I am IRATE with a home inspector!!!!

Originally Posted By: evandeven
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Ryan,


The term “non-compliant” should not be in any home inspectors vocabulary.


This inspector has clearly stepped outside of his boundaries and his own scope of knowledge.

A safety concern? People fall off stairs with handrails so what is the difference? Now before everyone jumps on me for that statement, we are there to inspect the property as it sits. I would probably make a remark to the client that although a handrail was not required, it might be a good idea to install one. Some safety is better than none. On the other hand, the client may be a handicapped individual and the stairs may end up being replaced by a ramp with the proper rails.

Sounds like you had a "code wanna-be" home inspector. As you said "trying to throw his weight around."

After you obtain documentation proving you are correct, I would report him to any and everyagency (bbb, local jurisdiction, etc.) you can. These type of inspectors need to be stopped!

Let us know what happens!


--
Eric Van De Ven
Owner/Inspector
Magnum Inspections Inc.
I get paid to be suspicious when there is nothing to be suspicious about!
www.magnuminspections.com

Originally Posted By: Vince Santos
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mcraig wrote “I hate to be put in this situation but I was once and the home buyer was a lawyer who let me know they would make a job out of destroying my business.”


I would hate to be put in the situation too!!


After all, that lawer would have had to swallow a cavity sandwich! icon_twisted.gif



Desire is half of life, indifference is half of death.


–Kahlil Gibran

Originally Posted By: jfarsetta
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Ryan,


Why not just put up the hendrail and be done with it. It is likely that you will be viewed as protectionist and obstructionist by the buyer for your actions.

Unless folks are lined up at your door with other offers, you need to calm down and ask yourself if this is as much of a big deal to risk losing the sale of your home.

I have gotten into pissing contests with homeowners before. You name it; from "master" carpenters to "master" electricians. In the end, they all lookes as if they were throwing a hissy for or were overly defensive.

Again, my style would have beed to suggest or recommend. The words non-compliant" never appear in any of my reports.

So, back off the specific verbiage for a moment, and ask yourself if it would be safer with the handrail installed. That's the bottom line. Dont want to do it? Consider a credit, and move on...


--
Joe Farsetta

Illigitimi Non Carborundum
"Dont let the bastards grind you down..."

Originally Posted By: Susan
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Ryan,


Sounds like you really want to sell your house. The HI was very wrong for the use of "non-compliant" verbage. Sounds like he wants to be a building inspector when he grows up!!

My opinion....let him deal with the current building inspector in the jurisdiction where your house is (or would that be you?).

I've dealt with some pretty cocky HIs myself (as a building inspector) and they're just that way period!! Know it alls....they're everywhere.

Personally, I had a final inspection on a deck 2 weeks ago that I failed. The deck was only 18" off the ground, 2 risers (we are on the 2000 IRC), the handrail was fine but the balusts/spindles were more that 4" apart. Obviously the deck didn't anything because it was 18" off the ground, but what was there was wrong!! The homeowner looked at me as if I were the Wicked Witch of the West but what if one of his kids or a friend's kid's head gets stuck and they choke? The first thing someone will do is measure and then who will they come after? The town I work for and personally, I wouldn't ever be able to live with myself!!

The most important thing you can do is sell your house and possibly try and teach this wannabe something.....to write it up as a safety thing.

Good luck!
Sue


Originally Posted By: James D Mosier
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Ryan Jackson wrote:


James: Around here if a building inspector calls bullsh*t he loses his license, its that simple. The shoe is not on the other foot. This is simply a matter of an HI that doesn't know what the hell he's doing trying to throw his weight around.


The shoe is on the other foot. The building inspector being a victim for a change. Although on such a smaller scale.

As for sueing the city (county in my case) GFL (Good Friggin' Luck)!

20+ code violations, a failed rough frame inspection, no follow-up inspections, permit paperwork stamped approved and filed away, 4 years in court, $10,000 to me with $12,000 lawyer fees and $30,000+ repair costs.


--
Jim Mosier

Originally Posted By: clawrenson
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The inspector sounds over-zealous and heavy handed in (his) verbage - while the home seller appears a little too defensive to a “safety” issue. How much effort or cost is involved to “amend” a potential for a much larger or potential claim?


Real Analogy - low guardrail on a residential stair produced a $1M+ claim against a home inspector here in Ontario (Canada). The buyer is now wheel chair bound for life. Sorry but the potential for claim even on what one may see as a minor safety issue cannot and should not be diminished.


--
Ontario Home Inspections Inc.

Originally Posted By: jpeck
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Ryan Jackson wrote:
If I were to insist on something like this, I could be sued for malicious prosecution, and I would lose my license as well as my job.


Ryan,

That's because you are inspecting to a MINIMUM code, and the only thing you can enforce is THAT MINIMUM. The local AHJ has adopted that minimum code as the be all and end all, while allowing building and contractors to exceed those minimums for whatever reasons they want to. One reason could be life safety.

Your HI was pointing out a real problem (as Claude pointed out) which the code does address (and does not, and your HI got caught in this twist).

The code does not require a guard rail for less that four risers, only at more than 30" height to a floor. The current code requires a handrail at four or more risers, while the previous code required it for two or more.

Which is "safe"?


--
Jerry Peck
South Florida