John Dirks Jr Posted April 10, 2008 Report Posted April 10, 2008 I got my first flat roof coming up on Friday. Old town home probably 50+ years old. I hope I can get up there. Maybe it will have a basement with only two stories above ground. Maybe a second floor balcony or escape I can put my ladder on. My ladder only goes 17 feet. I looked for a listing on the place but cant find anything.
hausdok Posted April 10, 2008 Report Posted April 10, 2008 Drive by it tomorrow and see if you'll be able to get to the roof. If not, contact the client and give the client the option of paying extra to have a very long ladder dropped off and picked up by Hertz rent-a-tool so that you can get up there and look it over. I've done it a couple of times. Client agrees to it, I have Hertz drop it off just before the inspection and I add the rental cost into the contract. I do the roof first, call them up from the site, and they send the guy back out with the truck to pick it up before the inspection is even over with. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike
kurt Posted April 10, 2008 Report Posted April 10, 2008 The biggest ladder any single guy can handle is about 32'. I've manhandled a 36'er, but it just about killed me. I've never been able to set a 40' ladder without help. Don't try. IOW, if you're getting a 40 footer, get help.
hausdok Posted April 10, 2008 Report Posted April 10, 2008 Heh, heh, Both times I did that, I put the client and realtor to help setting those ladders []. They b heavy bro! OT - OF!!! M.
Bill Kibbel Posted April 10, 2008 Report Posted April 10, 2008 When I used to accept Philly inspections, a 32' was necessary for almost everything. Sometimes I had to set it on my bumper. Once on the roof of a van.
Jim Katen Posted April 10, 2008 Report Posted April 10, 2008 Originally posted by AHI I got my first flat roof coming up on Friday. Old town home probably 50+ years old. I hope I can get up there. Maybe it will have a basement with only two stories above ground. Maybe a second floor balcony or escape I can put my ladder on. My ladder only goes 17 feet. I looked for a listing on the place but cant find anything. When I hear about a mid century home with a flat roof, I think of Eichler -- long & low. - Jim Katen, Oregon
hausdok Posted April 10, 2008 Report Posted April 10, 2008 Love Eichlers, I've done 4 or 5 Eichler style houses over the years. I don't know whether they were actually designed by him or merely inspired by his work, but they were kind of kewl. I have to admit though, pretty much devoid of decent storage space. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike
John Dirks Jr Posted April 11, 2008 Author Report Posted April 11, 2008 Long and low huh? Hopefully. Heres the block but I'm not sure exactly which one it is. Image Insert: 126.3 KB
Brandon Whitmore Posted April 11, 2008 Report Posted April 11, 2008 Just have whoever took that picture drop you down on that roof. []
Bill Kibbel Posted April 11, 2008 Report Posted April 11, 2008 Originally posted by AHI Long and low huh? Hopefully. Heres the block but I'm not sure exactly which one it is. Image Insert: 126.3 KB Typical mid-Atlantic row home.
John Dirks Jr Posted April 11, 2008 Author Report Posted April 11, 2008 I'll be on top of it in after all. I just got home from Lowes. They were kind enough to give a tax receipt for $327.52 for my expense drawer. Now I need a better roof rack. This stock rack will get me up the secondary roads at 55mph or so. I don't want to test it at interstate highway speeds though. Where can I get a suitable apparatus to safely carry this 32 footer on my little heepster? Image Insert: 866.7 KB
Bill Kibbel Posted April 11, 2008 Report Posted April 11, 2008 Now you'll look like a real inspector when you pull up. I got a pair of Thule racks for the new mini-inspectormobile. They are excellent at handling anything I strap on. Don't forget to always strap it down to the gutter - even when it doesn't seem windy. I've got a couple stories about getting off a roof, after my ladder bailed on me.
randynavarro Posted April 11, 2008 Report Posted April 11, 2008 I got my ladder rack from J.C. Whitney. I had to disassemble the entire ceiling panel in my van, though, to get sufficient bolts through. That's probably what you'll have to do. Twasn't quick nor easy. BTW, I strongly suggest getting a pair of feet levelers. Those suckers ain't cheap, either.
Jim Morrison Posted April 12, 2008 Report Posted April 12, 2008 I'm an unrepentant ladder-monkey (20 years, brought a 40 footer to every inspection and never fell) and generally stay out of these discussions, but the very best investment I ever made in my family's well-being is a ladder stabilizer. Forget about bungy-ing ladders to gutters. Buy yourself a brace (change back from a $50 -including shipping) with neoprene tips and install it. Above all: never risk your health on a home inspection.
John Dirks Jr Posted April 12, 2008 Author Report Posted April 12, 2008 Shoddy renovation. Needless to say, I have a long report to write. I'll probably have a few questions in a few categories. Stay tuned, coming to a technical forum on TIJ near you......
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now