Just my two cents, did the previous owner place the plastic after you had the inspection? That is always a possibility.
Rubber boot and some sealer $100 to fix??? $1200???
Also this sounds like a leak that only happens in a certain type rain ? If it leaked every rain you would have had ceiling damage along time ago.
All that said, talk to your inspector (who will say it was dry the day of inspection and a big piece of plastic is not a defect ) but at this point the wisest thing to do is move forward as the aggravation will cost even more personally ( in ulcers and blood pressure) and in the end, you will still have to make the repair and move on.
Are you a real estate agent?
“My buyer’s inspector says it didn’t require a lot of digging”
You say my buyers inspector twice!
Digging?
You do not poke roofs. Its visual.
Even from the attic. you poke nothing!
You can damage the membrane, push a protrusion off it’s seal.
Your buyers inspector sounds pretty rough!
Inspections are visual only.
Non destructive.
Seasoned inspectors know how to disassemble and manipulate components to see what is behind door number #1:-)
If it looks damaged in any way its off bounds completely. You break it, you fix it!
Tell that to the purchasers.
Question; How can you say questionable roof patches from the attic?
I am was a roofer by the way:-)
He was poking? Opps, Digging?
I installed a roof on the deck.
If the deck needs repairs the home owners are notified.
1: It is not the roofer responsibility to do carpentry and repair the deck.
It is part of the roof structure. The membrane is the seal.
If decay is noted during the old roof being removed the home owners are notified. That’s how I worked.
2: If the home owners waives any deck repairs they are handed a waiver or if it is small the the roofer then decides where and how to “prepare” said defects as best as they can.
Case closed.
They will take the responsibility of holding the guarantee. “For the roof to shed water and not leak!”
Sir, it did not leak during your home ownership be happy.
If it is not leaking for the purchasers, then case closed!
They own a home and will have to put money in it yearly!
By the sounds of it, sour grapes on the purchasers part.
They are chasing nickels and dines.
Wait until the big stuff comes!
PS: What do you get for $1,200 dollars on a residential roof?
The inspector does not have to mount the roof.
Sorry for removing the last post. The return threads are not times well. I did not see the plastic drop sheet reply.
1: Mr. Cage has made a sound assessment and recommendation.
2: As to your question: “someone attempts to address a roof leak by throwing a sheet of plastic down over the insulation to catch the water, without even attempting to fix the actual leak?”
Unfortunately yes. I have found several.
I have a reputation of entering attics. I am mostly black listed and have been treated unfairly.
Even sellers tell me the agent told them to lie on the sellers declaration if they wish to sell their home because they will lose money or the home owner cares less.
NOTE: I state as does this association, sellers should preform a sellers inspection.
MoveInCertified.
This effectively increases you asking price when reasonable issues are repaired and the vendor, much like yourself, can rest easier of stumbling blocks and litigation from major defects further down the road are less likely.
you must hire a competent inspector. expect to pay $150+ more but you save ten times that at the very least. If you only knew.
The market place is full of competition. There is an old adage sir, “you get what you pay for” and even less if you do not ask relevant questions.
Next time have a vendors inspection by a qualified inspector.
If it is just the plumbing flange, use plastic cement.
Roofs should be inspected yearly, bye-yearly if your roof is relatively new.
you hold blame here sir. Sorry.
Now for Mr. Evens.
The plastic sheet may have been placed there as the roof was leaking by the previous owner. They had the responsibility to remove any and everything from the attic as does this poster.
Sour grapes!!!
If I am reading this right. In effect the roof was not patched, it was maintained.
It was maintain by putting plastic cement on the protrusion.
Remember: Every roof need a yearly review and maintenance when issues start to arise.
Geese Louise. When will home owners learn to act responsibly.
Sit owning a home means being diligent. you should have looked in every nook and cranny prior to selling your home.
It is your responsibility to know what you are selling, correct! If not, hire a professional home inspector, do a sellers inspection and make more!!!
Not accessing the attic is the real issue from the original inspection. To the original poster: what does your report say regarding the inspection method of the attic and is there any explanation as to why it was not accessed?
While it may have been bone dry at the time of your original inspection, the plastic sheet on top of the insulation is not only an alarm bell, it is also a defect in itself. Vapor barriers are to be installed at the bottom side/warm side of the insulation in an attic. Plastic added on top of the insulation will trap or sandwich moisture and exacerbate damage in that area.
If your original inspector clearly informed you that the attic was not accessed during the inspection and warned or advised you to get access and have someone get into the attic to inspect it further, the ball may have been in your court. There are several legitimate and some not so legitimate reasons an inspector would choose to not get into an attic:
- too lazy
- too fat, some literally won’t fit
- no visible or installed boards to walk on safely
- doesn’t want to disturb insulation
- potential animal in the attic
Inspectors are not required to do a circus act across the joists or trusses, disturbing insulation and risking putting a foot through the ceiling just to access an attic. The fact that one inspector does and another doesn’t is not evidence that the attic is universally considered “accessible”. On the other hand if your inspector was just lazy, then he deserves your complaint.
The most important question is whether you were clearly informed about how much of the attic was accessed and if you were advised about the areas which were not viewed.
And as others have stated, the $1200 quote sounds unreasonable unless there is some significant damage to the roof decking and finish below.
To the OP:
- You do not have to accept the request by the purchaser.
- You could split the difference between you and the buyer.
- Have it repaired at your cost.
- If a couple of years have transpired between the initial inspection and the current findings, statute of limitations may apply.
- Suck it up.
- Call the inspector and ask for compensation or go back to No.4.
- What limitations as to inspection were noted in original report? Did your inspector have full access to attic?
- Did you attend the inspection with inspector?
- If you were in attendance did your inspector allow you to look in the attic from the hatch?
All good points everyone.
How many inspectors go in the attic as compared to looking from the hatch.
How many here have found articles and materials in attic?
Do you tell your client?
I regularly find shingles, tar paper, pans, catch basin, I even found a large antenna.
So looking from the hatch may have missed this.
Now you know why I enter attics when I can.
Agreed…the original inspector missed the Visqueen IF it was there at the time of inspection and was reasonable accessible. That would be the deciding factor.
Robert
I don’t walk attics, unless there are walk ways installed.
Why? What ceiling joist are for.
Some may enter while other not Ray.
As long as their working hypothesis creates a clear image than that is OK.
Ok, we have your word about the plastic sheet. It’s a couple or few years later, how would an inspector know that you did not place that sheet up there? Can you to tell tie been up there for years?
What did his contract state? Did he send you a contract before he inspected the house?
Allow the inspector to do the right thing. Call him and discuss it. Calmer heads prevail, and instead of creating an adversary, try and create a friend that you two can work on this together. I bet the inspector knows a roofer who can fix this for about $200 and may even be willing to pay for it and if not he saved you $1000!
It sucks this happened, but many inspectors do not walk the attics and it is I their right not to. In the future please read the contracts.
We are all human, we all make mistakes, and please allow the guy to do the right thing…
Some people may get upset if you just trampled all that insulation down is one reason some inspectors do not walk attics . just think of a new home .If insulation has been pounded down by other trades or if there is a suspected problem then go for it. ( another reason for thermal camera ) Many clients look at inspection different ways it is up to us to educate them
Every time I enter an attic and see the mess the previous inspector or cable guy left I laugh and am reminded why I do not walk through 18" of fiberglass feeling for the truss bottoms.
Compressing insulation reduces its value.
Very few attics here are truly accessible and walk ways are as rare as hen’s teeth.
Right Micheal , if i had my insulation trampled during a inspection without cause someone would be coming back to fix it. Unless there is way across not damaging insulation .
No, they may be visible, but that doesn’t make them a safe or acceptable walkway. An inspector choosing to not walk an attic without floorboards is not cheating his clients in any way. You aren’t hired to be unsafe.
Even with walk ways it can be a hazard as i found out. And yes i straddle the joist and yes it hurt and yes they wanted me to pay for it, and thankfully the buyer helped we split the cost of repairs . And a lawyer said i shouldn’t pay anything and consider going after them for damages . ( which i wouldn’t ) even though some consider me as one those liberal people asking for hand outs lol.
Particle board?..owners should be liable for that. I walk bottom chords or joists on a regular basis as I hardly ever experience a proper walkway or crawlway.
http://www.garycrusader.com/gary/news-detail.aspx?cityID=2&typeID=1&newsid=5442
Home inspection proposal clears Senate
Story Posted:03/15/2014
On Wednesday, Senate Bill (SB) 329, authored by State Senator Earline Rogers (D-Gary), gained final approval by the Senate by a vote of 45-2. The proposal aims to include attics, crawl spaces, and basements in home inspections to prevent undue hardship for those purchasing a new home and to keep homeowners safe.
“A written agreement should come standard with every home inspection to ensure the protection of both parties,” said Sen. Rogers. “When it comes to assessing the safety of a home, inspectors should not be cutting corners; attics, basements, and crawlspaces should all be examined.”
SB 329 seeks to expand the scope of home inspections to attic spaces, basements, and crawl spaces in order to meet the safety expectations of any home. In addition, a written agreement by both the homeowner and the home inspector would be approved before the inspection is conducted.
Additions to the proposal made in the House of Representatives would also require the inspector to include in the report consumer information pertaining to the installation of carbon monoxide detectors, which would be handled through the rule making authority process of the home inspectors.
Once the measure receives final approval from the House of Representatives, the proposal is sent to the Governor for his final consideration. The governor may sign the enrolled act into law, veto it, or let it become law within seven days without his signature.
Sen. Rogers represents Indiana Senate District 3 which encompasses portions of Lake County. District 3 communities include Gary, Lake Station, New Chicago, Hobart, Ainsworth, Merrillville and Crown Point. For more information on Sen. Rogers, her legislative agenda or other State Senate business call 1-800-382-9467 or visit Senator Eddie D. Melton | District 3 - Indiana Senate Democrats.
I’m not saying everyone should do it especially if you have little balance. I’m saying it’s expected of us by the client and if you don’t do it you better tell your client you simply stuck your head in the hatch, the reason why you wouldn’t walk the attic and that you only saw a portion of the attic.