voight

I bought a new Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab HEMI 4x4. It weighs over 6000lbs and you can deduct the cost of the vehicle on your taxes. I must be used for at least 50% of your business and have a gross weight of 6000lbs or more. My pickup gets used 95% of the time for business. Therefore, I get to deduct 95% of the cost on my taxes this year. You can also deduct maintenance, gas and insurance. The rams in my area are selling for about 8100 to 9000 below the MSRP. It is a gas hog, but the tax incentive takes care of that. Also has a 7/70 warranty. I have used the 4x4 mechanism 4 times this year after getting stuck in the mud on framing inspections with long mud/dirt driveways. Dave Voight Honest Home Inspections

I know your suppose to use green board or a cement backer board next to showers. Does anyone know of an IRC or IPC code for this? Thanks, Dave Voight

I am seeing quite a few 50 amp breakers with #6 aluminum wire connected to the breakers. I know this is not acceptable using current electrical standards. I would like some opinions on how you guys deal with this on older homes. Dave Voight Honest Home Inspections

Thanks Mike Dave Voight

Are weep screeds for stucco only required/suggested at the bottom of the stucco next to foundation walls. How about at the bottom of stucco at cantilevered walls? Dave Voight Honest Home Inspections

The attached photo shows a nipple at the top of a water heater. It appears to be aluminum. It did not appear to be galvanized. I know you have to have a brass diverter fitting or a dielectric fitting between copper and galvanized pipe. What about aluminum and copper? Does this appear to be an aluminum nipple? Dave Voight Honest Home Inspections Download Attachment: IM001870.JPG 48.21 KB

Yesterday I inspected a new home that had a 320 amp meter that was feeding 2 separate 200 amp panels. Does this meter need to be 400 amps and if yes, does anyone know the code number for a reference? This builder requires codes numbers to be listed for every defect found. Dave Voight Honest Home Inspections

Thanks for the feedback Douglas. Dave Voight

Is it required that the grounding electrode clamp to the ground rod remain accessible unless encased or buried under concrete? I read the exception in the NEC and am confussed by the wording. Doug are you out there? Dave Voight Acworth GA

Thanks for the feedback. Dave Voight

I have 2 issues to discuss. 1. I frequently see what appears to be light weight stone veneer that does not have lintels over windows and doors. It is applied to the wall with the same technique as stucco with a wire lath. I know IRC 2000 calls for a steel lintel to support the stone veneer over window and door openings. I would like some opinions on this issue. 2. I also know that masonry veneer should be supported by triple rafters and a steel angle when supported by a wood framed roof. What if the chimney is next to the gable end of the home and one side (stone veneer siding) is supported by a gable end roof truss? Does the gable end truss need to be doubled or tripled. Any feedback would be greately appreciated. Dave Voight Acworth GA

Forgive my spelling errors. Dave Voight

I inspected a home today that had vinyl siding on 3 sides of the home. The vinyl siding on the south side was caulky. You could run your hand across it and a caulky substance was left on your hand. The house is 7 years old. What causes this condition and what information should I provide to my client. Will the siding rapidly deteriorate when it gets in this condition? Dave Voight Acworth GA

This will sound stupid, but it works. I read the book HMTL for Dummies. It tells you all you need to know to develop a website from scratch. I read the book and had my website up and running 2 days later. http://www.honesthomeinspection.com I had a website with Ainspect with a slightly different name and did not want to hassle with transfering the domain name ownership to me. I am CABO certified, which is required in my area for most new homes. Type "cabo certified home inspector" in Google and see whos website comes to the top for free. I haven't checked it lately, but my site used to come to the top or near it. I only submit my website to Google, the top dog for search engines. I love being able the change my website on the go for free. It does not have a lot of bells and whistles, but its doing the job. Dave Voight

I received my documents and bill for the ASHI branding today. After reading through it, it appeared to me that the fee for the ASHI experience is option. No where did it say that it was required. Has anyone else read this document and came up with the same conclusion? Dave Voight

I had Ainspect develop a website for me last year. The site looked great, however, I did not receive one inspection from this website during the 9 months that it was up. I developed my own website and receive 2 to 8 inspections a months from it and it only costs me $12 a month. Just food for though if your thinking of having someone else develop a website for you. I wanted keywords in the metatag line and Ainspect refused to do it. They told me that it has no affect on the search engines. They were wrong. This message would not be allowed on the ASHI website. Too bad. Dave Voight

I just received my bill for the ASHI branding. I read the document and no where did it say that this was required. It appeared to be optional. What does everyone else think who has received the document? I am against ASHI Branding. I just dumped my franchisor for too many expenses and now ASHI is up to the same thing. [:-boggled]