1st Mock Inspection Sample Report

[Brandon Whitmore]

I wonder if there is a way to set up some kind of anonymous posting method. Maybe more people are willing to let their work be judged if they didn't think they were sticking their neck out. We could all learn by more people showing what they do.

There is. I just don't want to be the one to recommend it. Of course, it would show up as being your first post []

Do you think that people would know it was yours even if it didn't have your name on it?

Everyone has their own writing style. If anyone that's been posting on here for years posted an anonymous report, we'd probably figure out who it belongs to.

[Richard Saunders]

No offense meant

WJ

Walter, no offense meant, but you are a condescending, patronizing xxxxxxx who hides behind comments like "no offense meant" and "in my humble opinion". You are neither humble or meaning no offense. How about this phrase, "Those who can, do, those who can't, write.".

How about you post one of your (past) reports (if there are any) on this website? I'm sure we will all get a kick out of it. Maybe one of your checklists?

It seems you have nothing better to do than try to collect some sort of cult following on this forum. Have you sold anything literary in forever? I have to say, it is working pretty well, there are acolytes or sycophants here that hang on every word and try to imitate your housey bull$hit jargon. I used to respect you, you used to have relevalant things to say, now all you seem to do is run down people in this business that are trying to make ends meet and feed the family. The best you can do is pick apart grammar.

Oh, but don't worry Walter, no offense meant.

In my HUMBLE opinion, this forum would be much better without your "input".

By the way, have you ever read your one and only review on www.Amazon.com ? (Wasn't me)..

http://www.amazon.com/Interior-Exterior ... Descending

[hausdok]

I wonder if there is a way to set up some kind of anonymous posting method. Maybe more people are willing to let their work be judged if they didn't think they were sticking their neck out. We could all learn by more people showing what they do.

I'm sure there is an up and down side to this idea.

Just send them to me via email with all of the identifying stuff redacted and I'll post it for critique. Tell me what name you want me to post for "submitted by."

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Jim Katen]

Walter, no offense meant, but you are a condescending, patronizing xxxxxxx who hides behind comments like "no offense meant" and "in my humble opinion". You are neither humble or meaning no offense. How about this phrase, "Those who can, do, those who can't, write.".

How about you post one of your (past) reports (if there are any) on this website? I'm sure we will all get a kick out of it. Maybe one of your checklists?

It seems you have nothing better to do than try to collect some sort of cult following on this forum. Have you sold anything literary in forever? I have to say, it is working pretty well, there are acolytes or sycophants here that hang on every word and try to imitate your housey bull$hit jargon. I used to respect you, you used to have relevalant things to say, now all you seem to do is run down people in this business that are trying to make ends meet and feed the family. The best you can do is pick apart grammar.

Oh, but don't worry Walter, no offense meant.

In my HUMBLE opinion, this forum would be much better without your "input".

By the way, have you ever read your one and only review on www.Amazon.com ? (Wasn't me)..

http://www.amazon.com/Interior-Exterior ... Descending

Somebody got up on the grumpy side of the bed this morning . . .

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[ghentjr]

I noticed the attic access was with a pull down ceiling ladder in the garage.

What were they doing?

[Les]

John,

I think the access and the ladder were doing "things" in the garage. Men our age can only dream about being with a ladder and access in a garage!

[Tom Raymond]

How then will you ever convert us all to the comic book format?

Stan Lee,

Marvel Inspections

[tnpappas]

I want to reiterate my thanks to everyone who offered their commentary about my report. This thread seemed to drift just a bit about who said what, and what should or should not be said.

When I put this report out there for all to review, I knew what I was getting into. I would rather put out my first mock inspection report to be picked apart by more knowing eyes, than wait until I felt safe only to then find out about all the mistakes I had been making.

Of course everybody loves to here platitudes and atta boys when they put their neck on the line, but putting whip cream on a crap sundae does not mean that you are not serving up crap. I came here to learn, and I that is what I did by posting this report.

If some criticism is more harsh than others then so be it. I do not believe that when I start inspecting for a fee that there will be any clients, agents, or contractors who will hold their tongue just because I am the "new guy."

My skin is thick and my desire to learn is fierce so let the reviews continue. I think this was a perfect section to post the report so that all could review and comment. A section may need to be added to accommodate some of the verbal sparring matches that tend to develop though.[]

[Les]

Troy,

you are beginning to think like an inspector! and you are a gentleman.

[kurt]

Acolyte or sycophant doesn't accurately describe me, but I'm definitely an admirer.

I know Walter. I love Walter. He has spent vacations at a home I owned in Michigan; he is gracious, mannerly, and thoughtful.

He has faults, but vindictiveness isn't one of them. If you were ever in a face to face with the guy, you aren't just aware of his presence; you can feel it. He may be one of the most acutely aware observers of society I've ever met.

That said, he was a harsh on the guy, but the guy seems to be a gentleman and taken the advice for what it is. Accurate. Harsh, but accurate.

I've had at least a half dozen folks/clients move from Nashville to Chicago, and when I find out where they're from, I ask if they know Walter. They all "know" Walter. They all love Walter's column. There's a reason he had a decade run @ one of the coolest alt-weeklies in the country; he's good. I've read a few stinkers, but that's the price of being a columnist with a deadline; overall, they're brilliant.

After that, I thought about deleting the post (I moderate this thread). I looked over all the rest of your posts, and think that overall, you provide useful intelligent information, and this is an aberration. I'm not going to delete because if Walter dishes, he should receive.

I thought Bain's take was more in line with useful criticism. If you want to slam, maybe take a cue from Bain.

So, ease up on the vindictive diatribe. The gentleman he harshed out seems OK with it, and that's all that matters here. Not too much interested in threads turning into slamfests.

[kurt]

How then will you ever convert us all to the comic book format?

Stan Lee,

Marvel Inspections

I'm not much of an evangelizer, especially to HI's. The average HI response to anything new is kneejerk dismissal. I don't exclude myself from the average.

Point......it't not just comic book format. That's just one presentation method. It's an entire report and business system built around the management and presentation of graphics and digital images, coupled with narrative and commentary.

I show it to people, and they get it or they don't. No tent gatherings prosletyzing the format.

I'm gonna wing one out to Fabry pretty soon; if he says it's OK, I'll start showing it around.

Come to InspectionWorld 2010 in Vegas. I'll show it to you. You'll probably get it. So far, everyone that sees it just gets this big grin on their face, and they want it. When enough folks want it, it'll get distributed in a tightly controlled manner to those capable of using it effectively.

[Scottpat]

Dang, y'all keep on using words I have to look up!

iconoclast, acolyte, sycophant..... I have increased my vocabulary but to save my life I just cant see me using those words in a sentence.

[Phillip]

Dang, y'all keep on using words I have to look up!

iconoclast, acolyte, sycophant..... I have increased my vocabulary but to save my life I just cant see me using those words in a sentence.

Scott,

You just used them in a sentence. Now I am looking them up.

[Phillip]

I have posted an report in the past and I was glad to take my lumps. It helped me on some of the way I write up some items.

And as for as WJ, I want him to hang around and put in his thoughts.

[Phillip]

Main Entry:

ac·o·lyte

Pronunciation:

\#712;a-k#601;-#716;lît, -kô-\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, acolit, from Medieval Latin acoluthus, from Middle Greek akolouthos, from Greek, adjective, following, from a-, ha- together (akin to Greek homos same) + keleuthos path

Date:

14th century

1 : one who assists a member of the clergy in a liturgical service by performing minor duties 2 : one who attends or assists : FOLLOWER

Main Entry:

sy·co·phant

Pronunciation:

\-f#601;nt also -#716;fant\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Latin sycophanta slanderer, swindler, from Greek sykophantçs slanderer, from sykon fig + phainein to show — more at FANCY

Date:

1575

: a servile self-seeking flatterer

synonyms see PARASITE

Main Entry:

icon·o·clast

Pronunciation:

\-#716;klast\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Medieval Latin iconoclastes, from Middle Greek eikonoklastçs, literally, image destroyer, from Greek eikono- + klan to break — more at CLAST

Date:

1641

1 : a person who destroys religious images or opposes their veneration 2 : a person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions

— icon·o·clas·tic \(#716;)î-#716;kä-n#601;-#712;klas-tik\ adjective

— icon·o·clas·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(#601;-)lç\ adverb

[kurt]

Look at it as continuing education and an exercise program rolled into one.......

[Chris Bernhardt]

iconoclast, acolyte, sycophant..... I have increased my vocabulary but to save my life I just cant see me using those words in a sentence.

Me too. Note to self, carry dictionary when visiting Kurt Mitenbuler.

Chris, Oregon

[Richard Saunders]

OK, it was over the top. But WJ does piss me off starting every post with "in my humble opinion" then spouting an opinion that is anything but humble. And "I mean no offense" and trying his best to offend. Reminds me of the agents who start off every conversation with " I'm the most honest agent you will meet".

Puts me on my guard as much as "I am a devout christian". Nothing against Jesus, but I do have a problem with His fans.

I have seen WJ rip apart a poster for a simple typo.

Delete it if you want Kurt, it was written in the heat of the moment. At least it was vocabularically enlightening for a few.

[John Dirks Jr]

Messages are intended and they are perceived. My experience is, when there's disconnect, it's more often in perception.

We're all human. No big deal. It blows over.

[Erby]

You just gotta admire someone who can write intelligently AND Humorously about fake testicles for dogs! You just gotta!

Kinda like you gotta admire a newbie who is smart enough to put his report out there for us to pick apart. You know it's a good idea.

You also know that a bunch who won't do it are quietly revising their reporting based on the comments in this thread.

[kurt]

You also know that a bunch who won't do it are quitely revising their reporting based on the comments in this thread.

Mmmmm, hmmmmmm..........

It's testimony to rational thought that folks can talk about this stuff, and not have it turn into an internet flamefest.

So, I appreciate it.

I'd much rather have this sort of minor dust up with Walter than to have a boring and uninteresting forum without Walter.

It could just be the years taking their toll.......kind of like the other day when I laid into the new guy about his goofy opinions about HI work. After a couple decades, you just get a little tired, and take a little of the polish off, and you wing stuff out that's completely honest, not intended to belittle, unadorned with apologies, and it's a high fastball humming chin music. It happens.

[Brad Manor]

I think reading this thread top to bottom is a terrific example of why I hang out here: a new guy hangs it out there and asks the crowd to give him all they got. They do, and in some cases bluntly. He thanks them and is a better inspector for it.

We don't come here to get our egos stroked (there are other forums for that) we come here to become better inspectors. If one of the guys here corrects me in an area that they are strong in (WJ with writing, Kurt with masonry, Jim K with electrical, Fabry with sheep...) I hope they do in a way that I don't forget -that way I won't make the same mistake in the field, where it counts.

-Brad

[Phillip]

I think reading this thread top to bottom is a terrific example of why I hang out here: a new guy hangs it out there and asks the crowd to give him all they got. They do, and in some cases bluntly. He thanks them and is a better inspector for it.

We don't come here to get our egos stroked (there are other forums for that) we come here to become better inspectors. If one of the guys here corrects me in an area that they are strong in (WJ with writing, Kurt with masonry, Jim K with electrical, Fabry with sheep...) I hope they do in a way that I don't forget -that way I won't make the same mistake in the field, where it counts.

-Brad

Brad,

Well said and I agree

[Jim Morrison]

WJ,

I think the only thing being requested of you is to try a little more helpfulness, a little less smarminess. Everyone here already knows you're a smart guy, and a very good writer.

When one is correct while acting like an ass, people tend to focus more on the one than the other.

Let's just keep it gentlemanly, huh?

JM

[SonOfSwamp]

WJ,

I think the only thing being requested of you is to try a little more helpfulness, a little less smarminess. Everyone here already knows you're a smart guy, and a very good writer.

When one is correct while acting like an ass, people tend to focus more on the one than the other.

Let's just keep it gentlemanly, huh?

JM

Sure. I'd strongly support your leading the way with helpfulness, gentle words for a gentle readership. Everybody likes gentle.

Ironically, you're accusing me -- in a sort of backhanded passive-agressive ad-hominem and ungentlemanly kind of way -- of the polar opposite of smarminess. Smarmy is the Eddie Haskell thing. (Gee, your frock is most becoming, Mrs. Cleaver.)

In the context of an HI web board, I'm curmugdeonly, a crosspatch. Since I was about 12, I've followed a creed of eliminating the screwups first, then shining up the things that need polishing. In my bandleader role, my rule was, "First, we take out all the parts that suck."

It's not that I'm aiming to be right all the time. (Well, actually, I am aiming for that. Who isn't?) Anyhow, being right or wrong takes care of itself. When I'm right, I'm right. Clearly, I'm not right for this room.

Please have one of the non-smarmy brethren (they know who they are) let me know when the HI community is perfect, and comprises only sweet and gentle folk who tread gently on the good earth.

WJ