Help - Polybutylene Pipes

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by Rick G

Hmmmmm. What am I missing? He emailed me our report. I never signed anything.

What did you assume you were going to get for the $ you paid him if you didn't have an inspection agreement?...same in reverse for him.

[Rick G]

Like I said this was my first go at buying a home. Obviously, in retrospect I should have been much more thourough. I had a general idea what was included in a home inspection and he told my wife on the phone what he would be doing. Sounded right to us. A contract never enterd my mind. Boy I feel stupid.

[Russel Ray]

Without a contract, it's likely that he doesn't have errors and omissions insurance. Not noting PB piping definitely would be an omission in my book.

[Blaine Wiley]

Did he say what kind of plumbing was in the house in the report and not explain polybutylene, or did he not state the type of plumbing in the first place?

[Russel Ray]

I don't think we really know.
I have two inspection types (LIST and WALK) where I don't note the type of plumbing unless it is in and of itself a problem. So PB would have been noted in even those two types of inspections.

[Blaine Wiley]

Well, I only do one type of inspection (for buyers or sellers and that doesn't include partial, 4 point, etc). I note the type of plumbing in the house. If it's copper, I let them know that pin hole leaks have been a problem in our area, and to look out for the signs. If polybutylene....different paragraph. Like you've said many times Russel, educate, educate, educate!

[John Evans]

Polybutylene supply lines (meter to home) are usually blue in color in my area.

John Evans
AIM Home inspection, Inc.

[dthomas2]

Originally Posted by Rick G

Like I said this was my first go at buying a home. Obviously, in retrospect I should have been much more thourough. I had a general idea what was included in a home inspection and he told my wife on the phone what he would be doing. Sounded right to us. A contract never enterd my mind. Boy I feel stupid.

If you feel stupid you can bet so too does your inspector. Clearly, the home owner failed to disclose a known defect of the home - the liability lies with the home owner! It was the intent of the home owner (prior to sell) to deceive the prospective buyer. It was the intent of the Home Inspector to help identify the condition of systems of the home so you would be a better informed buyer. No question, you got your worth for your investment (assuming that the Home Inspector provided a variety of insights as to the condition of the home.) Yes, he missed this one but a distraction during a home inspection can occasionally derail the most conscience of us. I hope you would choose to put the burden squarely on the shoulders of the one who's intent it was to deceive - and probably made a bundle on the sale of the home (tens of thousands of dollars and too cheap to reveal a known defect.) Hope I have not offended any of you.

[Russell J. Hensel]

Let me put a spin on this. I just left a house in an area here where a "General Contractor" and the local LICENSED PLUMBING company called out a "PB" house. This house was NOT PB and in fact was a grey colored pipe from a Manabloc system that called the pipe thermaguard. There was NO PB marked anywhere on the line. Has anyone else encountered this situation? So maybe the plumber was wrong. They look very similar except for the red and blue stripe running down the center of the pipe.

[gbeaumont]

Originally Posted by rhensel

Let me put a spin on this. I just left a house in an area here where a "General Contractor" and the local LICENSED PLUMBING company called out a "PB" house. This house was NOT PB and in fact was a grey colored pipe from a Manabloc system that called the pipe thermaguard. There was NO PB marked anywhere on the line. Has anyone else encountered this situation? So maybe the plumber was wrong. They look very similar except for the red and blue stripe running down the center of the pipe.

Russell, the Thermoguard piping and Monoblock systems ARE polybutylene:

http://www.techhomestudy.com/polybutylene_pipes.htm

Regards

Gerry