The dreaded home inspector

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masterinbama

Senior Member
Went to do a job for a good customer of mine. She was selling her house and the buyers inspector cited some electrical issues,most of which he was right on. The house has a 400 amp service back to back in the garage with proper bonding and grounding. From there a 100 amp feeder goes to the pool house panel with no bonded metallic items between them. 100 amp panel in pool house has 2 ground rods driven with a #4 ground wire and neutral and grounds bonded. From this panel a 40 amp feeder goes to a motor home garage. This panel was not grounded and bonded so i bonded it and drove 2 rods. Inspector stated that " at no point past the service entrance can neutrals and grounds be connected on the same bus. I quoted 250.32 exception (2) and he still refuses to turn this house loose for closing. The sellers real estate agent agrees with me and we basically told the home inspector he needed to go buy a code book.
 

Dennis Alwon

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Chapel Hill, NC
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Retired Electrical Contractor
Of course you are correct since this was done before the '08 code. If it was done after the '08 became effective then the inspector is correct. Perhaps he is up on the new code.
 

Dennis Alwon

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Chapel Hill, NC
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Retired Electrical Contractor
masterinbama said:
The house was built in '99 and the county here won't go to the '08 until Oct. of '09

Well then I think the new homeowners need to be contacted and shown that their inspector is incorrect. I had a similar problem and I told the agent to have the new owners call me and I will explain it to them.
 

charlie b

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Lockport, IL
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masterinbama said:
. . . and he still refuses to turn this house loose for closing.
Since when does an HI have that amount of authority? They are paid to inspect, and to issue a report, and there their involvement ends. Or am I missing something? :confused:
 

resistance

Senior Member
Location
WA
charlie b said:
Since when does an HI have that amount of authority? They are paid to inspect, and to issue a report, and there their involvement ends. Or am I missing something? :confused:
I guess Washingtonians think alike! I'm asking and saying the same?
 

iwire

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Location
Massachusetts
charlie b said:
Since when does an HI have that amount of authority?

My guess is the potential mortgage holder is refusing to close without a satisfactory report from the HI. If the buyer had cash I bet the sale could proceed.
 

charlie b

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Location
Lockport, IL
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Retired Electrical Engineer
Three notions come to my mind:
(1) Print this thread, and give it to the HI.
(2) Tell the HI all about "Charlie's Rule."
(3) Bring up the possibility of a lawsuit for breach of contract, citing the HI (and in particular his incompetence, his incorrect interpretation of the NEC, and his unwillingness to listen to the reasoned explanations of experts) as being the cause of the breach. I suspect that his contract, since it originated via the buyer, and even though it might have some type of "limit of liability clause" that will protect him from a lawsuit by the buyer, will not protect him from a lawsuit from the seller, since the seller did not sign a contract with the HI.
 

c2500

Senior Member
Location
South Carolina
I know in South Carolina, there is a stipulation in the law that the inspection cannot interfere with the sale. I am assuming the HI is licensed, and I would threaten a complaint to the state, with full intention of having his license revoked if he did not back down and admit his error.

c2500
 

Mule

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
masterinbama said:
Went to do a job for a good customer of mine. She was selling her house and the buyers inspector cited some electrical issues,most of which he was right on. The house has a 400 amp service back to back in the garage with proper bonding and grounding. From there a 100 amp feeder goes to the pool house panel with no bonded metallic items between them. 100 amp panel in pool house has 2 ground rods driven with a #4 ground wire and neutral and grounds bonded. From this panel a 40 amp feeder goes to a motor home garage. This panel was not grounded and bonded so i bonded it and drove 2 rods. Inspector stated that " at no point past the service entrance can neutrals and grounds be connected on the same bus. I quoted 250.32 exception (2) and he still refuses to turn this house loose for closing. The sellers real estate agent agrees with me and we basically told the home inspector he needed to go buy a code book.

I have a friend that is a home inspector, he admits that his 40hr class that covered "all disciplines" was really quick for his certification, and he acknowledges his limitations. He calls me quite often when he's right in the middle of an inspection and it is usually about bonding and grounding issues....I've finally got him to understand about grounding and bonding options in reguard to seperate structures. I told him the other day "By golly I think you've got it".....
 

infinity

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Location
New Jersey
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iwire said:
My guess is the potential mortgage holder is refusing to close without a satisfactory report from the HI. If the buyer had cash I bet the sale could proceed.

True, but mortgage companies are also in business to make money. I doubt that they would like to lose a sale due to information provided by someone who took a 40 hour course.
 
I only have the 08' n.e.c now, but i also thought the the n.e.c read that you couldn't bond the nuetral to the ground bus downstream from the point of service. whats that exception state? or am i nmissing something.
 

roger

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Fl
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Retired Electrician
nplarson01 said:
I only have the 08' n.e.c now, but i also thought the the n.e.c read that you couldn't bond the nuetral to the ground bus downstream from the point of service. whats that exception state? or am i nmissing something.

250.32(B)(2) from the 05 and before

(2) Grounded Conductor Where (1) an equipment grounding conductor is not run with the supply to the building or structure, (2) there are no continuous metallic paths bonded to the grounding system in each building or structure involved, and (3) ground-fault protection of equipment has not been installed on the supply side of the feeder(s), the grounded conductor run with the supply to the building or structure shall be connected to the building or structure disconnecting means and to the grounding electrode(s) and shall be used for grounding or bonding of equipment, structures, or frames required to be grounded or bonded. The size of the grounded conductor shall not be smaller than the larger of either of the following:

(1) That required by 220.61

(2) That required by 250.122

Roger
 

SEO

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
Request that you would like to have the local inspection authority make an inspection .In my state home inspectors can not make legal electrical inspections, they are not licensed under the State Electrical Act . Sometimes they create more problems than they find. They can point out items they think may be wrong but thats it. Also an electrical inspector can only inspect in the area of his employment.(In my state)
 

ElectricianJeff

Senior Member
If there is some type of downpayment assistance or grant money involved in the mortgage then often times one of the stipulations is that anything on the home inspection that the HI checks as "must" be repaired, has to be repaired in order to get the loan.
 

jrannis

Senior Member
I sold a house years ago "as is" and the Realtor was the buyers cousin.
They had 10 days after the offer to inspect the house.
They sent the inspectors out at around 30 days.
Closing day, they wanted thousands of dollars to make unnecessary repairs.
I asked who ordered the inspections and the Realtor puffed up and said that it was what he was paid to do and it was his responsibility and he took care of it.
I slid the contract across the table to him and showed him the inspection clause. Immediatly, my closing realtor said that he was entitled to his commission and that he would be looking at whoever broke the deal.
It wasnt me...........
House closed. I gave them a half point, about a grand, to help with a few things I wont admit to.
 

infinity

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Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
masterinbama said:
It's the buyers HI and there mortgage company that's holding up the sale.

Do most mortgage companies now require inspections? I never had one when I purchased my home a number of years ago.
 
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