Nolan Kienitz

Kurt, Which camera are you using these days? I'm still doing well with my Pentax Optio. Most of my data collection is via my camera, but I still have a small ring notebook in my hip pocket, but relying more and more on JPGs.

Mike Lamb ... you are a sly person ... you are!! I like the nameplate on the desk and related text and character positioning and what 'could be' read between the lines. May just be me and my cynical nature ... but it is very good.

Only that there not not any pressure balancing valves present.

Assuming that there are single control valves installed. If traditional individual hot and cold valves are present I've seen different things.

Something akin to a dumbwaiter to haul things (foodstuffs) from lower level to upper level. Maybe from root cellar. .

Erby, Tnx ... got the message and sent Spatz the information for a good local Austin inspector. NEK

Spatz, If you do sign a contract for the property and start your option period it would be wise for an independent inspection on your behalf. Send me a message offline and I can provide you with some contacts in the Austin area who are extraordinary inspectors ... NOT "drive-bys". Nolan AT NolansInspections.com

Did you not have an inspection done on the home prior to closing? If you did (have it inspected) ... if there were any extreme situations your inspector should have noted same in a detailed report ... assuming you chose a good inspector rather than a "drive by" inspector. Your image shows a downspout with a missing extension and turnout and possibly missing splashblock or other extension to move water away from the foundation. The cracks (in the image) appear to be a superficial cracking in what might be a coat of mortar spread over the actual foundation beam for the sake of making it look 'nice'. IE: In other words: Cosmetic. Without more establishing images it is hard to say for sure. This is not to suggest that there are not any foundation issues with properties in Austin ... all depends upon many issues that are hard to discern from on image and not actually being able to inspect the property.

WEA notifications being pushed to smartphones now. Carriers are doing such in some sort of phased rollout. I'm using AT&T and I got two of them this past Monday. The "Presidential Alert" hasn't made it to my iPhone yet. WEA rollout information from FCC From a bill passed by Congress I believe as part of the WARN Act.

Lack of kickout on old roof has allowed for water stain on veneer below the roof.

I received an e-mail from the TREC Administrator (today - 06/03/13) advising me that TREC has posted the approved documents relating to the new SOP, Form Rules and 7-3 Form. I've attached those three PDFs to this message. The new SOP, Rules and Forum will be required as of 01/01/2014. It will be considered a "hot cut" from the old SOP/Forms to the new SOP/Forms. No overlaps allowed. New SOP: Download Attachment: 01012014_535.227-233_SOP.pdf 356.59?KB New Form Rules: Download Attachment: 01012014_535.223_ReportForoRules.pdf 280.14?KB New 7-3 Form: Download Attachment: 01012014_ABR_535.223_7-3_Template.pdf 49.8?KB .

Ditto here for what Kurt noted. Albeit I am quite "emphatic" in my bolded/underlined comment. []

My attorney told me several years ago to "leave 'em alone". Most of the litigation he was involved with (concerning home inspections) was related to swimming pools done by home inspectors who (more times than not) missed items that cost them big time. I don't inspect them. I'm fortunate in the D/FW market to have a contact who used to build pools, maintain pools and for the past 10+ years inspects pools as a contact resource for about 30 of the D/FW based inspectors. He is a walking encyclopedia of pools and proper maintenance and he is "independent" ... NOT related to any pool company or service. He is an honest pool inspector and advises of all the required safety items. He covers all pool/spa equipment, fences, doors/windows from the house to the pool (safety) and even provides information from TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission) as a matter of educating the clients. His fees for his inspection range from $125 to $175 and I do NOT take any kickbacks, spifs, etc.. I simply try to coordinate a slot in his calendar for my inspection time frame. He keeps threatening to "really retire", but then adds that he likes the additional income to help buy some toys for his grandkids.

I got the same (verbatim) message, but his name was: Mark_pil AT yahoo.com Added to spam list at about 3 levels on my e-mail system. ... No infections noted ... 'so far' ...

While I was a technician with The Associated Press (in Texas) I used to get all sorts of similar directions to radio station transmitter/tower sites "out in the country". Actually made me feel 'at home' due to the Montana directions.

There is a Northwest Dallas neighborhood of Disney Streets of Midway Hills. Streets all have Disney names: Snow White Drive Pinocchio Drive Sleepy Lane Cinderella Lane Dwarfs Circle and so on ... Neighborhood that is sought after for families. Homes all single-story brick, about 2000 s.f., circa ~1950s and on 1/3 to 1/2 acre lots. Homes start at about $400K No this is not a real estate sales note ... just some information about the neighborhood.

Now that would be an image worth posting here at TIJ - [:-bigeyes

I've had two (actually more) that were impressive to me ... Bejing, China Baghdad, Iraq

Input line to the toilet is possibly from the "hot water circuit". Was the water in the tank warm? I had a new home construction once that had 3/4 of all hot/cold lines reversed and I could have steamed hot dogs in the toilet tanks.

I've always used: "Ductboard Distribution Box" They are made out of "ductboard" and they "distribute" ... Like JL noted ... some company may have a fancier name in their catalog.

The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) approved the new SOP and report template 7-3 at their meeting in Austin this morning ... 05/06/2013. Effective date will be: 01/01/2014 The current SOP and approved templates (7A-1 and 7-2) will no longer be valid at that same day (01/01/2014). It is a hot cut from old to new with no overlap. Typical effective date for changes at TREC is usually September 1st, but in this case the Inspector's Advisory Committee wanted to allow some extra time to allow the software companies time to get their Texas-required templates changed in their systems and made available to their client base as appropriate. As soon as TREC finishes processing the SOP and template documents and makes them available I'll post them here. It will likely take a week or two for TREC to make the official documents ready. I already have the proposed documents in my files, but want to wait for TREC's official-final approved versions.

Good viewing with 'whatever' shows up! A very nice right of annual passage in time, Les and everyone else who endeavors to work with the tulips and more.

Just curious ... Has Frank retired?

"Some" new home builders raising the bar as well. Over the past year or so some builders in various Texas cities have also been ramping up insurance requirements for us 3rd party inspectors when a home-buyer wants us to provide our inspection/report. Builder won't let us on-site without a signed agreement/statement with copies of various minimal insurance requirements. One builder had these three items: E&O - $2M GL - $4M Auto - $1M They are not all that extreme, but this builder was getting away with it and pretty much stopping inspections by 3rd parties for the buyers.

My fees are between me and my clients (directly). I do NOT share them with any realzoid or anyone else for that matter.