Richard,
Great point…too many times. In a dark crawl space or attic you often can not see it but once it is revealed due to the flash on the screen you see it for the first time. Plus you can zoom in on something in the background as well. Thanks!
State and NACHI SOP specifically disclaims underground plumbing and pipes.
If they can’t read, that is not your problem.
That said, if it is an older (over 10 years old) and has trees between the house and the street, I explain about tree roots and all.
I have been dragged into court, twice, for things I supposedly missed.
Both times, at the pre-trial hearing, it was found that both the client AND THEY LAWYERS!!! never actually read the report. Both times, I called out the specific issue that they were sueing me for.
Both times, the case was dismissed and the plaintif’s were ordered to pay my lawyer’s fees and my time-off-work expenses.
I am currently working with a client, in a high priced area, with underground piping for the downspouts. The downspouts are backing up, from the underground piping.
Seems that the sump pump WAS drained away from the house, but the previous owner didn’t like that (looked ugly) and connected the sump drain pipe to a PVC drain that he connected to the downspout underground drains.
He thought that the downspout drains were just connected to the sewer.
But, that is not allowed in this area.
And, the downspout drains were connected to the drain tiles. :shock:
So, it’s just one long circular cycle. Snow and rain drain off the roof, underground, into the drain tiles and into the sump.
The sump then drains them to a pipe which is connected to the downspout underground drains and right back into the sump
And so on…
I will be going back, tomorrow, and explaining to the client, the plumber, the former owner and the drain installation people, that all they have to do is connect a 30’ flex pipe to the sump drain and take it to the back yard. Come summer, they can dig a french drain, like they should have in the first place.
Sometimes, we just have to help all these people coordinate their efforts.
Some people are just plain silly :mrgreen:
Licensing does solve some things (like REALLY stupid lawyers) :mrgreen:
Hope this helps;
Not only do I not do the report on site, I won’t even do it on the same day!
I won’t send the report until the following morning after I have a good night sleep and a cup of coffee. 
I advise my clients upfront of this and have never had any complaints yet.
There are those that wait until the 11th hour to get the inspection done. For those, I give a discrepancy list and they can take some notes. The report still comes the following day before 9:00 a.m. (that’s when realtors get out of bed)
I don’t how many times I have changed my mind overnight and see things in a different perspective in the morning.
My camera is an invaluable tool. I’ve never done an inspection that I didn’t find something in the pictures that I didn’t see in person.