Roof question

[Indy_Guy_77]

I've dealt with Inspectors for years and have found that most of them - Suck.
Only a small few will actually find "most" of the problems and potential problems.
It's always amazing that some of these guys can take a single page of simple items and turn it into a 20 page report with what they claim are "Major", "Important" and "Scary" items. Homeowners and banks just love them and of course believe every word when most will nitpick at the norm and completely miss the obvious.

Depending on who is paying their bill, they can sway that report to read how they want. Obviously all home inspectors are not like this and are probably great at their job.
Just be cautious.

It's all about CYA. And in today's litigious society, I can't say that I blame them.

-J-

 

[jedi]

OP have you "interviewed" the neighbors yet?
Yes I know slightly off topic but if you can't/don't get good vibe from your potential new neighbors your "dream house" may become a nightmare having to deal with them!

Also I advise you to personally go into th attic of the house you are going to buy and check for water damage, mold, other damage yourself. Inspectors like others have stayed sux!

Also just under the bathrooms (one level/floor below) for signs of water damage/mold from the tub/shower/sin/etc.

-Jedi

 

[Phil502]

When you buy a house always go with your own inspector not one the realtor recommends. I sold a building in Hammond 10 years ago, the buyer went with the realtors suggested inspector. On the day of inspection the buyers were late and me and the inspector started the inspection. The building was a 2 story, fairly steep roof but not terrible, I was up there many times in the nine years I owned the place. I used to crawl out the attic window onto the roof. I did it, then the inspector followed me, he was freaking out holding the window and only seeing 1/2 the roof at most and he was several feet away from the far side because the window was in the very front of the building. He says "roof looks good, lets get back in". What he didn't see was the one edge had a good bit of wear from a neighbors tree hanging over it that I had to take a limb off after I moved in. That roof could have been very bad and he would have never seen it.

 

[jedi]

@Phil502 you are originally one of "you people"! OMG that I did not know.

 

[Phil502]

@Phil502 you are originally one of "you people"! OMG that I did not know.

............. kind of explains everything now, huh.

 

[88GT]

As far as I know, there are no licensing requirements in Indiana to be a house inspector. Therefore, anyone off the street could start his own house inspector business.

There ARE licensing requirements for home inspectors. Have been for several years now.

I've dealt with Inspectors for years and have found that most of them - Suck.

Most of them are barely adequate, but some are actually quite good. But honestly, way more than half the people buying homes these days can't do even basic home maintenance. I feel no sympathy for home buyers that can't climb their own roof to pound down a nail pop (two stories or steep pitch are excepted) or can't zip their vinyl siding back in after a wind storm. Or that don't know whether their furnace is electric or gas. Or if they're on a crawl, slab, or basement.

Only a small few will actually find "most" of the problems and potential problems.
It's always amazing that some of these guys can take a single page of simple items and turn it into a 20 page report with what they claim are "Major", "Important" and "Scary" items. Homeowners and banks just love them and of course believe every word when most will nitpick at the norm and completely miss the obvious.

Remember that ignorance I was talking about: welcome to the world of "I need somebody else to blame."

OP have you "interviewed" the neighbors yet?
Yes I know slightly off topic but if you can't/don't get good vibe from your potential new neighbors your "dream house" may become a nightmare having to deal with them!

ALWAYS interview the neighbor. Neighborhood gossip is a FABULOUS source of information.

Also I advise you to personally go into th attic of the house you are going to buy and check for water damage, mold, other damage yourself. Inspectors like others have stayed sux!

Paid inspectors or not, this should be a self-imposed requirement for all home owners. Likewise the crawl. You should know what your home looks like before you buy it. Because when you're next roofer says you have a leak and you need a new roof, you probably want to be able to tell him that's old staining from a prior leak that was fixed when the current roof was installed to replace the old leaky one.