Items not being enforced by the AHJ

[Phillip]

When you inspected a new home and you run across items that are missing and they are in the building standards (code).

You know that the AHJ does not enforce these items and the builder is not going to do them.

Do you put them in your report and your summary sheet? Or do you not say any thing.

I put them in my report and some time in the summary.

What do you do on this?

[John Dirks Jr]

You are doing the right thing. Reporting on these things is exactly what you are getting paid to do. Those other entities have no bearing on your decision to disclose what you find.

[dspec]

I do list them in the full report and summary, with documentation why it needs correction.

If the builder refuses to correct it, I recommened to the customer, they should only accept written documentation from the local building inspector, the state agency that enforces workmanship standards, or on an installation issue from the products manunfactures rep stating that the item did not need correction.

90% of the time it does get corrected.

[kurt]

I'd write it up; that's the job.

It's none of our business what the builder does or doesn't do. Same w/the AHJ.

Don't write it up all cavalier & don't mention the builder or AHJ. We're just professional list makers, not business or governmental regulatory agencies.

Make a list. Give it to your customer. Rinse, and repeat.

[dspec]

Originally posted by kurt

I'd write it up; that's the job.

It's none of our business what the builder does or doesn't do. Same w/the AHJ.

Don't write it up all cavalier & don't mention the builder or AHJ. We're just professional list makers, not business or governmental regulatory agencies

Make a list. Give it to your customer. Rinse, and repeat.

My reasoning for doing it the way I do it.

. I will admit that I've been accused of not being rational at times.

The builders liability is for only one or two years, mine, lifetime or until the customer sells the home..

Not to mention going the extra step on the customers behalf results in a lot of referrals.

[Jim Baird]

Ditto AHI.

The local AHJ may or may not be certified or qualified to inspect, much less to sign off.

A CO is worthless except as an indication that the building was "processed".

In our state recent case law has shown that inspectors for authority can't be held liable for anything they miss, as long as they actually show up on the site.

Case was a total collapse of a detached garage that resulted in injury. Local inspector was found negligent only because he could not testify that he actually went to the property, but did sign off on permit documents.

This example is good evidence of private inspectors' well staked out turf.

[kurt]

The IRC has a section that states a CO doesn't mean the house is code compliant; it only means the AHJ has issued a CO.

IOW, a CO isn't certification of anything other than some bureaucrat issued one.

[Phillip]

Some of the thing that where wrong with this $569,600. 00 house was no weep holes and flashing in the bricks which no one around here does, the hand rails on the interior stairs was missing part of its hand rail and the railing that was there did not end at a post or the wall and two of the bedroom where not on Arc fault breakers.

[Scottpat]

Originally posted by Phillip

Some of the thing that where wrong with this $569,600. 00 house was no weep holes and flashing in the bricks which no one around here does, the hand rails on the interior stairs was missing part of its hand rail and the railing that was there did not end at a post or the wall and two of the bedroom where not on Arc fault breakers.

Yes, you need to report all of these items. Just look at the list of your items that are safety related items! It is not your fault that the AHJ and the builder missed all of these items.

[Phillip]

I put those items in my report and some more Items.

The builder call me today chewing my but. Said I did not know what I was talking about, that I did not know how to write a report, that I did not need to be inspection, that I was wrong on what I wrote up and I was not going to be allowed to inspect anymore of his homes and he was sending me a bill because for his job foremen had to go back up there.

I ask him to write in a letter and show me where I was wrong and then if I was wrong I would say that I was. He said I don't have to sent you a d**m thing.

I am going to post some photos send lets hear what you would say limited to the photo.

Half bathroom fan

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[Phillip]

more photos

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[chicago]

What was wrong with the sprinkler?

[Phillip]

There is a smal amount of water leaking out. does not show up on the photo as it should.

[randynavarro]

These items seem pretty egregious except I can't see really what's in the 3rd and 4th photos.

In the 4th photo, if you're showing a couple of nails that missed the mark, I dont' make a fuss about it unless its consistently bad. A few nails aren't going to compromise anything--the other 98 that did hit the mark will do just fine.

I guess you include sprinklers in your inspections. IMO, that's a big task to do correctly.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by randynavarro

These items seem pretty egregious except I can't see really what's in the 3rd and 4th photos.

In the 4th photo, if you're showing a couple of nails that missed the mark, I dont' make a fuss about it unless its consistently bad. A few nails aren't going to compromise anything--the other 98 that did hit the mark will do just fine. . . .

Look more carefully. He's showing the side of an attic pulldown ladder frame. (See the spring on the left side?) The nail is traversing open air before it's hitting the joist. This is bad, this entire side of the ladder frame could pull loose. Someone could be killed or paralyzed if he falls from this. Phillip is doing this builder a huge favor by pointing this stuff out.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Phillip]

Randy

In the third photo is a takeoff of one of the flex supply line for the AC. It is on top of the insulation of the main duct line which is letting air out under the insulation.

[dspec]

The builder call me today chewing my but. Said I did not know what I was talking about, that I did not know how to write a report, that I did not need to be inspection, that I was wrong on what I wrote up and I was not going to be allowed to inspect anymore of his homes and he was sending me a bill because for his job foremen had to go back up there

Phillip.. I would not worry about it.

A year ago I had a customer service rep tell a customer not to hire me because I didn't know what I was doing, since I am one of few inspectors that walk on tile roofs, he also told her I had to breaking roof tiles as the other inspectors hardly ever listed broken tiles, roof installation defects etc.

The customer hired me due to that statement, since then I've done over a 100 other ones in that subdivision, the majority of them due to referrals from that customer, who just happened to be in charge of the home owners web site/ chat board.

A couple weeks ago I had a call for a resale inspection from an office employee of the same builder, I ask how she heard about me.

Martin ......... our service rep refered you..

The same customer service rep that told his customer I didn't know what I was doing..

[randynavarro]

Look more carefully. He's showing the side of an attic pulldown ladder frame. (See the spring on the left side?)

Ahh-so. Thank you. Yes, nails into meat would be important here!!