?
Click on his "Standards of Practice" link and see where that takes you.
--
www.ewoodshop.com (Mobile)
On Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:17:22 -0600, Swingman wrote:
> Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Is there an above average level of inspection available? Something
>> along the lines of
>> http://www.mikeholmesinspections.com/?gclid=CMWGrKnc6rUCFWGrPAodU28A9A
>>
>> Agreed, he is promoting his own organization, but a lot of what he
>> states certainly sounds reasonable.
>
> Above average? No thanks ... more TV bark than bite?
>
> Click on his "Standards of Practice" link and see where that takes you.
I haven't looked at any of his practices, but have seen parts of a couple
of his shows. There seems to be no balance between what is practical and
what is safe and reasonable to his methods. I know, it's TV.
basilisk
Dave wrote:
> On Thu, 07 Mar 2013 08:25:39 -0500, Keith Nuttle
>> If you have a broken sewer pipe where the leak is not visible on the
>> surface of the ground, same.
>
> What about inspectors noting *possible* problems? Water not draining
> properly because of insufficient air flow? Do inspectors ever scope
> drains? Noting that an electrical panel is mostly full?
Don't know about the drains thing - I believe though, that they would stop
at simply noting a dimished flow if that is what they observed, with the
recommendation to have a tradesman look at it. That would be about the
extent of their obligation. As for an electrical panel mostly full - there
is nothing to note in that. You have to keep in mind what they are there
for.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
On Thu, 07 Mar 2013 08:25:39 -0500, Keith Nuttle
>If you have a broken sewer pipe where the leak is not visible on the
>surface of the ground, same.
What about inspectors noting *possible* problems? Water not draining
properly because of insufficient air flow? Do inspectors ever scope
drains? Noting that an electrical panel is mostly full?
Is there an above average level of inspection available? Something
along the lines of
http://www.mikeholmesinspections.com/?gclid=CMWGrKnc6rUCFWGrPAodU28A9A
Agreed, he is promoting his own organization, but a lot of what he
states certainly sounds reasonable.
I've lived in apartments for the last several decades, but should I
ever go housing hunting again, I'm going to go with all the inspection
knowledge I can hire to back me up. IOW, I'd be sh*t scared about what
I don't see when viewing a home for purchase.
On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:38:56 -0500, [email protected] wrote:
>On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:01:04 -0800, Larry Jaques
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:47:30 -0500, Bill <[email protected]>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>Mike Marlow wrote:
>>>> [email protected] wrote:
>>>>> On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 20:54:37 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
>>>>>> That's why home inspectors are worth their weight in gold, or the
>>>>>> simple few hundred bucks they charge.
>>>>> I've never met one who was WORTH a few hundred bucks, personally.
>>>> I have - for those who don't know what to look for, or know anything about
>>>> construction.
>>>
>>>The house inspection I paid for led to a new roof at no cost to me (it
>>>was still under warranty to the original purchasers, the sellers).
>>
>>The warranty system finally worked for someone? Wonderful!
> If you know less than nothing about construction or what to look
>for, someone who knows nothing is still an improvement, I guess.
>
>Personally, I'd get a plumber, an electrician, and a good handiman or
>contractor to look it over if I didn't have the knowledge myself. MOST
>home inspectors have no in-depth knowledge of either electrical,
>plumbing, framing, concrete, or finishing.
That's true. Certification for home inspection licensing is lax.
Try to find one who is ex-Trades for your best bet. Your ploy is a
good one, clare. I've only known one inspector who tested outlets for
polarity and function, and he retired.
The guy who inspected this house didn't even tell me that all the
outlets were 2-prong. I had to install all new outlets myself. That
would be too big a job for the masses.
I painted the walls pure white and put in all new white switches and
outlets, then I ran three 240v outlets in the shop. I had plenty of
breakers to work with because I took out all the 240v baseboard
heating.
I was able to save some money by helping install a new Carrier 96%
efficient furnace. I ran lights in the attic where they installed it
and ran the 240v wiring with disconnect for the a/c unit outside.
--
If more sane people were armed,
crazy people would get off fewer shots.
Support the 2nd Amendment
On Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:53:28 -0500, Bill <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Larry Jaques wrote:
>> On Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:47:30 -0500, Bill <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Mike Marlow wrote:
>>>> [email protected] wrote:
>>>>> On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 20:54:37 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
>>>>>> That's why home inspectors are worth their weight in gold, or the
>>>>>> simple few hundred bucks they charge.
>>>>> I've never met one who was WORTH a few hundred bucks, personally.
>>>> I have - for those who don't know what to look for, or know anything about
>>>> construction.
>>> The house inspection I paid for led to a new roof at no cost to me (it
>>> was still under warranty to the original purchasers, the sellers).
>> The warranty system finally worked for someone? Wonderful!
>Yep, there was a bit of paperwork, but the end result was good.
>The warranty covered the shingles and their installation, but not the
>tearoff--but the seller agreed to pay for that.
That was a sweet deal for you. Congrats.
--
If more sane people were armed,
crazy people would get off fewer shots.
Support the 2nd Amendment
On 3/4/2013 10:38 PM, [email protected] wrote:
> Personally, I'd get a plumber, an electrician, and a good handiman or
> contractor to look it over if I didn't have the knowledge myself.
Yeah, that's real smart ... considering that a POS house was built by
plumbers, electricians and contractors.
> MOST
> home inspectors have no in-depth knowledge of either electrical,
> plumbing, framing, concrete, or finishing.
In Canada, perhaps ... then again, truth dies at the lips of the utterer
blanket statements.
--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
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KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)