Here are a few. Post your own and share.
Older building with through the wall A/C units and a new building going up, next door. What is a builder to do? Easement issue? Are the compressors crossing the property line? You would think that the Architect and/or Surveyor whould have seen this and, maybe, changed the building width by a few inches.
Answer: “Modify” the exterior block (8" split faced concrete).
Plus, no flashing above the balcony ledger. Hey kids, It’s efflorescence time!
Here’s another one. Newer CMU building. Lower level windows with no flashing or weep wicks, in fact the masons grouted the lintel space.
Look at the interior lintel. This building was about 2 years old. Single wythe CMU wall.
Silly A/C compressor placement. Also note the efflorescence and try to determine its source of water intrusion.
The 2nd and third picture has the compressor installed on the parapet wall, with through bolting. Water leaks inside and below. (Hat tip to Jeff Merrit for these two pictures).
Can you say “corbelling”? Mason rebuilt parapet wall of an older building and didn’t seem to like that wall angle. Is this wrong?
Of course, at these this guy did a rebuild. Most just parge over the damage.
This seems like a good place to post this, no where near the concerns of Wills, but made me laugh. Just a simple 50 cent cover replacement.
I like the picture of the Pigeon!!
John, very convinient, shut off the switch, fan the sametime as lifting the towel.
That is a good one John, but you have to think outside the box like the Architect.
When you lift the towels off the bar, everything comes on, and when you drop the towel back on the bar, everything gets shut off.
I think David caught on too!:mrgreen:
And it helps to make sure that they use the bathroom fan. 
Will, still having fun with your split faced and split rib block buildings I see.
Back in 1975, I was a masonry foreman for the Company now, and that is all that was used for schools, which is what we were building mostly back then.
Talk about sh$t block. Without a block water repellent sealant, they are nothing but one big water spong.
Most of Maine stopped using it and the ones that do are coating it with waterproofing elastermeric coating that I have used in the past, but would have to call someone to find out the product name. All I know is that with that coating, it is proving alright. 
Tom, some builders just don’t have a clue on water proofing and flashing. Do they?:)
As to the elastomeric paint, we found that out. All the Public Storage facilities do that.
Did you see my latest article? See Here:
Poor owner, bought the 20 year old single family three months before this. Is it common to grout the trusses into the block pockets like this? The poor guy is now having the entire top floor gutted, including the roof trusses.
BTW: We are starting to see structural collapses of the roof trusses. Wait until the snow load starts.
Glad I found this for the guy before he had a collapse, but sad that he has to pay for all this. Kinda like telling someone they have cancer.
What are your thoughts?
Wow! Will, that is incredible. Never seen roof trusses installed like that before and what the concequences were, but now I see why it was never done that way.
Hard to believe that was all from water intrusion through the block, had to be leaking from somewhere to cause that extent of damage.
That is crap!
I inspect mostly newer stuff and no snow loads.
I am glad we live an Florida 
I would rather write up these types of defects than deal with Insurance writers and “Prepared Insurance Companies”. At least I don’t have to scrape windows anymore.
It’s a combination of factors:
I have measured, when exterior temps are 26 F, in the ceiling / roof cavity, 62 F with an 84 RH. Water condensing on everything. And, of course, the homeowner hed their temp set at 74 F and their humidifer set at 50%.
Think stack effect with the can lights not sealed and no roof ventilation.
I am recommending closed cell foam on the block walls and open cell foam on the underside of the roof decking.
Pluss, Chicago is NOT a cold climate, it is a mixed climate. We are humid (> 45% RH) three seasons out of four.
Proper understanding of building science is the key, as well as proper selection of materials appropriate to the climate and proper installation of those materials.
WTF is ANYONE doing grouting wooden trusses to masonry? That is HI 101, NEVER have wood in contact with masonry.
And every contractor around here should learn basic flashing.
Sorry if I seem to rant. I am just fed up, sick and tired of my clients (noth pre-purchase and consultations) finding out that they are screwed and have to fork over big bucks for fixes for problems that should never have to even exist if the builder was even halfway compitant.
I hate being he bearer of bad news.
Yeah, but you have hurricanes and really high humidity. I took my family, years ago, to Disney world for the Fourth of July.
What was I thinking. Near 100% humidity.
Different areas and different conditions and different builing requirements.
Keep that in mind,. during and inspection.
Hope this helps;
So True!!! The summers are long, hot and humid! The homes are much easier to inspect in most parts.
I have seen that done and wonder if it is the same building ?
