Representative number?

[jcraig]

Hi I'm a new guy. I have a question about some of the language like a "representative number". I was wondering what is considered a repesentative number of windows, receptacles etc..?

[Joseph Burkeson, CMI]

Originally Posted by jcraig

Hi I'm a new guy. I have a question about some of the language like a "representative number". I was wondering what is considered a repesentative number of windows, receptacles etc..?

25% - 1/3 - One per room

[jkiser]

It's left up to interpretation. I would say if you can safely get to it then inspect it.

[Richard D. Slocum]

I agree with James. Hit as many as you can , it really doesn't take that much longer.

[John Harrison]

I usually try to check all accessible moving components like windows and doors.
I accessible I check a minimum of 1 outlet per wall of a room.
and all light switches.

[Robert Sole]

I check all that are accessible. If the home is vacant, I check every receptacle, window and switch. If the home is occupied, I check all that I can get to without moving furniture or other items. I inspected a home last week that had so much stuff piled up that in some rooms, I didn't check a single receptacle.

[jcraig]

Thanks, I was wondering about that. It all sounds like good advice depending on circumstances like accessibility, or 25% of the receptacles, or if the house is empty.

[Brian K. Smith]

I check all windows,doors,outlets.

[Vince Santos]

I also check all accessible windows and receptacles.

[kpierce]

Yep, if accessible, it gets checked.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

All that is accessible without moving furniture or belongings and I do not unplug something in the receptacle to check it.

[Gary Farnsworth]

The SOP's in Kansas where reviewed and pretty much written by Jeff Barnes. A committee wrote them, but Mr. Barnes had final say so. I believe the attorney general needs to approve them, but this is how "they" define representitive number:


“Representative Number”

means a sufficient number to serve as a typical or characteristic example of the item(s) inspected. For multiple identical interior components such as windows and electric outlet receptacles, it means one such component per room.

So, here in Kansas, Toto, a $99 inspection will result, if you only have to check one per room. This does not protect the consumer; at least in Kansas. Just venting.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

I usually get to 80-90%+ of all receptacles and 95%+ of opening windows. Being thorough keeps the complaints down and the referrals up.

Last inspection was for a lawyer......Although it could not be smelled in the air, found that there was petroleum product under the basement slab from a furnace oil spill next door. Opened a sealed ABS plumbing cleanout that did not appear to be for building drain purposes.......smelled a petroleum odour.

As this house was an estate sale without a property condition disclosure document and could not confirm anything with executor of the estate, checked with folks next door who told me they had had the oil spill!!! House is now in a period of extension of inspection conditions while the buyers investigate the cleanup of the spill to see that professionals were used and some type of clearance documents exist from the insurance companies or our Dept. of Environment.

BTW, the buyer's realtor was new to me and quite nervous that I would break the sale on some trivial issues.......apparently I'm now at the top of her list since she had never seen or heard about one of my inspections before.

BE THOROUGH........TAKE YOUR TIME.......DON"T WORRY ABOUT THE REALTOR, THEY'RE NOT YOUR CLIENT (or shouldn't be)

[Chuck Forman, CPI]

Check everything that you can check without moving personal items, and without putting yourself in an unsafe situation. I know a real estate agent that had to purchase a door for a buyer because the inspector he used for the job did not check them all and this one was warped. Didn't get put into the report and the buyer was not happy. Could have understood it had the home been occupied, but it was vacant. Later when speaking to the agent I also found out that the inspector was not NACHI, and that it took him approximately 1 1/2 hours to inspect the entire 4000 sq. ft. home. It is bad that it happened, but the agent learned a valuable lesson.

[William J. Decker]

Our state HI law defines this as "one per room" (i.e., one recepticle, window, switch, door, etc).

I always operate and test as many as are accessable.

Hope this helps;