All Day!!

[David C. Macy]

I started this inspection at 10AM. I finished the inspection at 2 PM. I started the report at 3PM and just got done at 7PM.

This house had more systems then the norm.

3 fireplaces including a wood burner.
A basement & more crawl spaces then I have ever seen. The basement was in the middle & the crawls went around each side & the front & there was a crawl off a crawl. I could not get in this area as the access had a pipe running through the middle. Area was also F uped as the floor, insulation, flex vents were messed up.

Home had a forced warm air furnace, wall heater, boiler.

First metal roof with no gutters. (Except for a section about 10 ft long)

Plumbing & drainage were F uped. Everything was old & leaking.
Anybody have any good report disclaimers when there are numerous plumbing issues?
Dryer vented under the deck and the sump was covered by the laundry sink.

The report took for ever as I had to add FPE, metal roof, crawl area, pictures.

I also did a radon & WDI.

8 hours is about 2 X the normal inspection. I am glad I am done.

Thanks for listening.

Yesterdays inspection had an alligator, Hot tub & wood burner in a garage.

The gator was hissing at me. It was about 3 feet long.

[Randy D. Stufflebeem]

Originally Posted by dmacy

I started this inspection at 10AM. I finished the inspection at 2 PM. I started the report at 3PM and just got done at 7PM.

This house had more systems then the norm.

3 fireplaces including a wood burner.
A basement & more crawl spaces then I have ever seen. The basement was in the middle & the crawls went around each side & the front & there was a crawl off a crawl. I could not get in this area as the access had a pipe running through the middle. Area was also F uped as the floor, insulation, flex vents were messed up.

Home had a forced warm air furnace, wall heater, boiler.

First metal roof with no gutters. (Except for a section about 10 ft long)

Plumbing & drainage were F uped. Everything was old & leaking.
Anybody have any good report disclaimers when there are numerous plumbing issues?
Dryer vented under the deck and the sump was covered by the laundry sink.

The report took for ever as I had to add FPE, metal roof, crawl area, pictures.

I also did a radon & WDI.

8 hours is about 2 X the normal inspection. I am glad I am done.

Thanks for listening.

Yesterdays inspection had an alligator, Hot tub & wood burner in a garage.

The gator was hissing at me. It was about 3 feet long.

Gotta love it! Sometimes you just have to love it!
Randy

[cbottger]

Had one like that last week CAN SEE TO CAIN'T SEE. listed $76,800 in repairs

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by dmacy

IAnybody have any good report disclaimers when there are numerous plumbing issues?

I use:
Plumbing is not professional quality; some work may have may have been done by past homeowner or handyman. Consult with licensed plumber.


I had one of those long inspections a little over a year ago. Realtor said it was about 3500 sq ft....not that big. But it had 9 variations of heating systems (wood heating boiler with 2000 gallon hot water storage tank, oil and electric heating boilers, 2 wood stoves, a wood burning fireplace insert, a regular masonry fireplace, a few electric baseboards as well as 3 heat actuated blowers on some of the hot water baseboards), 2 wells, 3 electrical panels, and 3 full kitchens......took 6.5 hours on site. And the buyer balked when I wanted more $$$.......sheesh.......eventually got $500 from him and got him on the next house since he didn't buy the above monstrosity!

[Stephen Root]

Bummer...I hope you charged at least 7 or 8 hundred dollars for the inspection (just because of the time you spent). I know it's antiquated, but this is one of the reasons that I still use a pre-printed check list type of inspection report with comment sections. When I'm done with the inspection, the paperwork is done on site. When I leave the site, the customer has his report, I have my check, everything has been explained to the customer, then this inspection is deleted from my mind. Two years ago, we (I have a partner in this business - he's about 2 hours south of me - we cover all areas in between) went with one of the computer system reports (no names mentioned, but it was one of the more popular programs) . I liked the system enough but after getting complaints from the Realtors, and multiple phone calls from the customers to answer questions, we went back to the pre-printed "check list" reports. The Realtors love it and the phone calls from the customers have stopped (except for the occasional few). Our report is very informative, and I truly believe a ten year old could read it and understand it. Believe me folks, this report is an incredible time saver...when you leave the site, your work is DONE, no computer work at home. My home time is mine! It's easy to charge a customer for the time spent on sit, but hard to charge, and justify, for the hours spent at home on the computer, like in the case of dmacy (no offense intended). How many customers have you had that would spend that kind of money on an inspection? Time is money!

As for disclaimers about multiple plumbing issues, it's simple...write up in general what you can and then..."Recommend a licensed plummer to evaluate and estimate the entire system".

[William J. Decker]

Home inspection. It's not just a job, it's about $75.00 per hour for finding reall messed up S**T!

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by wdecker

Home inspection. It's not just a job, it's about $75.00 per hour for finding reall messed up S**T!

Like this?

"Click to Enlarge"


Stephen,

I do the same. I enjoy spending time with my family verses dealing with damn reports all night.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Originally Posted by dvalley

Like this?

"Click to Enlarge"
Attachment 15791

Stephen,

I do the same. I enjoy spending time with my family verses dealing with damn reports all night.

David; Where in gods name do you start with something like that?

I think my report would be consolidated to a one page report.

"Everything on this dwelling needs to be repaired or replaced, unless you want a book full of negatory remarks as to why you should not buy this house and if you think you can repair it yourself, go for it. " My Inspection fees will have to be twice as much.
Hows that for a disclaimer?

Marcel

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by mcyr

David; Where in gods name do you start with something like that?

I think my report would be consolidated to a one page report.

"Everything on this dwelling needs to be repaired or replaced, unless you want a book full of negatory remarks as to why you should not buy this house and if you think you can repair it yourself, go for it. " My Inspection fees will have to be twice as much.
Hows that for a disclaimer?

Marcel

Nice disclaimer, Marcel.

I've had many homes in this same exact condition. It takes me at least 4 1/2 hours to inspect a **** box like the one I posted.

I had one client tell me (after I completed the inspection) that he's going to purchase the land and demolish the house and start fresh.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Originally Posted by dvalley

Nice disclaimer, Marcel.

I've had many homes in this same exact condition. It takes me at least 4 1/2 hours to inspect a **** box like the one I posted.

I had one client tell me (after I completed the inspection) that he's going to purchase the land and demolish the house and start fresh.

Makes you wonder why they even let you go through the exercise of Inspecting it, dosen't it?

Marcel

[Jeff Knight]

Stephen,
You are looking at the wrong software then...you need to use software that can be used to collect your data AS you do your inspection and then print it directly without doing ANY work at the office. Using a checklist type of report form on a huge house like that is almost an impossible task. You can't just automatically add multiple water heaters or multiple kitchen sinks to a paper form automatically where a computer program can.

[Rick A. Harrington]

All Day AND THE NEXT DAY.

After doing one of these with multiple additions, oddly placed water heaters, a crawl space of minimal proportions, and lot's of drainage issues, the borrower and the agents called the next day even after being with me during the inspection of 4 hours and wanted to review it again multiple times.

Some are simple and some are not.... I still like doing this job !!!!

[Rick A. Harrington]

Stephen,
You are looking at the wrong software then...you need to use software that can be used to collect your data AS you do your inspection and then print it directly without doing ANY work at the office. Using a checklist type of report form on a huge house like that is almost an impossible task. You can't just automatically add multiple water heaters or multiple kitchen sinks to a paper form automatically where a computer program can.

Jeff, what software are you using and what type of computer?

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by mcyr

Makes you wonder why they even let you go through the exercise of Inspecting it, dosen't it?

Marcel

Yea, but I do make up the difference in these type of homes. I've had several tell me, "Let's STOP, I'm not buying this piece of shi+".

It's amazing what Buyer's don't see on their initial walkthrough. When I get there, everything's falling apart.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Dave; The last one I did in that condition, I was only done the exterior and the client told me not to bother inspecting the exterior. I said OK, and the Inspection price was the same.
I did volunteer to go inside for a walk through just for the sake of writing a have decent report as to why he did not buy the place. ha. ha.

Marcel