Inspection Order

[Stephen Stanczyk]

Interesting comments by all so far.  I usually like to start on the outside BUT, with the weather we get in Washington, I make minor adjustments.  If it's raining when I get there, I start on the inside and HOPE it stops sometime during the inspection. If it has been raining a lot, I have to make sure I have additional shoes to go inside.

I like the kitchen followed by the baths.  With our requirement for a Pest Inspection and the majority of the homes having crawl spaces, I like to make sure I get enough water in the system to find any leaks. (conducive condition).  Everytime I pass a bathroom, I flush.  Minimum of 5 times for toilets on floor above crawl space.  All sinks get to run for at least 5 minutes.

Rest of interior followed by heating, electrical, garage.  Last is either the roof or the crawl space. UGH.  I like to do those last so I can gear up when necessary.

I'm a note and picture taker and report back at the house.  Emailed that evening.

[National Association of Commercial Building Inspec]

Steve

It puts cold chills down my spine thinking about doing an inspection during the rainy weather you have up there in that part of the country, it has to almost make a guy wish he was in a different business---

We are VERY lucky here, no rain, and no crawlspaces, or should I say I have not come across any crawlspaces in the last year or so, every now and then I'll run into a home built in the 50's which has one and I surely do not enjoy getting into them....scorpions, rattle snakes, etc, etc, things that make you say Ouch---:))

[Jay Markanich]

I have never seen a scorpion, but I have rattle snakes and they don't just make you say ouch...!!

[Dominic Maricic]

Yes Dale, but how much fun are your attic inspections when it's 110 outside during the summer.

[National Association of Commercial Building Inspec]

Yes Dale, but how much fun are your attic inspections when it's 110 outside during the summer.

The trick is to do them FAST Dom----:)))

[Dominic Maricic]

You have to do them fast or you'd be cooked!

[Bob Elliott]

I start in the kitchen , since that is my base of operations.(contract,tool bench , etc

Roof is done when I need the break, but not to start as I like to chat as I go at the beginning, and explain things about the appliances to warm up.

[Jay Markanich]

C'mon Bob - it's contract, tool bench, check buffet items in the fridge and whip one up, etc., THEN the roof.  Sheesh...

[John Adrian Sopher]

Do I smell food? 

[mike mccrea]

HI DOM
Im in contention for top spot on google and was wondering/ his content has 23 whatever content/ and mine has 13 / does content make contention/ do i need to add stuff/ whats going on
mike

[Robert Jones]

I usually arrive a good 20-30 minutes before the client, do a quick walk around, then get the ladder out and walk the roof(when feasible).  I always like it when I have to come down off the ladder to meet my clients.  Anyways, roof, exterior, kitchen, interior to include bathrooms, garage, attic and finally the crawl space. Of course no inspection is the same and eventually I get pulled one way or the other by a question.  I am a big picture taker with minimal paper notes.  Report done at home and e-mailed same day.

Rob

[Jay Markanich]

Given the new proposals for WA SOP I read about, you will be taking a lot of pictures of "potential" causes of mold and mold...

[Stephen Stanczyk]

Nope nope nope.  There is currently nothing in the "proposed" Washington SOP regarding mold.  The newly proposed law would add in mold language but that law will be soundly defeated as both the Pro-license and Con-license people don't want it.  The senator that introduced the language did not understand the ramifications.  She is getting an earful from what I understand.

[Jay Markanich]

THAT is good to hear!  What you said on Steven's blog was very prescient.  Boy, what a problem that would have created!  And expensive!  (I just added "new proposals" to my previous post.  Hope that improves it.  I got the hints about the the mold inclusions from reading Steven, yours and Robert's comments.)

Hey, Stephen, go to bed man!

[Anthony J. McCloskey]

Theres a great book I used, it's called "Principals of Home Inspection - System and Standards". It's about 880 pages of anything you need to know about home inspections. The first chapter breaks down the home inspection, this is the example they gave:

Set Goals
 - Know how long you plan to be at the inspection site. (avg. 2.5 hours)
 - Know the size, location and other conditions of the house and adjust your total time accordingly.
 - Set phases of the inspection to keep track of where you are at.
  o Introductory discussion – 10 minutes
  o Roof and exterior – 30 minutes
  o Mechanical, electrical, basement (if applicable), and structure – 30 minutes
  o Interior (the house living spaces) – 30 minutes
  o The attic and / or crawl space – 15 minutes
  o Recording the inspection results – 20 minutes
  o Closing Discussion – 15 minutes
  o Total – 150 minutes

Try to only schedule three inspections a day based on distance to be traveled between jobs, one at nine, twelve and three o’clock.

Map out a routine and stick as close to it as possible.
 -Introductory discussion
 -Exterior inspection
 -Roof
 -Heating plant
 -Electrical panel
 -Water service entry and water heater
 -Structure
 -Interior rooms
 -Attic
 -Crawl space
 -Closing discussion

[John Adrian Sopher]

Hey Anthony that's the book I learned from and reference whenever talking here and to my clients.  Good book!

[Anthony J. McCloskey]

Absolutly, very good reference for anyone.

[John Adrian Sopher]

I have found though, that I can't do 3 inspections in one day.  At my current pace, I can only do one a day.  I spend approx. 6 hours for each inspection.  Some of that time is from trying to develop a  new template.  I spend about 3 hours at the house, and 3 hours on the report.  I use a printed report for my inspection checklist from another template so this also adds to the report time.  When those run out, I will print one from this template and I hope everything will flow smoother and faster when entering the data.

Ultimately I want to get a tablet PC and generate the report while I'm inspecting.  But I need to get more that 4 or 5 inspections a month before I spend that kind of money.

[mike mccrea]

John Adrien
You can get good deals on tablets on ebay for around a hundred bucks.
try( Fujutsu tablet stylistic Lt )some come with docking stations but mostly all have chargers
good Luck
Mike

[mike mccrea]

John
\Fujitsu\ sorry
Mike