Anyone around the panhandle area, I’d like to here what you’d say is your most common defect found in your inspections. I’m putting together some info for my business. Any feedback is great!
Maybe using a circular saw instead???
Sorry Ramon…just a GA/FL joke… 
Hope others in your area will step in.
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wood decaying FUNGI! (Florida law term)
circuit breaker panel double taps, open spaces, missing circuit directory
damaged/missing roof shingles/tiles
OJ Simpson!
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The most common defect I find is a missing backflow preventer on the hose bib.
It is also probably the most understandable item that homeowners remove.
Attach one of those expandable hoses on a bib with a cheapo backflow preventer and you get a nice shower every time you turn off the hose.
Second most common thing is gutter debris. Had a home recently that was so clogged, it was backing up into the covered porch. This was a manufactured home so the gutters are those fixed types attached at the end of an aluminum beam. Water overflowed the gutter, and wicked down the beam inside the porch.
The third thing is non-gfci outlets in the garage. Lots of folks add an outlet for an electric golf cart and don’t GFCI the thing.
Of course I’m in The Villages and most of the homes are fairly new but there are a few that have needed some serious repair. One had rodents that had eaten ducting in the attic pretty much anywhere it touched a truss. There was rat poo everywhere too. The rats chewed wires, nested in the insulation and really made a nice home for themselves.
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I think a huge defect is a lazy inspector asking for other inspectors to make them look experienced…get your butt on some jobs and you will find what is common in your area!
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Wow. I need to start inspecting a higher class of house, lol. I don’t have many inspections where the word “foundation” isn’t mentioned several times in the report.
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I need to relocate. I wish my most common inspection defects were that simple
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Hey man, I forgot one. The kitchen and or bathroom caulk separating, potentially allowing water infiltration.
Had an 11 month last week. The major complaint was the Luxury Vinyl flooring clicked as you walked out to the Lanai.
The champagne and caviar barely make up for the hot attics!
Did I mention no basements in Florida?
You have to remember, The Villages, where I do most of my Inspections was built by the same developer. 80,000+ homes. They get the big things right, they flub on the fit and finish. As time passes and more hands start getting into the stew, the problems are worse. I do get crawls in Manufactured homes though and the attics are hot most of the year.
The question was MOST COMMON not WORST PROBLEM .
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The most common DEFECTS (none of which are part of your ridiculous list).
So you’re arguing about the definition of defect? The list wasn’t material defects, i.e. things that may scuttle a real estate transaction, it was about defects.
what you’d say is your most common defect found in your inspections
You don’t call out missing GFCIs or Backflow preventers? Clogged gutters aren’t a concern?
I’ll concede that these aren’t “A” list items, but that wasn’t the request. I would also posit that material defects are probably, commonly, not repeated home to home. As Ryan posted, foundations are a biggie in his area, but we could probably analyze that down a number of ways; Foundation in general but footings, water, mortar, shifting, bulging, etc. in the specific.
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Why is that and where ya headed, Chris? Or, staying in SW Illinois still? Hope the move goes well. 
“common defects” combined with disgusting filth & decline. The best was
the home depot 5 gal bucket filled to the top with floating poop-YUM!
My assistant had to run outside twice from gagging on the yucky smell.
Owner died inside, then home was vacant for 8 months with no one watching.
Not a full report, I called it “inspector random chosen observations”.
7-12-23.pdf (3.3 MB)
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I like inspecting the old houses with all the different defects. Keeps the job interesting and helps keep us inspectors on our game, well, at least it helps keep me on my game. 
Most common defects = Decks. 98%+ of the decks that I inspect I find issues with.
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I don’t know Jack about FL homes but I know stucco is pretty popular and can be problematic. Corrosion at coastal homes likely pops up a lot, especially electrical panels. And crawlspace homes probably have typical crawlspace issues. My final thought would be tile roofs.
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Not sure about the panhandle but improper roof installations are rampant here in SWFL. Since the 2020 Code came into effect (permits issued in 2021 or later) 19/32" sheathing is required in our area (and parts of the panhandle, as well as most of the State and the entire State if the home is Exposure D).
When sheathing thicker than 15/32" is used, the 2020 Florida Building Code requires the sheathing fasteners to be 2.5"L x 0.131"D OR 3" L x 0.120"D ringshank nails. Out of around 160 inspections (in 5 counties) since I learned about this, 8 have had the correct fasteners (builders are still using the
2 3/8"L x 0.113"D nails which are approved for 15/32" sheathing. Also, the sheathing fastener schedule was also updated in the 2020 Code. Before the wrong sheathing fastener woes that are so prevalent now, roof tile installation issues were (and still are) very common.
Along with stucco, HVAC, and plumbing defects all very common.
Florida is a good place for a home inspection business, had I stayed in New Jersey don’t think I’d have been interested in becoming a home inspector there way too many variables and construction types. Florida easy-peasy, slab-on-grade, stucco over concrete block, asphalt shingle roof. 
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Same here in NE Ohio, Kevin!
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lol…. I can take all the jokes u have, but Living in Florida with freedom and lots of work is tough to feel bad about.
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I understand Ramon. We native Georgians like to make fun of your state, but nothing personal against you or anyone that chooses to live there. Maybe look at Ol’ Bugs as what’s going on with the insurance companies there and them wanting to insure homes. Some really painful headaches, I surely wouldn’t want, just to live in the Sunshine State.
The average cost of insurance in FL for a $300k home is over $4k. Higher depending on location.
My HOI this year for a much higher value is $1400.
Property taxes vary wherever you are, but mine are around $900 a year.
So it does cost to “live free” and it’s always wonderful when you get to do so…
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Wow Jordan , you’re exactly what the industry needs as representation. Not only super helpful, but a great 1st impression to others you’ve never met. InterNACHI should be proud to have such a helpful inspector in the association. Maybe you should check your inferiority complex.
And as for those of you who gave a thumbs up to Jordan’s idiotic comment; why would you support someone on this forum calling a fellow inspector and member of InterNachi “lazy” without any reason to justify that? Smh
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