Ruined clothes during inspection

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Yesterday, I entered a crawl space and ended up laying in a puddle of bleach on the vapor barrier. My monogrammed shirt was ruined (I had on coveralls, but it soaked through). Seems the owner had sprayed everything down with bleach (to remove spiders he said afterwards) and didn't tell me anything about it. I didn't smell it because I had a respirator on.

I expect to have losses to my equipment and clothing due to normal wear and tear. I do not expect to have to encounter bleach and eat those costs. I didn't realize the issue until I got home and took off my clothes.

How would you handle? I feel like the seller is responsible, but don't know how to get him to pay. I would like someone to pay. Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?

This is a new Realtor for me. But she beat me down on the price and left her former inspector over my $25 discount. Therefore, I have little expectation that she'll be loyal to me. I've never met her. This was only a $275 inspection for me--the shirt loss ate about 10% of that.

[Michael R. Boyett]

I would have said "Damn!" and then moved on to more important things.

[Blaine Wiley]

I'm with Mike. Oh crap, there goes another shirt and pants.

I'd probably be more concerned with the real reason the seller entered his crawl space to spray bleach. Sounds like a moisture/mold issue to me.

I know I'm crazy, but I use bug spray instead of bleach on spiders...

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Inclined to agree. Thanks. Yes, I wrote up high moisture levels, water marks on walls, and mold. (New vapor barrier was also a red flag too.)

[David A. Andersen]

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...6220702AA88lT2

Right!

I think Yahoo has Yahoo's!
Don't need a jury of these!

[Michael R. Boyett]

You know, maybe I spoke too soon....if it were just a damaged shirt from the normal course of my job then I wouldn't be too concerned about it. It sounds like in this case that the Seller may have done, or had done, a very recent mold remediation. The fact that there were puddles of bleach is concerning I would think and would tend to indicate a less than professional job. I'm thinking that informing the Seller that his lack of candor may have exposed you to unneccesary risks was not his best choice. My shirt & pants can easily be replaced, my skin & lungs not so easy. Good that you were wearing a respirator.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by bwiley

I'd probably be more concerned with the real reason the seller entered his crawl space to spray bleach. Sounds like a moisture/mold issue to me.

Ahhyep. . .

[Frank Magdefrau]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

This is a new Realtor for me. But she beat me down on the price and left her former inspector over my $25 discount. Therefore, I have little expectation that she'll be loyal to me. I've never met her. This was only a $275 inspection for me--the shirt loss ate about 10% of that.

Be more concerned about giving your service away. She will always want you to low ball now.

[David P. Valley]

I've snagged my embroidered shirt and my jeans several times on inspections. I simply throw them out and call it a day.

No recourse needed. Simply order additional work clothes.

[Joseph Burkeson, CMI]

The thing you need to do is charge about $200 more for an inspection where the house sits on a crawlspace, that way you won't be doing too many of them. My current crawlspace adder is $150 but I'm going to up it to $200 seeing as how $150 did not deter two crawlspace clients this month.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by jburkeson1

The thing you need to do is charge about $200 more for an inspection where the house sits on a crawlspace, that way you won't be doing too many of them. My current crawlspace adder is $150 but I'm going to up it to $200 seeing as how $150 did not deter two crawlspace clients this month.

You probably don't see too many crawls in Florida. If I charged $150 to $200 extra for a CS, when 60% of all houses here have them, I'd be out of business.

[David A. Andersen]

That would be 90% less business here too!

[bdoles2]

It's a SHIRT.

[Dave Bush]

I actually count the number that DON'T have crawlspaces. That is an easier number to count.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by bdoles2

It's a SHIRT.

The home owner ticked me off by standing there and watching me slide into a crawl space full of bleach! Yes, it's just a shirt and I'm over it. But the guy ruined a perfectly good shirt.

I ripped his house pretty good in my report. He'll be busy for a while---he runs a remodeling business and I figure he'll be doing most of the repairs. Let's call it even.