It is a great day here in Orem, Utah. Are you having a happy Memorial Day??? Were you wise enough to take the day off??? Or did somebody entice you to work??? If you are picking this up first thing Monday morning, then you will be reading this edition at the same time that the Leavitt family is exploring the famous Timpanogos Cave in American Fork, Utah.
Have you ever wanted to stand up in a movie theater and yell FIRE!!! Well, Shelly and I were watching the new Jackie Chan movie Shanghai Noon when all of a sudden the fire alarm really did sound. It was complete with siren, flashing strobe lights, a recording telling you to please go quickly out of the building and a stoppage of the movie. We were the closest to the door when I realized that if we didn't make our move quickly that we could very well be trampled..... What do you think happened?..... Absolutely nothing!!! Nobody got up and there was no fear from the masses. After 20 minutes of this ,the majority of the people were still sitting in their seats waiting for either the building to burn down or the movie to restart. It turns out that if a 16-year-old overheats a popcorn machine that it will catch fire. The result is a stifling smoke throughout the 10-plex. Even during this fiasco the sales of sodas and popcorn continued. After a 45 min wait (with several rumors of when the movie would start = 5 mins., 15 mins., etc.), we gave up and went home.
THANK YOU NOTE: I would like to give Scott Merritt an extra big Thank You for his contributions to the MMM this week.... THANK YOU SCOTT!!!..... It is very difficult to compose interesting topics to be published for your peers and Scott has done a great job in the past and again in this issue. Please flood his e-mail box at smerritt@cwnet.com with kudos and praise. Honorable mentionsalso go out to Jim Corbin and Jon Gudnason.
I would encourage all of you to follow Scott's lead and take some time out of your busy inspection schedules and compose some future thoughts for the MMM. For example, I am eagerly waiting for the write-up and pictorial of of Greg Justice's mobile office. We were privy to seeing it in Portland at the recent conference... Greg has an incredible custom office set-up in the back of a mini-van complete with A/C power, desk, printer, etc. To top it off he has a truly professional lettering job on the van's exterior.... This is definitely a MMM article for the future!
The family highlight of last week was the graduation of Adam from Kindergarten. Adam was the keynote speaker. We were so proud of him as he stood at the microphone wearing his graduation cap and tassel......... Click on his picture to hear Adam's powerful public speaking introduction to his graduating class (Clicking on the picture will download a .WAV file of the beginning of Adam'a talk)...... The written text for his talk went as follows.....
Fellow Students:
Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. All we needed to know to be successful in life, we learned this year from Mrs. Davis and Miss Buttars. I would like to thank our teachers for preparing us for the world. We are now ready to go out into that cold, cruel world and make a difference.
Today I want to talk about some of the things I have learned this year and how they will help us as we go on with our lives.
Kindergarten has been the best experience of my life. I feel ready to conquer the world. I hope we can all remember what we have learned this year and that we will keep learning everyday.
Thank you Mrs. Davis and Miss Buttars for all of your hard work and dedication.
Fellow Graduates - Have a cool summer and don’t ever change!
Jon Gudnason shared this warning for California Inspectors regarding changes in the standard Real Estate Purchase Contract for their State....... Jon Gudnason wrote: The standard California real estate state sales contract used to contain a paragraph (until recently) called the Seller Warranty section. It contained a lot of check boxes that, if checked, obligated the seller to make repairs of non-working appliances, roof leaks, plumbing leaks and stuff like that, if they were known or discovered prior to the close of escrow. While it should not change the way we report anything, inspectors in the state should know that there is a new version of the contract out now that does not contain any seller warranty language. It states that the home is to be sold "as is". Our reports still give the buyer the right to negotiate based on new information, but there are no longer all those conditions that have been previously agreed to in the sales contract. Jon Gudnason - Placerville, CA
Thanks for sharing these changes in your State. California is very influential to the surrounding Western States and sooner or later even Utah follows their lead.
Betty Buckley confirmed this influence with..... Thanks for the info. We have quite a migration of Californians to our area who have expected to have Oregon sellers warranty their homes as they had previously done before selling out and moving here. They are quite disappointed to find out that does not happen here. Now it sounds like we are closer to the same page in the book. Have a great week! Betty Buckley - OR
The Consumer Product Safety Commission was quite busy this past week. Some of their recalls and notices are directly applicable to our professions. The first of three can be found at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml00/00115.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - CONTACT: Universal Recall Hotline: (800) 390-4321 May 25, 2000 - CPSC Contact: Yolanda Fultz-Morris - Release #00-115
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Universal Security Instruments Inc., of Owings Mills, Md., is voluntarily recalling about 34,000 smoke alarms. The smoke alarms can fail to alarm when smoke or fire is present. A capacitor in the alarm can burn out, releasing smoke and melting the cover.
Universal has received three reports of alarms failing, releasing smoke. There has been one report of minor smoke damage to the wall of a mobile home. No injuries have been reported.
Consumers can identify the recalled models by removing the alarm cover from its base and looking for the manufacture date code and model number. The smoke alarms are made of white plastic and have the manufacture date code and model number imprinted on the back of the alarm.
Some alarms do not have the brand name printed on the unit. Consumers should look at the model number to determine if it is a recalled alarm.
Electrical distributors, housing suppliers, and hardware stores sold these smoke alarms nationwide from April 1998 through June 1999 for between $10 and $15. Most of these smoke alarms were pre-installed in homes during construction.
Consumers should call Universal Security Instruments Inc. toll- free at (800) 390-4321 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday to receive a free, replacement alarm.
The second notice deals with electrical house fire safety and can be found at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml00/00112.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Office of Information and Public Affairs May 25, 2000 - CPSC Contact: Mark Ross or Ken Giles - Release # 00-112
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the National Electrical Safety Foundation (NESF) are urging consumers to look for and correct electrical safety hazards in their homes. Each year, incidents involving electrical equipment, such as extension cords, outlets and light bulbs, result in more than 41,000 residential fires that claim about 350 lives and cause over 1,400 injuries. These fires also cause more than $620 million in property damage annually.
"Many of these electrical-related incidents are preventable," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. "The simple act of removing electrical cords from under rugs could help prevent many house fires. If every household installed ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), deaths from electrocution in and around the home could be reduced by one-half. I urge consumers to look around their homes and correct electrical hazards."
Consumers can help protect themselves from electrical hazards by taking a few minutes to check their homes for unsafe conditions.
These safety tips, along with many more, are published in the pamphlet entitled A Home Electrical Safety Check. To receive a free pamphlet, go to NESF's web site at www.nesf.org, or consumers can send a 55 cent stamped, self-addressed envelope to NESF, 1300 North 17th Street, Suite 1847, Rosslyn, Va. 22209. NESF is a non-profit organization, which was formed in 1994 with the belief that, through its efforts, electrical-related incidents can be prevented and lives saved.
The third press release deals with swimming pool drownings. I was impressed with the following release found at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml00/00113.html because they have also taken advantage of streaming video technology. They allow you to quickly download a 4 minute pool safety video that shows several different ways to keep children out of the pool as well as alarms if they do get into the pool.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Office of Information and Public Affairs May 26, 2000 - CPSC Contact: Mark Ross - Release # 00-113
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Memorial Day weekend is the time many families open their home pools for the summer. Pool owners, especially those with young children and grandchildren, should always keep in mind the deadly hazards a pool can pose. About 350 children under 5 years old drown in pools each year nationwide and 2,600 are treated in hospital emergency rooms for near-drowning incidents. Most of the cases involve residential pools.
To prevent this tragedy, many pool owners use pool alarms designed to sound a warning if a child falls into the water. Sales of pool alarms have doubled since 1994. A study released today by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) tested the performance of various pool alarm systems.
The CPSC study looked at three types of alarms: floating alarms that detect waves on the surface; underwater alarms that detect waves under the surface; and a wristband alarm, which is worn by a child, and alarms when exposed to water.
CPSC's tests showed that underwater alarms performed the most consistently (with one surface alarm - PoolSOS - performing almost as well). Underwater sensors alarm more consistently and are less likely to false alarm. When a test object, intended to simulate the weight of a small child, was pushed into a pool, the underwater sensors detected it most reliably. The underwater alarms also can be used in conjunction with pool covers, whereas the surface alarms cannot. The wristband device alarmed well but can be impractical because the caregiver must remember to put it on the child, and it alarms when exposed to any water source, such as tap water.
"Pool alarms can be used as an extra safeguard, but should never be relied upon as the only line of defense in preventing a child from drowning in your pool," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. "The keys to preventing these tragedies are placing barriers around your pool, closely supervising your child and being prepared in case of an emergency."
Pools should have layers of protection to prevent drowning:
CPSC offers three free publications consumers can use to help prevent child drowning: "Safety Barrier Guidelines for Pools," "How to Plan for the Unexpected" and "Guidelines for Entrapment Hazards: Making Pools and Spas Safer." Some localities have incorporated the CPSC guidelines into their building codes and regulations.
Copies of these publications can be obtained here on CPSC's website, or by writing to "Pool Safety", CPSC, Washington, D.C., 20207.
PALMAX FIELD TEST DRIVE By Scott Merritt
Okay, here's what I have to say. I like my machine. If you want the full story, read on.
The following may be more than seems necessary, but I think it's important to describe the "troubles" I worked through as background for my thoughts about it now that it works well for me.
My machine is put out by Palmax. It is a Taiwanese company, (not Japanese as Michael wrote). I hear it has mostly Sony parts, so maybe you could call it Japanese. The reviews I read of it were mostly positive. I wasn't looking for a Mercedes - a usable tool for the field is what I desired at a reasonable price. I had been looking for the smallest touch screen with keyboard computer that I could find for about two years, or ever since Apple discontinued the Newton. (The Newton is a great machine in almost all respects, but it was yanked off the market and the software companies no longer wanted anything to do with it).
I experienced a lot of frustration in the beginning because Palmax has very poor technical support. The written pamphlet was an absolute joke. If you tried to write a parody of the East/West schism as it relates to technical writing you couldn't beat this. It is hilarious to me now, but when I opened the package and wanted to get my $1100 investment working for me, I did not find it very amusing.
The phone support was no better. I sent it back twice for glitches that turned out to be simple adjustments or settings that actually could have been remedied over the phone, as it turns out. But the language barrier was significant.
I wanted the small computer to communicate with my desktop, and to get that set up was the biggest hurdle. You know, I am no whiz with computer stuff and to keep coming across hurdles when I was so anxious to use the darn thing was more frustration than I can express here. There is a huge "problem" in the technical world because as a society we are taking all this whiz-bang stuff into our lives, but it is very difficult to find anyone at Staples or CompUSA or anywhere else who can explain what the machines, peripherals, and software programs actually do or the prerequisites for getting them to do what they do.
(Editorial aside: As a builder, I have an eye that appreciates order, rhythm, coordination, sensible progression, and the like. It is what makes a home get built well. In looking at the tech world I see a whole bunch of separate entities cranking out this amazing product and that awesome idea right on the heels of the last truly amazing advancement. We all just go along with the ever faster flow, sometimes chiding those who don't come along, feeling anxious about our own ability to keep up, hoping that someone like Michael clues us in as to what's coming around the corner. There is not enough cohesion to any of it as it grows up and out. There is no natural order and rhythm to any of it, and like a house that gets built too fast with the wrong materials and untrained people, it is doomed to cause great headaches down the road. And we will all look back at this technology "fungus" someday and say, "Duh, no wonder it's such a mess now.")
I updated my desktop to Windows 98. The Palmax came loaded with it. I thought maybe having Window 95 on one was the glitch that made it impossible for the two computers to talk to each other. It finally dawned on me to call Microsoft to help with the communication issue and within 30 minutes of talking to someone who was very sharp helping with settings, configurations and the like, I had a useful tool! The Microsoft guy couldn't believe the way Palmax had me configure things. I still don't know if it was actually necessary for me to go to Windows 98 on the desktop. I haven't contacted Palmax since.
As for my experience with it in the field, my challenges were twofold: One, I was adjusting to a different machine - the screen is poor in the daylight, wonderful indoors, tolerable in shade. I had been using the Newton for three years and it works great in daylight, so I was changing my inspection procedure to accommodate the different screen. Outdoors, I walk around making mental notes, then return to the Garage or covered porch to enter information. It seemed like a big thing for a while, but looking back I'd say it was nothing unusual and I've now fully adjusted. Part of the adjustment had to do with changing the 3D format to fit the connect-the-dots routine that I utilize on site to more closely match the routine I had adopted over the previous years.
The second challenge was that at the same time I was learning a new machine I was also learning the new software. Michael has done a super job of creating the forms and comments, but as anyone who has been doing inspections for awhile will tell you, we each have our own "reporting style", and I spent time familiarizing myself with the comments Michael had created and additional time deleting, rewording, and adding comments of my own to reflect my style as well as the types of homes and conditions I see in my area versus Michael's.
I have been using the Palmax for three months. I like it now. The size is good - I can easily and safely hold it in one hand. The touch screen is very sensitive - an adjustment I had to make from the Newton, but anyone else may not notice. The touch screen is a must in my opinion because of the nature of the 3D program - there is a lot of tabbing to fields followed by clicking a comment. The touch on the screen replaces the movement and click of a mouse. I can whip right through the report.
When I have a unique comment to make, the keyboard is large enough for me. I have rather large hands, and am not a proficient typist. I have adapted to the keyboard. I type with two fingers, fast enough. Someone else may hold the thing in one hand and type with the other. I have learned the differences in the Palmax keyboard from standard. No big deal there. I wish the TAB key was bigger because I use it more than any other key. I hit the CAPS LOCK key just below it by mistake probably three times each inspection.
I use the finger stylus for the touch screen. Way more convenient than the small pen that comes with the Palmax, easy to adjust to, and a great conversation piece on the job site. The computer itself tends to dazzle people. It is so small that people disbelieve that it runs full Windows.
The Palmax comes with a battery that lasts maybe an hour and a half. I use it as a back-up, having purchased the 3 to 4 hour battery. You save battery life by closing the screen lid, putting the computer in sleep mode. You lose battery life by typing a lot, deleting a lot, etc. As I get more familiar and proficient with the 3D program, I am finding that the two batteries usually get me through a typical two inspection day. Two of the larger batteries definitely would. If not, the computer gives me plenty of warning to plug in. I'm finding that is a nuisance, but this job seems to call on us to put up with several and various nuisances already, so what's one more?
I would agree with Michael that the palm-sized CE devices would be best utilized by those who have gotten real familiar with the 3D program on a Windows 98 platform first. Imagine trying to learn to drive an 18 wheeler for the first time - at night with the cab lights out. I think that is what learning 3D on CE would be like.
I have concerns about how durable the machine will be. It's passed the hundred day mark with no sign of distress. My thought is that I will be ready for a CE machine when this one gives out.
If you read this far you must be interested in the thing. You can find out more about the Palmax 1100 by calling me or by typing in Palmax in your websearch. Scott Merritt - Grass Valley, CA
SPECIAL EDITOR'S NOTE: Doesn't Scott look like a deranged mad man?!?!?
Jon Gudnason had this added Palmax information to share.....
The "Palmax" phone support that Scott speaks of is not really Palmax, but Jager Micro, a distributor in Ferment, CA. I , too, have had a difficult time communicating with these people. Their English is difficult to understand. You can learn more about the machine by doing an internet search for the word "Palmax". There is a guy on the East Coast that also sells them. I spoke with him once and he seemed very knowledgeable.
The next step up in price I have found for a small, full windows machine with a touch screen is the Fujitsu Lifebook, B series. It has a much larger screen (10") but is still small enough to carry around in one hand. It is about $1000.00 more than the Palmax. Check out http://www.fujitsu-pc.com/products/corp/bseries_frm.html
Jon Gudnason - Placerville, CA
I took Jon's advice and went to the Fujitsu website to see what was the latest news. Fujitsu has one of the most well respected names in pen computing. If you are considering a Fujitsu machine I recommend that you call 3D Inspections at 1-800-745-6126. They are a Fujitsu reseller and they have the information about the real life pros and cons to the Fujitsu machines from the real life experiences of Home Inspectors.
SANTA CLARA, Calif.—May 1, 2000—Fujitsu PC Corporation (FPC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujitsu, Ltd., today introduced the newest member of its award winning line of pen tablet solutions with the Stylistic 3400. Featuring an Intel Pentium III processor 400MHz, 6GB ultra ATA shock-mounted hard drive, a choice of 10.4" TFT XGA or outdoor readable SVGA display, and 64MB SDRAM (upgradeable to 192MB), the Stylistic 3400 delivers notebook-like performance in a compact, light and cost effective pen tablet solution.
"The latest addition to our pen tablet computing portfolio, the Stylistic 3400 features distinct advantages that set it in a class of its own," said Sara Nelson, vice president of marketing for FPC. "With the introduction of the Stylistic 3400, we have created a mobile computing solution that delivers the high performance and application versatility that IT professionals are seeking to equip their mobile workforce."
According to Nelson, the Stylistic 3400 is the first pen tablet to provide a color TFT for use both indoors and outdoors. The breakthrough display uses a custom LCD and digitizer. Compared to the traditional outdoor reflective displays, the new TFT display excels in balancing the need for superior visibility in full sunlight and a clear, bright picture indoors, in shady conditions or at night.
The Stylistic 3400 is available with a choice of Windows® 98, Windows NT Workstation 4.0 or Windows 2000 Professional operating systems. Another advanced feature is its support of Windows Pen Services as well as CIC PenX for handwriting recognition. Despite featuring a full size display, the Stylistic 3400 measures a slim 1.1 inches thick and weighs only 3.2 pounds.
Designed to meet the demands of the mobile enterprise applications, the Stylistic 3400 is ideal for merchandising, inspections, pharmaceutical clinical trials, and outpatient and home healthcare. The Stylistic 3400 provides instantaneous decision support at the tap of a pen. The user can use the optional mini dock to instantly transform the pen tablet into a full-fledged desktop replacement. Input options such as a wireless keyboard for extensive text entry and a security card to prevent unauthorized access are available.
The Stylistic 3400 includes a built-in 100BASE-T Fast Ethernet LAN controller and an internal 56K1 V.90 modem. Certified for use in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia, the integrated modem provides greater reliability and durability than a PC Card modem while freeing up a PC Card slot for added flexibility and convenience.
Standard connectivity includes a Type II PC Card slot with CardBus support, an IrDA port, a Sound Blaster(R) Pro-compatible audio system, a USB port, and a mini-dock connector. The optional mini-dock offers additional connectivity, including PS/2 mouse, PS/2 keyboard, RS-232 serial, parallel, external monitor, Type III PC Card slot, and floppy drive ports, plus a RJ-45 pass-thru connector for use with Ethernet connectivity. The Stylistic 3400 also offers a 2600mAh 6-cell prismatic Lithium Ion battery pack for long life.
High-usage docking contacts on the bottom of the Stylistic 3400 allow the user to insert and remove the pen tablet from a custom dock over 100,000 times. These docks are typically mounted on walls, workbenches or in vehicles and can be designed to more provide battery charging and peripheral-access capabilities. The Stylistic 3400 is available now through a worldwide network of Fujitsu PC value-added resellers (VARs) and systems integrators.
So what is the answer to the PHOTO CHALLENGES of the past 2 weeks.The responses have been good, with some of them being right on the mark.
Eric Smith made the following observation..... It appears that the pump is wired directly. In the new construction that I do the pumps are plugged into a receptacle and GFCI protected. In this case the wiring should be in conduit to prevent water from entering the electric pump. Eric Smith
This is where regional differences come into play. Here in Utah it is acceptable to hard wire the jetted tubs without conduit. You may want to check with your local officials to get their opinion. Here in Utah, however, the City officials don't appear to be inspecting the electrical installations on the jetted tubs.... Hence the picture.
Richard Grisham sent along this chuckle after looking at the first picture... Michael: It is obvious that this pump has nothing more than a chewing gum gasket. You can tell this by the color of the material between the two halves of the hub housing the impeller. I have used a new device in performing this photo analysis called the Grisham "Putorious fatidus, Orvis arias aquilo Gyrofalco" and I would be glad to share my instrumentation with anybody interested in furthering their inspection skills. A modest mailing fee of $50,000.00 American dollars will do nicely. Please mail your fee to me at The Grisham Gizmo, Tax Free Foundation (A not-for-profit enterprise). With apologies. This is just for laughs. Seriously, please don't anybody send me money, please.
After viewing the first picture, Jim Corbin kindly responded.... I see a ground "bonding" wire but it appears to go back to a conduit clip or "something" in the background where the wire appears. The wiring appears to be hard wired to a circuit rather than plugged into a GFCI. In my area, GFCI dedicated circuits are used. I am not sure from the photo if the base plate mount for the pump/motor is anchored. If not, this would allow vibration which, eventually, could crack the fittings and/or piping.
In my inspections, I do not see jetted tubs that often. When I do, I fill them while performing the inspection items in the area. When the water is above the suction and discharge points, I briefly operate the pump and look through the inspection door. I state that the pump was briefly operated and appeared to operate normally. No leakage was visible from the inspection door...or words to that effect. I have found tripped conditions, small leaks, no operation, no connected circuit (even though the wire was plugged into a GFCI), unanchored pump/motor system, cracked or loose fittings. Sometimes the water does not drain or the drain plug malfunctioned and did not hold the water. It is a brief test and, much like the testing of tiled shower pans, it does show some conditions from time to time. Have a good day! Jim Corbin - Bow, WA.
Jim wins the At-a-Boy! For this Photo Challenge because of his thoroughness. Jim makes mention of performing two different types of evaluations that are beyond the scope of inspection as per our Standards of Practice. Our SOP's clearly state that the Inspector is not responsible for testing jetted tubs or tile shower pans. When I first started my inspection enterprise I just put in my report the usual disclaimers and did not give much thought to these two items. I quickly realized that it was better to exceed the SOP's and evaluate these items "as a courtesy" with the SOP's still backing me up if a pan was leaking or if a jetted tub was not operating correctly. The provision in the SOP's is there to protect us because we cannot fully evaluate those items in the short time frame of a typical inspection anyways.
SIDE NOTE: How many of you have ever turned on the jets in a tub with the water just barely over the top of the jets and forgot to reposition the jets at a downward angle?.... The result is water spray everywhere!
After posting the second picture and directing the attention to the bonding ,Jon Gudnason responded.... If there is something wrong with that bonding wire, you will need to tell me what it is. Jon Gudnason - CA
Our Mechanical Engineer, Jim Corbin, once again responded with a detailed bonding explanation.... Bonding...the bonding wire is connected from the motor case to the motor case (the second connection is to a Romex wire connecting nut screwed into the entry point of the motor). In other words, no bond exists, unless there is a second bonding wire to a ground from another part. I would report that there is no electrical bond for the motor, consult a licensed electrician. Other items to consider are: the motor base is anchored; the motor is connected to GFCI outlet, if the connection is through a plug, or a protected circuit if hard wired; there is a start/stop switch, separated by 6' feet from the tub, for the pump (unless the on/off works from an air switch); check for leaks in the visible areas. Jim Corbin - Bow, WA
As many of you know, I was recently involved in a Small Claims suit in which I had to defend myself for not reporting a defective solar hot water installation. (This was my first suit in 8 years of inspecting).
Without going into the whole thing, my basic claim was that it was looking good and working well as far as I could tell when I did the inspection. I recommended the Buyer have the Seller explain the system to him (which the Buyer did not follow through on), and who knows what may have occurred in the ten months between the inspection and when the failure was reported. I sited my Service Agreement, Standards of Practice, and supporting letters from my esteemed colleagues: Brent Foster, Jon Gudnason, and Steve Bradley.
The verdict arrived in my mailbox today, 5 weeks after the court appearance. (Imagine if we submitted our home inspection report 5 weeks after the inspection!)
I share it with the group because I think it demonstrates several points worth noting. The Judgment reads in it's entirety:
(Applause, Hoots, three cheers for the Judge)
So maybe we should conduct something like Michael's Photo Challenge, along the lines of Court Judgment Challenge:
How many ideas and concepts can you identify in the Judgment that we as Home Inspectors keep trying to drum into our clientele, (and ourselves), to protect us from unreasonable, unfair, unsavory people?
Actually, there's no need for such a challenge. The second paragraph said it very succinctly. He must have carefully read the Service Agreement.
He used the term "visual inspection." Nice that he recognized that limitation of our service.
The next sentence is important because it recognizes that the Buyer has a responsibility to act upon our recommendations, and if a guy is going to lay down $450,000 for a house, then he ought to be at the inspection, for crying out loud.
The third sentence is a beautiful one to have written by a Judge because one of the most difficult things for us as home inspectors is to "sell" the public on the scope of our inspection (after all, it is us who have defined the scope) and to squash the expectation of some buyers (and agents) that if something breaks after our inspection we must have missed it, or should have known it would fail, or "Isn't that why you carry insurance?", and "What are you going to do about it?"
I did lose sleep over this, I will admit, even though I felt perfectly right about my inspection and report. I was mentally preparing to dismiss the Judge as a complete idiot and question his family lineage if the judgment went against me, but fortunately I don't have to rationalize anything now. I think the Judge is brilliant.
So the take home lesson of this is Thank God (and Bill Ball) for our Service Agreement. It saved my neck. The language in it made it very simple for the Judge to find in my favor. So I encourage all of us to be dilligent about using it. It is sort of like using a seat belt - if you develop the habit of using it, you forget about how uncomfortable it is, and it is there to save you if you ever need saving.
The secondary point is: It was great to be able to discuss the thing with friends within the Association and to learn from their points of view on the subject. I have no way of knowing if their letters helped sway the Judge, but I count it as one of the great benefits of this Association that I had letters from each of them in the packet I handed the Judge. Enjoy your work, Scott Merritt - Grass Valley, CA.
This week's AII™ Photo Challenge showed up in my e-mail box from a fellow disgruntled Home Inspector. I think that he is trying to implicate that I am a lousy Plumber. I keep looking at the picture wondering what is wrong..... After all, I love duct tape! I just hope that this picture doesn't get released to the public and ruin my moonlighting jobs =:-]
Seriously though...... Take a moment and document what you would include in your report if this is what awaited you as you opened the kitchen sink cabinet.
"What would you include in your report?" (See if you can do it without using the words Looks or Appears.... After all we get paid to be specific.)
Your Name:
For more information E-MAIL Us