Not getting on the roof drawbacks?

Great post, Michael. It is true that it’s often the experienced roofer that gets hurt because he does lose a sense of danger. A roofing contractor once told me that a 9/12 pitch roof was the most dangerous because roofers know a steeper roof couldn’t be walked but they THINK they can walk a 9/12.

Stephen, I apologize if I came across wrong. I too am a big fan of windows with access to the roof. Wishing you the best Sir and nothing but respect for you, on my end.

Many, many moons ago I said that I wanted to be like Dan Bowers, and I had around 10 years under my belt way back then. I can tell you that being an inspector at your level, with your credentials, is no easy task. 1 of my all time favorite inspectors of all times and I have many that I respect.

I appreciated the time you took to write that, I definitely will take that advice! Thanks man!

1 of my first trade jobs was working with Cook’s remodeling in Pulaski, Virginia. I was only around 14 or 15, I think. They threw me on this church pictured below. To make a long story short, I took a scary slide and if it wasn’t for the toe boards/roof jacks, I would’ve lost my life. These pictures don’t do justice. The church is only 5-10 minutes from where I live at now. I am snowed in with lots of ice or I’d go take a couple of pics on how steep this roof really is. I worked with a crew that cared for me deeply and I still feel the same for those guys. You’ve gotta have each other’s backs and look out for 1 another. Oh man the stories that I could tell that took me from construction to home inspection. Building everything from jails and strip malls to resteraunts and everything in between. From a nothing but black neighborhood on Baskerville street in Dublin, VA. where we remodeled every home on both sides of the street to what people call the Ghetto in Pulaski, VA. I sometimes feel like I have done it all. Building foundations with LCJ Enterprises all around Southwest Virginia and even Environmental work at Radford Arsenal to a Bio-Remediation job on the boarder of Williamson West Virginia/ Williamson Kentucky. Making mistakes along the way like how far to raise the bucket in my Bobcat, etc. I have both worked and partied with some of the best in construction all up and down the eastern part of the U.S. from Florida to Maryland and everything in between.

Well my wife is giving me “that look”, so I am off of here. Take care, and stay safe.

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Michael …

Been there, done that ONLY my saviour was not toeboards.

On 3-story condo roof in Denver in 1974. A shingle I stepped on pulled loose, I hit the deck on my butt and started my downhill slide. About 2/3rd down the roof I yanked my scratch awl out of my belt holster and managed to slam it into the deck well over an inch. That stopped me and one of the other guys on the ridge threw down a rope. Talk about changing drawers.

That was 43 yrs ago … I was 28 and NEVER forgot that.

Thank the good Lord that you lived. I was imagining that as I read and my heart felt funny. You are lucky that your awl stopped you. Even with you jamming it into the deck board, it still could’ve easily threw you off of that roof. I try to live each day as if it were my last, because 1 day it will be. 1 of my life goals is to give back to the home inspection industry. I am no self made millionaire, infact a good way from it. With that being said the home inspection industry has been very, very good to me. Stay safe Dan and take care.