I did an inspection about 6 weeks ago on a house and of course it hasn’t rained for about 2 months previous and now with the first rain, the buyer called complaining that a seam in his gutter has leaked.
He even states there would be no way for me to have known, but I still should have called it out! Don’t ask me.
Well now of course the price he got for the SEAM in a gutter to SEAL…was $400 (who in the hell would pay $400 for a seam in a gutter to be fixed?) well then NOW it also needs new guy wires, new bolts because the other ones were “rusty” the bottom screws should be bigger and now its a $1500 repair. The buyer is FIT to be TIED!
I then said please forward me the bid for repairs, have the drawings showing that the installation was improper for the 2001 building code in which it was built and please have them signed by a structural engineer.
After that I want to see this “contractors” license for pool cages, the proper insurances ( I mean if you want me to pay, I have to make sure he is legit) and all appropriate workmans comp paperwork. I need his home and business address because if he is working outside of the scope of his license it is an automatic $5000 fine in Lee County, Florida.
Mr. (homeowner) now that you have been notified this gentleman may be operating outside of the scope opf his license, it is ALSO a $5,000 fine for ANYONE KNOWING hiring an unlicensed tradesman in the state of Florida.
Please forward the following paperwork to me and I will get it to my lawyer for review. Thanks…
“Contractors” are hungry. The good ones are still working and providing legitimate services to clients, but then there are those (just as there are home inspectors) who will throw their own mother under the bus to make a buck.
Have you revisited the property to document the current conditions?
Used when it’s dry: “The gutters appear to be in acceptable condition. However, without water in them it is difficult to judge whether they are sealed at the seams and correctly pitched to direct water into the downspouts, but they should function as they were intended.”
Can you believe this guy? Speaks volumes of his character. Thank you for the offer. All the disagreements I have and he offers to help. Very nice and thanks for offering.
Nick just wants a reason to go to warm and sunny Florida.
My plan B of career choices, if this inspection thing did not work out, would be one of those guys with a Panama hat and Bermuda shorts driving an ATV selling ice cream cones to girls in bikinis on a Florida beach. Too bad this inspection thing is working out.
If I got a call like that, I would revisit the proeprty to see what the issues are, and then get my caulk gun and a few gutter screws and fix it myself if need be.
Good thing you asked for the contractors license. It’s prolly the homeowner himself or his buddy and they are just looking for a quick way to make a few bucks. People get their first mortgage payment and realize it’s more than they can afford and they freak out, usually trying to pin anything and everything on the home inspector.
Speaks volumes of his character. Thank you for the offer. All the disagreements I have and he offers to help. Very nice and thanks for offering.
