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Load Bearing? Where?
1 commentSome of thethings found in a couple of pre-drywall inspections. One of our regional builders whose goal is to build to code and and not a dollar more.
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Cricket? What's a cricket?
2 commentsI was asked to inspect this roof before its sale. There was evidence of leaks on the inside ceiling, but the owner assured the buyer that they had just had a new roof installed to fix the problem...
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Some flimsy metal with some shims stuck in the gap is weather tight for a new door, right?
I thought by buying a high end patio door through the showroom and using their recommended installer, the installation would be then best. The door they replaced was rotted (which they said...
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Attempting to install a skylight
1 commentThis chap apparently was attempting to install a skylight in the roof of his house, failed to follow the instructions and got a little carried away when he started stipping the roof ....
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hard to drive or walk home to take a leak
7 commentsI always try to imagine the exact moment that it dawned on someone that something might be wrong.
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If You Cover Up Rot, It Goes Away . . . Right?
Normal 0 . . . uhh, no – not so much. I periodically run into this sort of lapse in judgment while doing inspections. This is a load-bearing roof beam on a mid-century modern home...
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Talk about inefficient...
Credit for finding this gem goes to Andy Engel. He sent it to me awhile back as a two part email. The first photo is the clue - showing a whole lot of blackened fiberglass insulation near an air...
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Truss Bracing? We Don't Need No Stinking Truss Bracing!!!
8 commentsTruss Failure Recipe: Take one truss package, and install hastily on Friday; add one weekend, and whip with high winds; Serve up to builder's risk insurance company
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Log Cabin Nightmare
4 commentsHere is a great big black eye for the building trades. These photos are all from the same home that I inspected for the Homeowner. This is a Cape style, Log Cabin with half loft & half...
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OMG! Another beam repair with the customary "Tail Light Guarantee"
5 commentsThis is a load-bearing roof beam on a mid-century modern home. The beam is exposed on the interior and spans from, and is framed into, opposing exterior walls. The cantilevered end supports the...
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You know they designed the attic ventilation to take care of this!!!!!!
3 commentsThe pipe in the middle of the second picture is a fireplace flue! This photo was taken at the "meter release" inspection after drywall is installed, etc. The fireplace this is connected to wasnt...
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Sloppy Housewrap Install
2 commentsThis is a classic example of not understanding what housewrap is supposed to do. Just because it's protected by an overhang doesn't mean it shouldn't go all the way up the sheathing to prevent air...
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Extreme amateur mason
We uncovered this sub-amateur masonry job during a whole-house remodel. We were planning only to re-top the chimney due to failing mortar. What's amazing is this stood for about 20 years before we...
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How to move a light fixture...NOT!
1 commentAs part of the reno for our new addition, the existing duct work had to be extended into the new room. The contractor chose to extend it from the duct feeding into the basement bathroom, and that...
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Screened in Porch Swing Failure
Porch swing failure. When we arrived we noticed her porch swing was at a serious tilt. Customer had a screened in porch with vinyl covering a tradional plywood ceiling. Two...
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Explosive Furnace Installation
11 commentsThis is a home that was recently renovated that I was performing a home inspection on for a client. The contractor was on site and decided to turn the gas on at the meter while I was upstairs...
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The Devil Is in the Details
4 commentsSome modular homes are getting better, but the construction details in many modular homes are still downright scary. Here are a few photos I secretly shot recently.
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How to Paint Fiber-Cement Siding
Painter Jim Lacey shares some tips for caulking and painting fiber-cement siding. read more
Show us the the worst work you've seen
Update: Congratulations to our winner thebeamguy with his Another beam repair with the customary "Tail Light Guarantee" .
Help us learn from other people's mistakes
Sometime people need to see consequences of the wrong way to do something before they understand why it's so important to get it right. Help us enlighten the half-hearted tradespeople out there by posting pictures of shoddy craftsmanship, structural failures, or any other building blunders you've come across in your home-building or remodeling experiences.
