Scenario
A cup or two of water remains in the shower or on the shower seat. The water puddles are larger than 1 inch in diameter.
Code requires the receptor to slope to the drain but the Standards do not require inspection to code.
I think most would believe it is a defect but the question would be “is it a material defect and a required reporting item”?
Is a small amount of residual water in a shower or on a shower seat a material defect?
unfortunately it is all too common:D
With the huge variety of hand made tiles out there and so many custom showers and tubs, this is common and almost expected. Unless it’s excessive, I don’t mention it. After all, it is a shower so what better place to have water. 
Do you also measure the water in the toilet bowl? More than 1.6 gallons and it’s in the report! 
A friend defended an inspector on a claim. 1 cup of water or less, a 4 inch circle, remained in a pre fab shower. The inspector offered to buy a new shower. It went to court and they were asking for much more. Judge gave them the inspectors original offer.
So, the judge did not take into account the fact that neither the TREC SOP nor the iNACHI SOP does not require reporting such? That is unless it affects the ‘functional flow’ of the drain. I have reported your example situation as a defect a couple of times in the past when I felt it was excessive but it is very subjective. I have no specific criteria with which to judge any pooling of water.
If the inspector offered to buy a new shower before it went to court the judge may have felt the inspector was admitting to his mistake and awarded accordingly.
It should absolutely be noted in a report. Whether or not it needs corrective action is dependant on the amount of water. “A cup or two” is excessive IMHO.
This is my “standard” narrative that I will modify based on actual conditions.
The [tub or shower pan] is not sloped to drain effectively and you may notice standing water after use. This may be the result of poor installation, and the [tub shower] should be closely monitored for leaks, or you may wish to have this condition corrected by a qualified contractor.
LOL they call us deal Killers for making comments on cracks in the foundations or bolting on decks i just can imagine marking this up lol. I only seen a couple of times here but good post
I report it as cosmetic, unless it causes a problem. I do report it though.
Gosh this is a nit picky poll.
Just show the client. (end of story)
I don’t know about you Bob, but “showing” the client means nothing if it’s not noted in the report.
My comments on report would be: Some standing water was noticed on the floor of the shower after it was operated. A shower floor should be sloped towards the drain to allow proper drainage.
You win a Cupie doll, give the man a prize.
My question to such an esteemed gentleman as your self would be to ask if you ever talk to your clients or mention anything you see during an Inspection?or do you just want to be left alone to focus?
Do you ever see anything that does not go in the report but you feel is worth talking to the client about?
Please think before answering
I will help a little by stating that I do lots of talking to my clients as setting up a relationship of trust ,and getting the client to understand my mindset ,what is going in the report,what is not,and why ?
Remember that all of us …yes all of us , leave many items out that we feel are not important to the report because of our training and knowledge ,but a layman may not understand.
Sounds foggy I know ,and that is why there are Grey areas.
So to answer the comment , I disagree with the statement"if not in the report it means nothing."
“I report it as cosmetic, unless it causes a problem. I do report it though.”
What happens when your client slips and falls in the shower due to the standing water. What now, as your refer to as cosmetic, has just caused a problem. and possible injury. You could very easily wind up in court on that one.
“Sounds foggy I know ,and that is why there are Grey areas.”
Since when is safety a grey area? Not putting it in your report could be asking for trouble down the road. Your nicest client could turn out to be your worst enemy, especially in todays economy and world, where no one wants to take responsibility for their own actions. If they think they can get money for something, as the client in the case above tried, they will most certainly try.
I agree and report it as an imporper installation based on best building practices.
Perhaps rather than warn them about the shower floor being wet (haha!) you would be better off telling them that the shower curtain goes on the inside or they might slip on the outside :).
So this whole cup of water spread out over how many sq feet makes it how deep?
Are we talking shower pan ? porcelain tub ? Vitreous tile ? non vitreous tile ?
Seems a little foggy.
If the shower basin is vitreous and has sealed grout ,I hope there is at least a cup or two after showering or it is on a 45 degree angle.
No need to think about it - of course I discuss items with the client.
My point being - it is a reportable defect, i.e. something that belongs in the report. I don’t believe it to be a slipping hazard, I believe it (as Mark stated) to be an improper installation or a damaged component.
If I can pour two-cups of water into ANY shower or tub, without most of going down the drain, there is a problem.
You may not be seeing some of these room size showers with tiled floors.
I doubt one cup would even be noticeable.
The Standards require us to report inadequate drainage in the plumbing system. I consider the shower pan as part of the drainage system and while residual water is to be expected. A cup or two of water “puddling” is a fixture that is not draining properly.
Even though I’ve never ran into this particular situation…Standing puddles in shower pans will get written up.
**
Another important inspection item**…In tubs, always aim the shower head so that the water lands right on top of the rear rim. I’ve had many tubs that convey this water out and over the side of the tub and onto the bathroom floor.
Improperly sloped tub surround.