How far should you go?

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#1

Originally Posted By: dcarroll
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I inspected a property yesterday that shares a common wall with another property. There was no access to the crawl space from the property I was in, but I found out out after the inspection that there is access to the crawl space from the other shared wall property( also for sale by owner). I called the realtor and asked if I could gain access through the other building, so I could inspect the crawl space. Have I gone too far? Should I have just said it was unaccessable and disclaim it?

#2

Originally Posted By: jpeck
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You have not gone too far, in fact, you have not gone far enough.


The crawl space for the property you inspected is accessible from the other property?

There should be a fire wall between them, all the way from the crawl space to the attic; With no access between the two.

Would you want to be in the unit you inspected and have someone come up through the floor into your bedroom, while you were there or not?

No unit should have access to another unit's attic or crawl space, and each unit should have access to its attic and crawl space.

--
Jerry Peck
South Florida

#3

Originally Posted By: dcarroll
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I agree with you completely, but the fact remains(by word of mouth) that this condition exists, and I feel it should be inspected and reported. Does anyone dissagree?

#4

Originally Posted By: cbuell
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It is my understanding that separation of condo units is the “separation of dwelling units” of which crawl spaces typically are not part of (by the code) unless it is a zero lot line situation. It seems weird I know, but one can imagine the problems associated with venting the crawl spaces of divided units.

–
It is easier to change direction than it is to forget where one has been.

#5

Originally Posted By: jpeck
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Charles,


Daniel did not say it was a condo.

"I inspected a property yesterday that shares a common wall with another property."

To me, that indicated attached housing, as in townhouses or patio homes which have a common wall to one or more units, but is still a separate dwelling unit.

I could be wrong (been wrong before), but I did not take that as meaning it was a condo.

--
Jerry Peck
South Florida

#6

Originally Posted By: cbuell
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Jerry,


I get what you are saying, thanks

–
It is easier to change direction than it is to forget where one has been.

#7

Originally Posted By: dcarroll
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This was not a condo. It was a commercial building. One side is a small 800 sq ft office( the part I inspected), and the other side is a bar. Both of these are for sale, one listed with the realtor and one for sale by owner.


When I inspected this place the buyer was with me for about five minutes and left, so I was the only one there. There was no access to the crawl space from the part of the building I was in, but from what I was seeing there had to be something below. I finished my inspection and as I was doing my report I called the buyer and told him. That’s when he mentioned there might be access from the other building. You would think that the realtor would have known and said something. The reason I asked the question in the original post was I had already inspected all of the accessible areas of the building for sale. I could have written the report disclaiming the crawl space. Instead I chose to go back. Would you all have done the same?

#8

Originally Posted By: jrooff
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Daniel, Here you may need to check on codes in your area for commercial buildings. I know in my area that there must be a fire wall between to commercial units and there own access.

#9

Originally Posted By: dbowers
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Of course I would go back - FOR A SEPARATE FEE - nobody told me up front there was an access in a neighboring building, so I couldn’t check something with no access when I was 1st there.


Now that you've told me how to gain access, I'll be tickled to go back - BUT as you know, time is money and I have to charge a 2nd trip charge.

Thank you!

#10

Originally Posted By: dcarroll
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It wasn’t much of a crawl space. Only a couple of holes 2X2 where you could look at some of the floor joists. The interesting thing was that the plumbing came through one of these holes into the next building’s basement(supply and waste). Very little of the plumbing was actually in the building I was inspecting. What a wierd set-up. I informed the buyer that he was responsible for his plumbing, and that if it should leak he could be responsible for damage to the other property. If problems(plugged waste line for instance) occurred he would need permission from the other buildings owner to go in and repair it. I’m sure this must violate some code.