Pre-Offer Consultations, Walk-and-Talk Inspections, Whatever - I Don't Like Them!
Let's talk about walk-and-talk inspections. Which, I will point at in the beginning, isn't really an inspection - it's the inspector blabbing away and hoping that the client is taking copious notes, a plentitude of photos, and understands what is being conveyed.
Can I get a show of hands on how likely that might be? Very? Or, nope?
These have become popular, especially among real estate licensees who hate written reports that require future disclosure. Pesky things, written reports. Discoverable documents.
Walk-and-talk inspections are popular with some inspectors as half a fee is better than none, and the inspector is not required to walk the roof, walk the attic, enter the crawlspace, take the cover off the electrical panel or furnace, or generally do anything that you might expect from an inspector.
All of them have contracts with disclaimers: "THIS IS NOT A HOME INSPECTION. GET THE PROPERTY INSPECTED BEFORE PURCHASING."
Which would be great except: a) the client does not get that inspection; and, b) the seller, on the advice of their agent, is not permitting a full home inspection.
To cap it off, in the heydays of the hot Seattle market, you only had a window of time to do the walk-through, a couple of hours on next Thursday so you might have ten parties all milling through the house at one time. The buyer has the choice of a pre-offer consultation (what they call these in Washington State) and bupkis.
Total chaos.
Surprises abound.
I HATE surprises.
Now, if it should sound as though I think this is a bad practice, you would be correct.
The eventual effect is that the worst inspector rules. He's the one that doesn't find anything and has clients who buy a house with either no idea of its true condition, or worse, a mistaken idea of its condition.
I know for a fact that I can get into crawlspaces that others can't - and it isn't always a matter of willingness. Being skinny is an advantage to an inspector.
I know, for a fact, that there are inspectors who will not bend over to get a better look at the foundation more closely. Who won't look up to judge the height of the chimney from the roof.
I know inspectors who will call an electrical panel (FPE) bad in Washington and call the same one in Idaho fine.
In a world where I am king, walk-and-talk inspections would disappear. But, then, I'm a curmudgeonly inspector who hates surprises - and hates to have his clients surprised. And, no, the government shouldn't pass a law. They do too much of that already.
I would like common sense and ethical behavior to fix the situation.
Sadly, walk-and-talk inspections are not going away any time soon.
The Rise of Smart Homes: A Comprehensive Guide for Sophisticated Buyers
As a luxury home inspector, I have witnessed the rapid growth and development of smart homes over the past few years. These technologically advanced homes offer a wide range of benefits, including increased comfort, convenience, security, and energy efficiency. Frankly, they do not make my job as an inspector easier - but they offer a great deal of benefit to the homeowners.
What is a Smart Home?
A smart home is a residence equipped with internet-connected devices that can be controlled remotely or programmed to operate automatically. These devices can range from smart thermostats and lighting systems to security cameras and door locks. By connecting to a central hub via computer, computer app, or smartphone app, homeowners can manage their home's systems and appliances from anywhere in the world.
Benefits of a Smart Home:
Comfort: Smart homes provide a high level of comfort by allowing you to control the temperature, lighting, and entertainment systems with ease.
Convenience: With a smart home, you can automate routine tasks such as turning on the lights or adjusting the thermostat, saving you time and effort.
Security: Smart homes offer enhanced security features, including surveillance cameras, motion detectors, and smart locks that can be controlled remotely.
Energy Efficiency: By optimizing your home's heating, cooling, and lighting systems, you can significantly reduce your energy consumption and save money on utility bills.
Key Features of a Smart Home:
Smart Thermostats: Smart thermostats are easily the most common of the smart home technologies that I see deployed. These devices learn your preferences and adjust the temperature accordingly, ensuring that your home is always at the perfect level of comfort. The biggest selling point for my 86-year old father is the ability to use his phone to have the house warmed up before he gets there.
Smart Lighting: With smart lighting, you can control the intensity and color of your lights, as well as set schedules for when they turn on and off.
Smart Security: Smart security systems include features such as cameras, door locks, and motion detectors that can be monitored and controlled remotely.
Smart Appliances: From refrigerators that can order groceries to washing machines that can be controlled from your smartphone, smart appliances are designed to make your life easier.
What to Consider When Buying a Smart Home:
Compatibility: Ensure that the smart devices and systems in your home are compatible with one another and can be controlled from a central hub or app.
Security: Be sure to choose devices with strong security features and regularly update their software to protect against potential vulnerabilities.
Energy Efficiency: Look for smart home systems and devices with high energy efficiency ratings to help reduce your carbon footprint and save money on utility bills.
Professional Installation: For a seamless and hassle-free experience, consider hiring a professional to install and set up your smart home systems.
Smart homes offer a wealth of benefits for sophisticated buyers, from increased comfort and convenience to enhanced security and energy efficiency. By understanding the key features and considerations of smart homes, you can make an informed decision and enjoy the many advantages of living in a technologically advanced residence.
Wine Cellars - A Must Have in Luxury Living
Unlocking the Secrets of a Well-Designed Wine Cellar: A Must-Have for Luxury Homes
Why a Wine Cellar?
If you're reading this, chances are you appreciate the finer things in life. A well-stocked wine cellar is more than just a symbol of luxury; it's a journey into the world of viticulture, an adventure in taste, and a commitment to preserving the legacy of winemaking. In the heart of a luxury home, a wine cellar isn't just a storage space—it's a sanctuary for your cherished collection.
The Art of Temperature and Humidity Control
First and foremost, wine demands the right environment. Think of your cellar as a time capsule, where each bottle matures gracefully. Temperature consistency is key—around 55°F is ideal. This slow maturation process is what turns a good wine into a great one. Humidity plays a crucial role too, hovering around 70% to keep corks from drying out and letting air spoil the wine.
Designing for Aesthetics and Functionality
A wine cellar is more than a storage space; it's a showcase. Whether you prefer a classic, rustic charm or a sleek, modern look, the design should speak to your personal style while maintaining functionality. Custom shelving, strategic lighting, and climate control technology merge to create not just a storage area, but a centerpiece of your home.
Location, Location, Location
The placement of your cellar is as important as its design. Traditional below-ground cellars are popular due to natural temperature stability. However, with modern technology, you can integrate a wine cellar anywhere—from a spacious basement to a cozy nook under the stairs. The key is insulation and a climate control system tailored to your home's unique environment.
Security and Protection
A wine collection can be a significant investment. Protecting this asset goes beyond physical security systems. Proper racking prevents vibration, which can disturb sediments in the wine. UV-protected glass and LED lighting safeguard against light damage. Think of it as an insurance policy for your collection's longevity and taste.
The Social Hub
Beyond storage, a wine cellar can be a social hub. Imagine hosting tastings or intimate gatherings surrounded by your curated collection. It's a space that invites conversation, appreciation, and enjoyment—a true reflection of your lifestyle and passions.
Inspecting the Wine cellar
When inspecting a wine cellar, my role as the inspector would be t0 meticulously examine the cellar's temperature and humidity control systems, ensuring that the temperature is consistently around 55°F and humidity hovers around 70%. This balance is crucial to prevent wine spoilage and to maintain cork integrity. I would also assess the cellar's insulation and overall construction, checking for signs of proper ventilation, absence of direct sunlight, and effective climate control integration, especially if the cellar is located in unconventional areas of the home, like under the stairs or in a converted room.
A well-designed wine cellar is more than a luxury; it's a necessity for the connoisseur. It's where your collection is not only stored but celebrated. It's where every bottle tells a story, and every glass poured is a memory in the making. So, here's to your future wine cellar—the heart of your home, where each bottle rests, waiting to add another chapter to your life's finest moments.
What Goes Into Preparing for an Inspection?
A twitter post (I guess its X now) by @leo_szac got me to thinking - dangerous habit, that it is - about how I prep when I leave my local area to inspect a luxury home or commercial site elsewhere. Nothing changes in the inspection process.
What changes dramatically are the environmentally conditions, soil conditions, and building practices of another region.
When I inspect a hotel in West Yellowstone, the soils are far different than I see when I do a multi-million dollar log home on the Olympic Peninsula or historic hotel in Moscow, Idaho.
Moscow is in my local region. I know that like the back of my hand. On new construction, I can predict what defects will be built into a home before I get there.
You Can’t the Soils -But They Make a Difference
Commercial property I inspected in Montana. Hours of prep work before I even agreed to the contractr.
When I prep for another region, the very first thing I look at are the geological data on soil structures because the bones of a structure must be good and that starts with a solid foundation. The loess of the Palouse is very different than around Yellowstone which is a very stony sandy loam. The Inland Northwest and western Washington have alluvial soils but, even there, there are differences as Seattle has outwash from melting glaciers and Coeur d'Alene soils are much closer to base rock.
Environmentally, rainfall on the Olympic Peninsula is non-stop as befits a rainforest. I live in the Lewis-Clark valley, a desert. I have literally left an inspection on the peninsula where it was 50 degrees and raining and come home to sunny skies and 100+ degree temperatures. Which area do you suspect has much higher wood-destroying fungal growth?
In terms of building practices, the materials don't change much - but the mistakes that the contractors make, do. My joke is that I go visit other regions to visit a whole new inventory of defects.
All this prep is a lot of work before I ever hit a job site but utterly critical to get things right on my end for my clients. I know, all this is six kinds of nerdy. Back to Leo's point. Your local pro in the specific market will likely have a much better handle on that market than someone who helicopter's in from Timbuktu.
There are exceptions to this rule, of course. I can think of at least one nerdy inspector who is.
Sewer Scoping and Home Inspections
Sewer Scoping and Home Inspections
Having a sewer scope done while the home inspector completes his works looks like a no-brainer. After all, the home inspector will not be checking the plumbing under the slab of the house or underground.
I agree. That's why I recommend professionals to do sewer line inspections with professional grade equipment.
Why don't I do it myself? All the home inspector organizations say it is a great add-on that will make me a lot of money.
The truth is that I did offer sewer scoping with home inspections in Moscow and Pullman and Lewiston. But, the same as with home inspections, a person who does six a day is going to be far better at sewer scoping, finding problems before their YOUR problem, than a home inspector who does it on an occasional basis.
Also, in the State of Washington, a contractor's license from Labor and Industries is required to perform sewer scoping. I let my lapse when I stop sewer scoping. None of the inspectors in Pullman or Clarkston carry the license, either.
So, I recommend the following companies for sewer scoping here:
All will do a great job for you. They're pros in their field.
And, if you need a pro in the home inspection field, please give me a call. I'd be delighted to be of service.
Your House is Not a Boat - Water and Foundations
I joke (funny/not funny) that three things damage to home more than anything else - water, water, and more water.
As a home inspector, I have seen countless cases where improper water drainage has caused serious damage to the foundation of a home. Water is one of the most destructive forces that a home can face, and if not properly controlled, it can lead to costly repairs and even compromise the structural integrity of the building.
The foundation of a home is the base on which the entire structure rests. It provides the necessary support for the walls, floors, and roof. Anything that compromises the foundation has ripple effects to the rest of the home. When water accumulates around the foundation, it causes a number of problems . These include:
Cracks in the foundation: As water seeps into the soil around the foundation, it can cause the soil to expand and contract. This movement can put strain on the foundation and cause it to crack.
Weakened foundation: Water can gradually erode the soil around the foundation, causing it to become weaker. This can lead to walls that bow out, floors that sag, and other serious problems.
Uneven settlement: When water pools around the foundation, it can cause uneven settlement. This means that different parts of the foundation will settle at different rates, leading to an unlevel house.
Mold and mildew: Water that accumulates around the foundation can create a damp environment that is ideal for mold and mildew growth. This can lead to serious health problems for the inhabitants of the home.
To prevent these problems, it's essential to control water drainage around the foundation of the home. This involves a number of steps, including:
Proper grading: The ground around the foundation should slope away from the home, with a drop of at least six inches over the first ten feet. This will help to direct water away from the foundation and prevent pooling.
Gutters and downspouts: Gutters and downspouts are essential for directing water away from the foundation. If you think of your roof as a giant rain collector, you can see the importance of proper gutter and downspout systems. They should be cleaned regularly and should extend at least six feet from the home.
French drains: French drains are a type of drainage system that directs water away from the foundation. They consist of a trench filled with gravel and a perforated pipe, which allows water to seep into the ground.
Waterproofing: A high-quality waterproofing system can help to prevent water from penetrating the foundation. This may involve applying a sealant or installing a vapor barrier.
Sump pump: A sump pump is sometimes an essential component of a water drainage system when other methods don’t complete the job. It is a device that pumps water out of the basement or foundation and directs it away from the home.
In addition to these steps, it's also important to monitor the foundation for signs of damage. If you notice cracks, bowing walls, or other signs of trouble, it's essential to consult with a professional inspector or contractor as soon as possible.
As a home inspector, I can’t urge you enough to take steps to control water drainage around you homes and to monitor the foundation for signs of trouble. By doing so, you can protect your investment and ensure the safety and durability of your home for years to come.
Manufactured Home Foundation Certifications
As part of the process of buying a manufactured home, you may be required to provide a foundation certification. These certificates are required by HUD, VA, and FHA for all manufactured homes that exist on permanent foundations - what the industry calls ‘real property’ to distinguish it from home located in a park.
FHA or VA loan underwriters requires that the manufactured home has been placed on a permanent foundation according to HUD standards, though this requirement is becoming more common with conventional lenders, too. The reasoning is simple - they are providing the loan, so they have an ‘ownership’ position in the property. They would like to ensure that the property is structurally sound until their lien is released.
The issue in our region has been getting the certifications done in a timely manner. The Foundation Certification for manufactured homes is required to be performed by a Professional Engineer. They tend to be busy individuals and, frankly, the Foundation Certification is not a big money project so it tends to slip down the list of priorities.
That is why I have partnered with Manufactured Home Certifications, LLC . Their engineers can run all the calculations needed to generate the Foundation Certification. My role is to provide the date - the same responsibility I have to my clients - for them to generate accurate numbers.
That includes physically measuring the dimensions of the home, entering the crawlspace to document the type and spacing of the column supports, the marriage point connection for the structure if it is more than a single-wide manufactured home, and the type and spacing of the foundation anchorage if present.
All of this I can do in conjunction with a home inspection which speeds the turnaround of the Foundation Certification and keeps your transaction on track.
There are two ways to order a Manufactured Home Foundation Certification. First, you can go to the Manufactured Home Certifications scheduling site, type in the zip code, and locate the inspector you would like (preferably me!) The second way is either to call me or to go directly to my Homegauge site and order it directly. I’ll take care of the rest.
Mold Problem Here?
Mold Problems Here?
I'm seeing a big uptick in requests for mold testing. Interestingly, these are being driven by doctors asking their patients to get tested. Since I am certified in Mold Inspection, I have been getting a number of these referrals.
In each such case where doctors have referred their patients for mold inspection, I have found, through air sampling, surprising levels of mold. Unusually, it is in the exterior samples that I am seeing high numbers which is, obviously, affecting the indoor air quality. Oftentimes, there is NO visible mold present but there have been plenty of mold spores in the air.
And, before anyone thinks “Well, not around here!”, I have done mold testing in Lewiston, Clarkston, Moscow, and Pullman - plus a bunch out of town. Mold is becoming a problem here. Now, that may be the result of a really wet spring - or, it may not. I suspect, but don’t and can’t know, that the past several years of national health issues have impacted the population such that mold that did not affect people previously is now a much more serious concern.
When I am inspecting for mold (NOT included in a home inspection), I am looking for sources of moisture in the entire structure. So, if a client says they have mold in the bathroom, I'm still going to be in all the other rooms, up on the roof, in the attic, and in the crawlspace. I'm also going to be testing surfaces for moistures, testing the air for humidity, and looking under and behind things to find the moisture source.
Sometimes, there just isn't a problem. But, more recently, there has been, from leaking plumbing to a failed dryer vent to water in the crawlspace.
Without testing, we just can't know.
If mold is a concern in your home, I recommend testing. It is a worthwhile investment in your air quality.
Was Your Home Inspector Licensed? In 2021, Maybe Not
I want to stress this point at the start - MOST REALTORS ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND PROFESSIONAL IN THEIR CAREERS!
That said, let’s move on.
You have an accepted offer on a new home and now you need an inspection. Since you only need these on a once-in-a-decade basis, you don’t know who to use so, you followed your Realtor’s suggestion and hired a home inspector based on their favorable comments. You assume that the Realtor knows who is the best inspector, too. In many cases, that is quite true. They know the best inspectors, refer them, and expect them to perform to standard. You expect the same. You want the professional who gets it right.
That, unfortunately, does not always happen. There are bad apples in the inspector ranks, just as there are in any industry, but there is nearly no mechanism to remove them short of litigation which most people do not want to pursue. You would think the real estate agents would know who is a lousy inspector and they would eventually run them out of business.
You would be incorrect. There are bad apples in the ranks of the real estate agents, too. They don’t want a top-flight inspection. They want a deal that closes. Period. End-of-story. They go with the ‘easy’ inspector and hate the ‘deal-killer.’ They will, in fact, go so far as to prohibit a licensed inspector from inspecting a property in what appears to be a violation of their own contracts if that inspector is too thorough.
But even when they are good and honest, there’s a major flaw in the referral system in real estate.
How do you know the inspector is legally qualified to perform inspections in the State of Washington? If you think your real estate agent knows who and who is not licensed, I have bad news for you. They do not verify licenses. In fact, I have had exactly one request for proof of license. Mine is current, obviously. I am the longest-serving, continuously-licensed inspector in our area.
By my estimate, between five and eight percent of all inspections completed in Whitman and Asotin Counties in 2021 were performed by inspectors with expired licenses.
It used to be relatively easy to verify the license status of an inspector from the Department of Licensing site. Now, they have instituted Secure Access Washington which adds quite a few steps to what was a simple process.
Of course, you can always ask - and always should. I carry an electronic version of my license with me to all inspections. It’s not that complicated.
As for what can be done if you think your inspector wasn’t licensed, your options are limited. If you reach out to me by phone or email, I can confirm the information for you. Note that I will not put that information online publicly. You can search the DoL information yourself.
If you discover that your inspector was not operating with an active home inspection license in Washington State during 2021, I recommend contacting the Department of Licensing. RCW 18.280.140 allows the DoL to issue a civil infraction and fine for operating under an expired license.
You should also probably tell your Realtor. Please be nice to them. They were trusting the inspector to be honest, too.
Sensing a Pattern
Seventeen years as an inspector and never had this happen once, much less twice.
I don’t care if he’s only a foot or 18” long. I don’t want to share my crawlspace with a snake.
On the plus side, I did not shriek like a little girl when I found him.
Is the Wall Moving - Or is the Floor?
Commercial inspections, known as property condition assessments or PCAs, are a totally different beast from a residential inspection. The standards are very different with commercial work much more focused on the document record and future expenses.
Some problems are common to both residential and commercial work. Foundation issues can obviously affect both and this commercial job was one of the more interesting that I have encountered.
Here, the owner who commissioned the PCA thought that he had a problem with the masonry walls of his building moving so, I naturally started there, examining the exterior foundation and wall assemblies.
Lo and behold, no major movement. There was minor cracking in the mortar joints of the masonry system but nothing that suggested a major failure.
Inside, I had considerable wall separation so I understand why the owner thought the walls were moving. However, I am simply not willing to take things on face value. I investigated further. As it turns out, the exterior walls were plumb. They weren’t moving. That being the case, I turned my attention to the floor. Now, I know, everyone expects the floor to be flat, almost by definition so that seems just silly. I checked anyway. I started tapping on the tile and found hollowness underneath. Time to break out the level again. The floor was not flat.
“Hmmmmm,” he thought.
So, what was going on?
If you look at the this picture, you'll see soil subsidence at the water meter and the fire hydrant. The obvious question to ask is "Do we have a major water problem at the curb?" Is there a leak on the water main? At the hydrant? Maybe the storm gutter for the street is failing?
Now, I'm guessing that you are already ahead of me here. Yes, the building is DOWNHILL from this apparent leak. My best guess was that the water flowed under the building causing a combination of erosion in some areas and soil expansion - clay soils can expand greatly when hydrated. That would explain the hollow areas AND the up-raised edges.
My recommendations? First, find and correct the source of that water. Second, they need an engineer to determine how badly the structure is damaged and how to repair it.
I'm glad the owners called me when they did - water problems such as this NEVER get better with time.
Welcome to the Great Hunkering Down
What is the Great Hunkering Down, you ask?
It is a term I invented to describe the current real estate marketplace. We have, at the moment, next to no inventory in a time of year where we normally see houses hitting the market in droves. And we’re not alone in this - it is a national phenomena.
The reasons that I see - and feel free to disagree - that there is great uncertainty upon the land. We’ve just come through the traumatic shock of Covid, we had violence in the streets in many major cities, inflation is at levels not seen in four decades, and the war drums are beating. On top of that, you are trying to buy a home which is highly stressful all by itself.
I don’t know about you, but my crystal ball is totally fogged. I have no idea how any of this plays out in the next year and the next decade.
Human nature is such that, when faced with this level of anxiety and stress, human beings tend to shut down. It is a survival mechanism left-over from our days on the savannah. We focus on the core necessities of the moment. Long-term planning, creativity, and deep thinking are all effected.
But, we are not being threatened by a lionesses salivating over the tasty morsel that we might be. That kind of threat triggers the ‘fight or flight’ response that we know so well.
Instead, we have a bunch of perceived threats combined with no means of adequately influencing the outcomes. We don’t know if flight is better - though the mass exodus from certain cities shows that is some people’s answer - or fight is better.
Without a clear course of action for the majority, we freeze and consolidate our resources. So, if you have a home in an area that is not threatening to you, you stay put, hunker down.
When it happens on a scale this large, I think capital letters are warranted, thus the Great Hunkering Down. If people are not moving, up-sizing, down-sizing, right-sizing, selling their homes, we get the constrained inventory supply that we see today.
I’ve seen a version of this before. In 2008, we had the financial crisis that brought “too big to fail” into our lexicon. Then, like now, great uncertainty invaded our mostly happy world. The biggest difference was that was a sudden event in the news. Today, we are dealing with a rolling litany of negative news.
The good news is that this too shall pass. For all the frustrated buyers out there, be patient, take deep breaths. As with 2008, everything runs in a cycle, the pendulum continues to swing, and you will find that home.
The best of luck to you. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know - even if it’s a question you need answered instead of an inspection job. I’m a fount of information and have a wealth of answers for you about homes and home inspections,
Holding The Line On Price
Reading the news has become a somewhat depressing event - almost as bad as grocery shopping and getting gas. Yep, even without the headlines, I could see inflation surging on the stuff I buy.
Most businesses are responding by doing the logical thing - they are raising prices. Again, I understand. My E&O insurance went up, my credit card fees have gone through the roof, gas prices are up everywhere, and all the little incidentals have nudged higher. Profits? . . .
Depressing. (pun intended.)
To all of you buying houses today, the prices are up and interest rates are headed that way. Likewise, my competitor’s prices increasing.
Mine aren’t, not now, not until July at the earliest.
I have traditionally been the highest priced - and the best! - inspector in the region for home inspections based on my surveys. Now, competitors are raising their prices and I’m somewhere in the middle.
I’ve never been inclined to try to take advantage of my customers. I discovered in the first year of the home inspector business that I wasn’t particularly money-motivated.
I’m a craftsman - I want the best possible inspection for my customers. This often puts me at loggerheads with Realtors. Too bad for them (though a group of them in Moscow have now started blacklisting me. I’ve got the documents to prove it.)
So, the prices on my website today will be the same ones in place on June 30th.
So, to the home buyers - the best of luck to you. I hope that you will find your dream home and I hope that I can be your inspector so you know exactly what you’ve purchased.
Can You See It?
Can you see it?
Look closely.
Where the walls meet in the corner, in the brown area. See it now?
No?
The wood shingles for the siding have fish-mouthed. And, if you look above the shingles, you'll see the barge rafters at the edge of the roof have separated.
This, unfortunately, gets the home inspector excited and you don't want me excited - you want me bored, bored, bored. Boring houses are good houses.
The gaps above are signals and the place to trace that signal is back to the foundation.
That roof segment is connected to a column connected to a masonry wall that also supports the deck/wraparound veranda. That wall is moving.
I say 'is' because an attempt at repair was made made for the deck - and failed. Newer movement broke a part of the repair.
The mortar for the masonry wall that was cracked has been repaired - and re-cracked.
We have an ongoing, slow-moving problem. It won't fall down tomorrow, but the systems aren't working, they're failing.
What's the solution?
A good structural engineer. I know one and, for stuff like this, I refer him. That's what I did here.
All things are fixable. The only question is who gets to pay. Part of my job is for you to have that question answered up front.
There's nothing worse than you moving in and discovering a year later that you're the deep pocket that will fix a structural failure.
Does Your Inspector Get Into the Crawlspace?
I have maintained for years that property inspection is a equal mix of knowledge and effort. As one of the most knowledgeable inspectors in the industry (I've held six different code certifications, served on the Washington State Home Inspector Licensing Advisory Board, been certified as a mold inspector, an asbestos inspector, a thermographer, chimney sweep, and a licensed drone pilot), I have a base of information as wide as the Pacific. Those millions of bits of useless information tend to prove quite useful at surprising times.
None of that counts though if the inspector is LAZY.
Your inspector needs to be willing to put forth effort - even when it is uncomfortable. The picture included here is a crawlspace opening. That's a skinny little opening to fit into - and many can't. I can - I don't like to - but I do.
And, because I did, I found that water intrusion had eroded the pad footing on the center beam causing the whole interior line of the building to sag.
Effort. It is arguably more important than knowledge in my industry. I apply it to every job, every day. I walk roofs even in winter (if safe), I crawl under the house, I take apart electrical panels, I walk or crawl the attic.
Do I get into every space? Nope, I don't but it's not from a lack of trying.
Your inspector needs to put forth the effort.
And being trim and fit generally helps, too.
Chimney Fires Are a Thing
When you buy a home, does the inspector inspect the chimney?
The answer is . . . kind of.
By standard, the inspector is supposed to inspect the visible elements of the chimney. That would include the exterior structure, whether it is masonry or metal chimney pipe, and the interior hearth, extension, and firebox. They should also be checking for proper operation of the damper assembly.
Most inspectors will provide a cursory look at these and then include language in the report to let themselves off the hook for any liability. Phrases such as “I recommend having the chimney professionally cleaned” or “recommend further evaluation by a qualified specialist” are common in inspection reports.
And, that would be fine, if the inspector actually inspected the chimney. All too often, what I see when I go out to sweep a chimney after someone has purchased it is thousands of dollars of repairs to the chimney structure or, worse, a fundamentally unsafe situation.
Chimney Problems
The problems I see on the exterior range from several deteriorated crowns and mortar work to bad flashing. Chimneys are fully exposed to weather which means that Mother Nature beats on them constantly. Add to that chimneys are not consistently maintained and you have a recipe for a thousand dollar repair bill to secure loose brick or stop water intrusion.
This kind of damage gets missed in reports all the time.
But that’s not the worst of it . . .
Chimney Fires
I bring this up because I am working on my 11th chimney fire investigation this year. Several of them are on homes that just recently sold. In addition to that, I’ve done a dozen NFPA Level II inspections after the buyers take possession of the home that have resulted in my asking the owners to NOT use the fireplace or wood stove due to the damage I observed in the system.
The single biggest cause of chimney fires that I’ve investigated so far is a poorly installed wood insert. These ‘slammers’ as the sweep trade calls them lack a connector pipe into the flue which leads to an enormous amount of creosote build up in the smoke chamber and at the top of the firebox.
Can your inspector identify this? Sure. But they don’t. they treat everything past the door as a ‘black box’ outside the scope of a home inspection. Which would be fine if they would recommend a chimney inspection. They don’t because that would upset the agents, and they know where their referrals come from.
So, my advice. Get your chimney inspected - before you buy the house. I know, it is an extra expense when everything is costing you money. But, it might save you thousands of dollars . . . or a life-threatening fire.
What a Difference Can a Thermostat Make? In $$$, A Lot!
I recently completed an inspection of a home that had a heat pump installed. Since heat pumps are very dollar efficient at preforming heating and cooling functions, I also take that as good news for my client.
Provided, of course, that the system was properly installed.
I’m amazed that this wasn’t caught by a previous inspections.
Want To Be an Expert Witness? Careful What You Wish For!
Background - How a Lawsuit Begins
Home inspectors live in terror of phone calls from lawyers. Well, most home inspectors. I do a fair number of inspections for lawyers for their personal purchases. They are detail-oriented and precise, and I enjoy working with them. Still, there’s a bit of a gulp when you find out that the attorney does not want to schedule an inspection. Instead, litigation is under way. In this case, the lawyer that contacted me needed an expert witness. The case, he explained without going into details, involved a local inspector which meant there would be blow-back from the community. Would I be willing?
I tentatively agreed subject to reviewing what they had - I won’t work as a witness in a case I do not believe has merit. I asked how the lawyer had heard of me - this isn’t a service that I’ve advertised. In this case, the lawyer had sent queries around, and my name was mentioned by several attorneys in the region as someone who had done outstanding research work in previous cases and was very solid on the stand. (Pro tip: be prepared and tell the truth - it’s just not that complicated.) There was a second industry recommendation, but we’ll get to that a bit later below.
And, honestly, my first reaction, once I heard the name, was to think that the plaintiffs were mistaken. The inspector named in the suit (no, I’m not sharing it - if you are that curious, my deposition is part of the public record as are the other pertinent details of the case including names) is a very experienced inspector. No way he would make a mistake egregious enough to warrant a legal action.
Every inspector has a story about a client who didn’t read the report and gets ‘surprised’ later. I had one last year, in fact, exactly like this. I defected a roof, said it needed short-term replacement, said it would be expensive, get a roofer out to provide an estimate - and the client complained after the fact. I pointed this out in detail to him and he left a bad review. Such is the life of a home inspector. I thought this was the same type of scenario.
Until I saw the first pictures, that is. Then, I had a “oh holy hell!” moment.
At the heart of the case was an inspection that was performed on a log home that was about 15 years old. Log homes present special challenges to home inspectors and most lack the training to do a good job on these structures. The inspector failed to report, in writing, extensive damage to the logs. By extensive, estimates ranged from $100,000-$300,000 dollars in needed repairs. That is, by way of understatement, a big miss.
Becoming the Expert Witness
I met a partner in the law firm for coffee in Pullman and we went through an initial review. He had a binder with the inspection report and a sample of pictures from the inspector. Visible in the pictures was wood rot, extensive failure of finish coatings on the logs (which is a critical failure point), failed chinking, and assorted other visible defects. It was about the seventh picture that I told the gentleman flipping pages that this home needed a log home expert to perform repairs.
As it turned out, they had contacted a top-notch log home restoration contractor. That was the source of my second recommendation. I had inspected a log home in 2018 with similar damage. Unfortunately, I was working for the seller on a pre-listing inspection. Itemizing all the damage and explaining it to her was agonizing. I hate giving bad news - but it is my job. I try to do so with some compassion but, at the end of the day, I have to be accurate. The log home contractor that she brought in also worked on the home at the heart of the litigation. He referred me as some who was extremely knowledgeable who also knew when to call in the cavalry.
Apparently I passed the initial test, so we set a time to meet at the property. That occurred in April of 2019. The damage was even worse than I thought from the pictures. Portions of the logs were so soft I could depress the wood with my thumb. I use a 3” awl for probing and had several places where I buried it to the hilt. The chinking was in terrible condition as was the finish coat. To make matters worse, there were entry holes that looked like they were made by carpenter ants.
When I mentioned that to the lawyer who was accompanying me, he mentioned that a carpenter ant infestation was the trigger for the legal action. Second test passed, and I was offered the opportunity to be their expert witness. (Below - See #34- I’ll explain why they were testing me so much.)
The whole process took until February of this year to resolve. My clients, per the lawyer, negotiated a settlement with the inspector’s insurance company. I’m not privy to the details of the settlement so I have no idea what the terms were. I’m also not going to go into all the details of the process, the research I did, and depositions given. I found them fascinating, especially the research angle, but this doesn’t have any of the pizzazz of a Grisham novel, so we’ll move on to the lessons learned portion of this article.
Lessons Learned as an Expert Witness
Always Get a Signed Contract - Before the Inspection
The inspector in this case did not have a signed inspection agreement before he did the inspection. This immediately became a problem when things went south. In many cases, an insurance company will not even cover the inspector without the agreement, and I’m surprised that this one expended so much money.
Without a clearly written agreement that lays out the responsibilities of both parties, it becomes a he said/they said issue. The contract will lay out the Standard of Practice used, the exclusions, and the limits of liability. For the inspector, this is absolutely critical. Without a signed agreement PRIOR to the inspection, the home inspector is nearly naked in the face of a lawsuit. The various courts have consistently held that a contract signed after the inspection is done under duress.
For the customer, the agreement explains the what they can expect to be inspected, the means of reporting, and lays out their rights in the event there is a grievance.
I feel so strongly about this that I will not leave to inspect a home without the agreement being signed first.
2. If It is Not in Writing, It Doesn’t Count. Period. Full Stop. Do Not Pass Go!
I don’t know how many times, during the deposition with the opposing attorney, that he asked “Well, the inspector told him about it in a phone call. Doesn’t that count?”
No, it doesn’t. The written report is the record that counts. All the standards in our region – Washigton State SoP, ASHI, InterNACHI – require a written report. None mandates the format of the report (though some states do) and the level of detail can vary pretty dramatically.
I use a narrative style report heavy with pictures and, often, video. A decade or more ago, I abandoned the old “Satisfactory, Marginal, Defective” categories. My reasoning then was that the tendency was to move everything into the marginal category so inspector could say he identified a problem but for the same inspector to avoid defecting components since that irks real estate agents. This minimization of issues is prohibited by the various Standards of Practice but is devilishly hard to prove since oftentimes a defect is a matter of opinion.
In this case, the inspector had marked the siding and finish coatings “Satisfactory.” Clearly, they were not even close to being in satisfactory condition. Further, he stated, in writing, that the home was well-maintained.
As a defense, he and his lawyer attempted to argue that he verbally informed them of the true condition of the logs. As they say in the sports world, “Scoreboard, baby!” If it wasn’t in writing, it didn’t count. Those logs were bad, the finish coating and chinking were bad, and the report called them “Satisfactory.”
3. You HAVE to Follow the Standard!
The Standards are not pie-in-the-sky aspirations. They are literally the minimum allowable operating procedures for a home inspection. In the case of Washington, the standard is mandated by regulations from the Department of Licensing. In the case of Idaho, the minimum is set by the Inspection Agreement. Now, I admit, the contract could specify the minimum as “Whatever, the inspector feels like identifying on the day of inspection” but I doubt most customers would sign such a stipulation. Most contracts will specify either the ASHI or InterNACHI Standards of Practice. Personally, I worked on and believe in the Washington SoP, so I use it everywhere. Other inspectors float back and forth between standards.
In this case, the ASHI SoP clearly states, “provide the client with a written report, using a format and medium selected by the inspector, that states:
“1. those systems and components inspected that, in the professional judgment of the inspector, are not functioning properly, significantly deficient, unsafe, or are near the end of their service lives,”
One avenue that the lawyer tried to sieze was the phrase “in the professional judgment of the inspector”. While that might be an explanation for the inspector’s written comments, it is not a shield to being wrong. You can be very professional and very wrong at the same time. Being massively wrong gets you sued – as it should.
The second issue is not techinial but ethical. As such, it is not part of the Standard of Practice but built on the Code of Ethics which works hand-in-hand with the Standards. In this case, the following provision came to bear:
“2. Inspectors shall act in good faith toward each client and other interested parties. A. Inspectors shall perform services and express opinions based on genuine conviction and only within their areas of education, training, or experience. B. Inspectors shall be objective in their reporting and not knowingly understate or overstate the significance of reported conditions..”
I stated directly that I felt the inspector had intentionally minimized the findings. His lawyer challenged me on that, stating I could not know that. My response was (paraphrasing), “He either minimized the findings or he is grossly incompentent – and I’ve never considered him to be incompetent.”
I stand by my assessment. Sadly, minimizing report findings is an everyday occurrence in the home inspection industry. He isn’t alone; he just got caught.
4. Not All Expert Witnesses are Expert
I worked as the expert witness for the plaintiffs. The home inspector and seller’s had their own experts. In the case of the home inspector, the person he chose was an associate of many years standing. This, unfortunately, does not necessarily make for a good expert. The ‘expert’ no longer worked in the home inspection field in any capacity. Further, in 2010, he worked on the Washington side as an unlicensed inspector – a fact I knew as I received the complaint that came in from another local inspector and forwarded it to the appropriate Department of Licensing personnel.
Reading his deposition was eye-opening, not so much of his original statements as for the evolution of his statements. He initially maintained that nothing untoward had occurred, that the home inspector operated fully within standard, and that phone calls were fine for documentation. By the end of the deposition, he had allowed that it probably would have been a good idea to have provided written documentation of the damage that existed and was supposedly discussed on the phone call.
Gee, you think? We went from everything was by the book to undocumented damage was present. And he’s the guy on YOUR side?
He also maintained that a visual inspection does not require the use of any tools or any of the other senses. Really quite astonishing.
5. People Will Lie
This was a bit of an eye-opener for me. That people lie is not the surprise. That the inspector involved would lie, both about the inspection process and in the aftermath of losing, was. He, as with his ‘expert’ witness maintained that he was not required to do anything other than look at the home, completely ignoring the standards of practice and the significant training that he has had. It was so blatant that I went to his website to document, from his own photo gallery, instances where he had performed the activities of home inspection that he was now saying were not within the standard.
He also has expended significant energy in slandering me to real estate agents and other inspectors if the stories I hear are true. I’m a big boy, so I don’t really care with one little quibble. He told at least one person that I stabbed him in the back. Not true. I sat there and gave my testimony with him at the table. If I wouldn’t say it to his face – which I did – I wouldn’t say it at all.
6.Anything You Say in the Past WILL Get Dredged Up
This proved interesting. If you work as an expert witness, expect the other lawyer to do anything they can to impune your reputation. Fair enough.
In this case, the defendent’s attorney brought up a situation from a decade ago involving another inspector along with some other websites that I had purchased.
I had posted on my website a small table that listed the top four inspectors in the region and their license status. It’s important to note that in 2004, all home inspectors were required to hold a Structural Pest Inspector license. This requirement was removed when home inspector licensing was passed. After licensure, a home inspector was not required to continue with an SPI, though many did. I carried mine until 2014 but the market here didn’t support the cost and liability to maintain the SPI license.
SPI licenses renew on the first of the year and the WSDA, who governs the program, has a searchable database. In early February of 2009, it was clear who had renewed – and who had not.
I gathered the information and posted it. Two of the top four were licensed, two were not.
In April/May of 2009, I received a letter from legal counsel of one of those unlicensed inspectors stating that I had committed an act of defamation that had a negative financial impact on his client. I responded, in writing, that truth is an absolute defense against defamation. I also checked his license status, found that he had finally renewed, and removed my chart online. Fair is fair, though the inspector could have accomplished the same thing with a phone call. Or, you know, actually renewed his license in January instead of late April.
As for the websites, I am an entrepreneur. At this writing, I have two businesses after shuttering two others in the last 24 months. I have plans for another business in the next two years after I sell off my chimney sweep business. I experiment, find industries both under-served and that I can excel at, and invest time and money into them.
Having said that, I was born to inspect, I am outstanding at the process, and expect to do home inspections until I’m too decrepit to do them well.
7. Home Inspectors Can Massively Screw Up and Stay in Business
After having lost his case against my clients, you’d think that the inspector would be out of business. Nope. He’s still inspecting, though I suspect it is without insurance.
I have little advice to offer on this to potential customers. There’s no way for you to verify an inspector’s integrity. If you ask him if he’s been sued, he’ll just lie. If you ask the real estate agent, they won’t, or don’t want to, know.
Right now, in Pullman, we have inspectors who perform home and sewer scope inspections without the proper licenses. Some don’t even have a business license to operate in the state. Agents use them and never check.
In Washington, you can check for license status. In Idaho, there is no way to verify anything except a basic business license.
8. There Will Be a Price to Pay
As I mentioned above, the inspector involved in this case has been blathering about getting stabbed in the back. That sort of negative commentary in small towns will hurt your business as the good-’ol-boy club kicks into gear.
I have had agents blacklist me and have had reports of whole agencies considering doing the same. This is the reason that I am no longer a member of Realtor associations in the area. After 14 years, I declined this year to renew as I cannot justify, in my own mind and to my standards, supporting organizations that would allow a restraint of trade and promote the use of unlicensed activities.
9. You Will Know Who Respects You
I am blessed to have a cadre of professionals who use me on their own projects and refer my services. They have heard the stories, they have dealt with other agents who try to blacklist me, and they know that I’m a honest, competent inspector. To have their support, professionally and personally, is humbling. These are people – and the clients that they represent - that I will run through walls for.
It's Not Enough To Have Good Tools
Lookie, Ma! I Can Measure Water Temperature with this Thing-a-ma-jig!
I’ve seen this a couple of times now in inspector’s reports. They are using a digital laser thermometer - technically, an infrared laser pyrometer - to measure water temperature. It’s a great little tool and helpful in a bunch of applications. One teenie little problem.
It doesn’t work to measure water temperature. Not even close.
Oh, they will get a number, but it won’t be an accurate one. The reason is that they, the inspector, have a tool that they do not understand. Spot pyrometers have been used, successfully, for years in asphalt paving, HVAC, and other industries.
Home inspectors adopted them as a fast, easy way to check temperatures on ducts and such. For that, where a qualitative number is needed, they work great. We don’t care what that number is, just that we have a heat profile being generated.
Measuring water temperature is a quantitative measurement. We care very much what that number is and it needs to be accurate. The reason is pretty simply. A ten degree difference in water temperature can take scald times from 30 seconds to less than five. For a small child or an elderly individual, hot water temperatures are important. Both of these populations have slower reflexes and mobility to react to scalding water and yes, people get badly scalded every day.
That’s where not understanding your tools comes in if you are a professional home inspector. In this case, some training on the physics behind the tool. The digital laser thermometer, as they think of it, is actually an infrared device. Infrared cameras and measurement devices follow the same principles. They are not measuring the actual temperature but rather the emissivity of the object. All objects do one of three things with energy: they can reflect it as glass and metal does; it can transmit it as translucent materials (like water) does; or, they can emit it as heat radiation as most solid, non-reflecting surfaces do.
Water has lousy emissivity but high transmission so the number that the inspector sees isn’t even within shouting distance of accurate. Yet, because they do not understand the deficiency in their tool -actually, the deficiency in their knowledge and skills as the tool will do what it is designed to do - they proudly put pictures into their reports documenting a false reading.
Which won’t matter much. Not until someone gets badly scalded.
Then, it’s a real problem and the home inspector bears some significant responsibility.
Welcome to Winter 2020
I was hoping that we could hold off on the cold, blowy white stuff for a while, but . . . Mother Nature, as is her wont, had other ideas. So, yesterday’s home inspection had 4” of snow on the roof. Snow covered roofs introduce all kinds of spectacular opportunities for inspectors to land in the rhododendrons just before they get carted off to the emergency room. Inspectors are NOT required to traverse a roof if, in their opinion, it is unsafe to do so. Mind you, some inspectors think that getting on any roof is dangerous so they never, ever do such a thing. I had a lawyer (I do expert testimony as a home inspector in cases where there has been a major dereliction on the part of the inspector) who I explained this to as he questioned the inspector not traversing. Yes, I explained, it is a cop-out but inspector gets the final word on safety.
This all came to mind because I had an agent recently tell me that winter is rough when you can’t do any inspection on the roof. I gave a little chuckle - there’s always a way to get a job done. It might not be perfect like we’d have on a pretty spring day, but usually we can get pretty good information - and find some surprising things that otherwise get missed. After 15 years in the business, I have a few tricks up my sleeve on how to get on and off a roof safely even with snow. (I also have stories about pushing my margin of safety to the point of thinking “This was dumb!” )
Real-Life Examples of What Can Be Missed on a Home Inspection in Winter
Case in point, yesterday. The chimney could not be seen from ground level because trees and the ground slope angle blocked the view. If I didn’t get on the roof, I would have missed this::
Chimneys are not supposed to come apart at the seams. This one was, it was leaking into the attic, and the crown needs to be replaced. In all, there is at least $2,000.00 worth of work to bring this chimney back to satisfactory condition.
This picture is another, less dramatic example of an easy miss, especially if the inspector does not traverse the attic. Hint, if the inspector does not like walking roofs, it is unlikely that he feels any more comfortable walking attics.
As I said, there’s always a way - IF the inspector wants to fully complete his inspection and protect his client.
Washington State License #215
Former SBCC Member, Former Chairman State Home Inspector Advisory Licensing Board.