Richard Saunders

Wow, no shit, it's not just the housing market???

Nice! You need a 20 year old assistant.

Whats with the bottom two where the conductors are completely gone, only the ends visible? Nice picture, BTW.

Radio antenna insulator (what's it doing in the basement?) Considering the clues, I'd say it's an old mast light.

According to Jim, he was asked to look at the job by a contractor he occasionally works with. He was asked to look at the only two issues that the home inspector had noted - no flexible metallic conduit on the water cable conductors and no heater in one of the bedroom. He took it upon himself to at least look in the panel before adding a heater; that's when he found what you see in the photos below. Besides the electrical stuff, there isn't any discharge tube on the T & P valve and there isn't any seismic restraint on the tank. Don't know if the "inspector" noticed these issues or not. When stuff like this, which a supposedly competent and licensed home inspector had already inspected, gets discovered by a real pro it's embarrassing as hell; and, as someone who's busted his tail for 15 years to try and raise the bar in this state, it's pretty discouraging. [:-banghea I hope Jim can find out who this yahoo was, 'cuz if he does the inspector is going to get a call from Department of Licensing. Grrrr, days that start like this make me crazy. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Click to Enlarge 34.54 KB Click to Enlarge 59.26 KB Click to Enlarge 56.49 KB Click to Enlarge 43.63 KB Click to Enlarge 33.52 KB So, apparently you have read the inspection report and noted that these items are not on it. What did the inspector have to say?

Brian G is a Good Man we all know and miss He kept the electricians on their toes He taught us all how neutrals and grounds don't mix Kept us up on all of sparky's ridiculous tricks BUT was mainly a sane voice in this devient mix of home inspectors and self appointed GODS (sorry, I couldn't make that rhyme). In the memory of Brian, But for the grace of God we all go that way, let's put some HUMOR back in this forum!! All of you, Don't take things so damnded seriously! As somebody said, It's just a job! Good luck Brian! I respect you alot! (Brian, read quickly, this is likely to get deleted! This is not the same forum you used to be on!)

"I would expect them to fulfil their mission which does not limit them to issuing recalls but does charge them with "protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products."" That's like expecting the AHJ to find code violations. Turns out it's our job to let the client know about these things. If everybody did what they were supposed to do, we would be sitting home.

The only reason current seeks a ground is because the power companies chose to do it that way. Current seeks it's source. If transformers weren't using the earth as a conductor, you wouldn't be having this discussion.

What kind of vendor?

C'mon Jim, The exterior metal housings of these appliances are bonded to the grounding conductor. If they are ungrounded and there is a ground fault, the housing of the appliance is now hot. The metal housing of any appliance or tool that has a 3-prong plug is involved in the proper grounding of that tool or appliance and should be plugged into a grounded receptacle.

Price shoppers never need to call when you when you list prices on the web. Sales 101 You might me missing some biz. EXACTLY! Now you're getting it!

Well Bill, I guess you're having a bad day since you are one of about a dozen on this site that uses their real name.

I don't like any web based service that won't tell you the fees on the website. Including inspectors.

Good to see you don't have anything important to worry about.

FYI, Kurt, your camera is way out of focus. Check your crown molding.

Bill, you of all people should know that a pseudonym, historically speaking, is not an anonymous response. Especially from somebody so revered.

So I take it you don't agree with my business philosophy?

Which post? About what I'd expect from somebody who uses penguins in their avatar.[:-monkeyd

What have you got for me, Rich? I live in a city of 23K, near Syracuse, With competition from close to 100 licenced guys. You raise your prices way above the "competition" and you eliminate the competition. You may not believe that but it works. Be the "most expensive home inspector in town" and advertise it. If you are doing OK, don't bother. If you are on the way out or considering hanging duct, try it, what have you got to lose? I guarantee that most of the "brothers" on this board are charging way more than the others in their area. Most home inspectors complain that we don't get enough for our work. Whose fault is that? The competition? I don't think so. You know what, I don't complain about that and I am very busy. I make good money and am proud of it and earn it. Anybody in this business should do the same. Not to say that was the issue with Phillip, I don't know him but I do know alot of home inspectors that are struggling needlessly/

Uhoh, Kurt's mad at me now! Sorry, sorry, sorry!! God help you you dis a brother! It really wasn't meant as a personal attack on Phillip. I guess my point is, are all of the home inspectors in his area out of business? I doubt it. Could he do things to increase his revenue? Probably. My guess (and this is a total guess) is he could have increased his revenue and stayed in business by raising his prices. That was the reason for stating that if he could make more hanging duct he never should have been as home inspector. Has anyone out here seen a drop in revenue when they raised prices? I'm telling you, when times are tough, raise your prices, it works every time. You don't. you go the way of Phillip.

If you can make more "hanging duct work" than doing home inspections, you shouldn't have been in this bis in the first place.

I wouldn't buy it no matter where it's made.

I guess it would depend on what code they are using. This is from the IRC: P2801.5 Required pan. Where water heaters or hot water storage tanks are installed in locations where leakage of the tanks or connections will cause damage, the tank or water heater shall be installed in a galvanized steel pan having a minimum thickness of 24 gage (0.016 inch) (0.4 mm) or other pans for such use. Listed pans shall comply with CSA LC3. P2801.5.1 Pan size and drain. The pan shall be not less than 1.5 inches (38 mm) deep and shall be of sufficient size and shape to receive all dripping and condensate from the tank or water heater. The pan shall be drained by an indirect waste pipe having a minimum diameter of 3/4 inch (19 mm) or the outlet diameter of the relief valve, whichever is larger. P2801.5.2 Pan drain termination. The pan drain shall extend full-size and terminate over a suitably located indirect waste receptor or shall extend to the exterior of the building and terminate not less than 6 inches (152 mm) and not more than 24 inches (610mm)above the adjacent ground surface.

Or leave it as-is. They look like 2x4 rafters and will sag or break in the middle long before there is a problem at the ridge. Like Brandon alluded to, 90% of the bearing is on the lower 1/2 of those rafters.

Steel to copper and lack of a drip pan is what I'd write up,unless it was in a garage.