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[:-party] A bit too much Christmas cheer helped me to type the wrong URL when posting my website (Home Inspection Services of Missouri) to the links. The correct URL is www.reporthost.com/hicsm/ . How do I fix this, now that I am [:-crazy] over the "cheer" part?

My objection to a "single standard" centers on the fact that, once you remove the variables associated with regionality, what is left to standardize would probably be of little or no benefit to the profession. I suppose this discussion is as old as the Federalist Papers, when Hamilton, Madison and Jay were arguing for a strong federal set of laws in opposition to the various state laws, back in the 1780's. How can inspections, and the people who perform them, all comply with a single standard when municipalities and states cannot decide on which set of codes to enforce (if any)? I support state licensing as a means for an area to establish those standards that are more relevant to it. What do you guys think? Am I full of baloney (spell check says "bologna") on this one?

Thank you, all, for the advice. From the wide range of responses it appears that it would indeed by prudent to recommed a structural engineer review, which I did. I hate to put my client through the expense and hassle of a second opinion unless it is absolutely necessary. This time, I feel that it is in his best interest. Thanks, again. Jim

I don't think so, Steve. The crack, as it moves vertically up the north wall widens to a pretty large "v" at the top. Looks like some separation at that point. While the crack is not super wide, it is more significant than what I would refer to as a "hairline".

I am told that an appraiser did an inspection in May and made no mention to the owner, which he is not obligated to, anyway. The crack, by all accounts, was unknown to the owner until this inspection. He is not selling, but has a warranty ready to expire. The grading does slope toward part of the foundation wall on the southwest side and there is erosion. This part of the landscape lays under a deck supported on concrete peirs (at least for now, since the erosion is washing the clay away from them, as well).

Poured concrete.

I inspected a house, today, that is three years old. The entire span of the west basement wall (approx 40 feet) had a crack running the length of it that never widened more than 1/8th inch. The crack continued to the next (north) wall and travelled horizontally for three feet and moved up the wall to the top of the foundation. The wall with the entire length cracked is the wall facing the uphill side of a sloping terrain and the soil is clay. Any argument against recommending a structural engineer?[?]