How I Removed all of my Boilerplate Disclaimer and Made My Reports Better and Lowered my Liability

The Long Journey I have been an inspector long enough, that my first home inspection reports were written on those carbonless-copy hand-written forms. My career does not pre-date computers, but it does mark the advent of digital cameras, and the features we find common today in report writing software systems were not even fathomable when I got started. About a year ago, I showed up at the house of a repeat client in order to do a pre-listing inspection and...

3021

Blockers!

What is the Deal with Houses Built From Concrete Blocks? Identification Concrete Masonry Block [CMU] Construction is easily identified as the perimeter walls are built from concrete blocks. Sometimes when the exterior is covered by siding and the interior is covered by wallboard, you cannot see the blocks. In these cases try looking at the jamb extensions of the windows and doors. A masonry block house will have thick jamb extensions at windows and doors as they need to cover...

1239

Length Does Not Matter

Quality Matters Discussions among home inspectors frequently circle back to the “correct” length of a home inspection report. Obviously, there is no right or wrong answer here and the sheer number of observations in a report is likely to reflect the size, age, and condition of the house being inspected as well as the style and detail of the home inspector. The risk for inspectors is writing too little and leaving the appearance of a thin and useless service. Or, write...

1166

The Practice Inspection Blog #1

Getting off the Ground is a Challange Newer home inspectors face many challenges to starting their home inspection business and likely one of the biggest is learning to write quality inspection reports. Choosing a report writing software that suits your style and communication objectives is paramount, but it is difficult as there are many systems and most leave something to be desired and none of them write the report for you. You have to learn how to write quality reports...

938

Fiber Cement Siding: Common Installation Defects Found

Click here for a free download of Hardie diagrams that can be used in home inspection reports In the Pacific Northwest, fiber cement siding has been an excellent replacement and upgrade over many of the 1990’s era siding products which proved to be little more than disposable siding systems. Fiber cement is arguably better and more reliable than many of our traditional siding materials in this climate. Stocks of old growth lumber are long gone and other traditional siding materials...