Hi everyone, this is Jungirl Kim from InterNACHI Korea.
I just wanted to share a recent video I filmed during a home inspection here in South Korea.
Most houses in Korea are built with concrete or masonry. But this one was a wood-framed home — still not very common here.
In this video, I captured several scenes from the inspection site
Getting into the attic space is not very typical in Korean inspections, but I really wanted to show what it looks like inside a Korean roof.
This video is not just a technical walk-through.
Along the way, I also shared some of my personal thoughts, observations, and opinions as a home inspector working in Korea.
One of the biggest differences you might notice is the absence of pre-manufactured trusses.
In Korea, whether the house is small or large, about 99% of wood-framed homes still use site-built rafter systems instead of factory-made trusses
That really means a lot
I’m glad to be able to share what’s happening here in Korea — and I’m also learning a lot from the way inspections are done around the world
Jungirl,
Thank you for sharing this information. I am very interested in learning a different style of home design and also watching your inspection style.
이 정보를 공유해 주셔서 감사합니다. 저는 다른 스타일의 주택 디자인을 배우고 귀하의 검사 스타일을 관찰하는 데 매우 관심이 있습니다.
Thanks again for your kind comment!
The house in the video is about 20 years old and not in the best condition, but I filmed it just to give a small glimpse of how wood-framed homes are built in Korea.
Next time, I’d really love to film an actual inspection in the U.S. and share that experience with inspectors back in Korea.
And if I ever have the chance to visit the area where BERT is working, I’d love to stop by, say hello, and hopefully even film on site
다시 한 번 따뜻한 댓글 정말 감사합니다!
영상 속 주택은 지은 지 약 20년 된 집이라 상태가 아주 좋진 않지만, 한국에서 목조주택이 어떻게 지어지는지 잠깐이나마 보여드리고 싶어서 촬영했습니다.
다음에는 미국 현장에서 실제 인스펙션 과정을 직접 촬영해서 한국의 인스펙터 분들과도 공유해보고 싶어요.
혹시라도 BERT님이 활동하시는 지역을 방문할 기회가 생긴다면 꼭 인사드리고, 가능하다면 현장 촬영도 해보고 싶습니다
Good question — it does look like PEX, but it’s actually a white XL pipe, which is commonly used for radiant floor heating (called “ondol” in Korea).
Typically, XL pipes are embedded in mortar under the floor, so exposing them like in the video isn’t appropriate, especially since this type is not UV-resistant.
However, I didn’t point it out in the video because it’s an old pipe that was likely left over after a boiler replacement and is no longer in use
좋은 질문 감사합니다! 영상에 보이는 건 PEX처럼 보이지만 실제로는 한국에서 흔히 바닥 난방(온돌)에 사용하는 흰색 XL 파이프입니다.
보통 이 파이프는 모르타르 아래에 매립되어 사용되며, 영상처럼 노출되어 있는 건 자외선에 약하기 때문에 적절하지 않은 상태입니다.
다만 영상에서 따로 언급하지 않은 이유는, 과거 보일러 교체 후 더 이상 사용되지 않는 배관으로 추정되기 때문입니다.
Hi, Jungirl!
Absolutely lovely video. Thank you so much for sharing.
Jungirl, most houses around the world, without sustainable lumber, are built with concrete or masonry. Here in North America we still have sustainable sourses for hard and softwood lumber. Concrete is often considered a most widely used residental building material globally, and that incluses masonry for brick and stone, becuase they both offer excelant durability combined with structural strength when manufactured properly.
I love the video of the bathroom curbless shower. You can see how the tile installer missed the first course bond. Butt ends were almost vertically applied. As well, the shower tile grout at the bottom was likely not installed properly and appears worn/degraded. The worn and missing tile grout is a perfect scource for water intrusion in the shower wall assembly.
Going back to watch the vedio again.
Thanks, Jungirl!
“You’re The Best!”
Robert, did you happen to sit next to me at the recent Florida convention?
During one of the classes, I spoke briefly with someone from Canada who was sitting beside me, and after seeing your profile photo, I have a feeling it might have been you.
I’m not completely sure, so I just wanted to check — my apologies if I’m mistaken.
