An agent contacted me this morning asking me to inspect a foundation for a double wide mobile home and saying that the lender needed a certificate for the foundation. I have no problem in inspecting the foundation I’ve done alot of work in this area and know what to look for. However I am not familiar with producing a certificate is this just a form that the lender needs signing off on or something I ahve to produce. Does anyone know.
Thanks
James
Talk to the lender, since you have to produce a product they are happy with. Then talk with the client(who’s paying), agents just seem to play middle person and details can be left out.
What I’ve learned from FHA initiated foundation inspections. These inspections are usually called by appraisers(“I saw a small crack”), and then lenders have to make some type of diligence to get an expert to look at it. The definition of an ‘expert’ is usually a Structural Engineer, but I’ve had lenders say they will accept letters from companies that have specialized in construction/repairs of foundations for > 5 years. Either case as a HI, it seemed I was called since I was cheap, not specialized (so I would miss items) and become the scape goat for any later actions.
IMHO!!!
tom
Ok Tom thanks so if I understand you right If I do this I should jsut do the report and defer and details I feel are major so as to not become the scape goat.
Ask the Realtor is the lender is needing an engineer’s stamped report. This is what is required in my area. I tried several times to get this business because if you ever see one of these reports there is not much to it, but have always been turned down because I was not an engineer.
I understand what ya mean that is what I was thinking this agent was looking for at first because of the word certified, and I am not an engineer either… Thanks for the Info Tom you have been very helpfull.
By the way Tom how much is too much to charge for one of these inspections. 275.00
You can’t complete the inspection. It will absolutely need a Structural Engineering stamp. If you’re a listed roster inspector, you can perform FHA Completion Compliance inspections. Further FHA qualifications will allow you to perform additional inspections, but not sign off on a raised foundation system for a manufactured home:
Refer to your local HUD/FHA office for additional information. Here’s a sample of the completion compliance form I use for HUD/FHA:
http://portal.hud.gov/fha/sf/partners/92051.pdf
Look at paragraph (b) of this article. You’ll see that city building department certificate of occupancy isn’t accepted for condominiums and or manufactured housing:
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/ref/sfhp1-8b.cfm
Good Luck!
An FHA foundation inspection? I don’t do them right now.
tom
James,
check out this link, www.hayman-res.com they are an engineering group and you do the onsite inspection and photos 5-10 mins on site up load a one page fillin the blanks report and send pics. $100.00 and they pay on time. and there is an extra $50.00 if you set up the inspection
check it out and give Tiffany a call.
They are for real and they pay on time. Good company.