home inspectors

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wireman1

wireman1

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an older couple who i know wants to sell their home. the bank sent in a home inspector to check out the residence.one the things he told them the receptables above the baseboard had to be capped off and add new receptables such as floor recptables.the home was built in 1960 and was the rule about recptables above baseboard heat even in that code cycle or dont it matter and the owner must still correct this problem before selling wich is going to be quite expencive
 
Unless there are local laws requiring these items to be brought up to current standards the home inspectors report is just suggestions.

If the items get repaired is an item of negotiation between the seller and buyer.
 
Is it electric baseboard heat? If so does the instructions for the heat tell you that you can't install receptacles above the units?
 
:grin: You know I can not again let the opportunity slip by..another incident where a unqualified inspector doing licensed work..You must be licensed to perform any type of electrical work including inspections..there are no laws exempting people..If you except cash for electrical work of any form you must be licensed..the only benefit to the homeowner from this inspection is worry and fright..now you buy a house as is and if there is a hazard and it is negligence you sue the previous owner..HI just gets cash and has no responsibility for nothing and does licensed work illegally..
 
What too many HI forget is the code has changed often in 50 years.What is illegal in one might be fine next door.Problem is seller might agree to fix even if not illegal just to close the sale.
 
jim w in tampa

jim w in tampa

jim i am not the home inspector .i deal with these hi a lot of times and some of the home inspectors should definently not be inspecting especially electrical work.
 
yes thank You..I really feel that the opportunity to do good for home owners should be done by licensed professionals..any real estate agent that is good can pick up on the same things a HI can..yet you still buy homes as is, I know no one who warranties a home..
 
wireman1 said:
jim i am not the home inspector .i deal with these hi a lot of times and some of the home inspectors should definently not be inspecting especially electrical work.
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I agee,even after being an electrician 25 years i would find it hard to know if something was legal at time built.Home owners are not required to bring anything up to new codes.Also hard to believe they know enough about all the trades to inspect.Bottom line is they dont pay for what they miss or for the cost of an electrician that was not needed.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
What too many HI forget is the code has changed often in 50 years.What is illegal in one might be fine next door.Problem is seller might agree to fix even if not illegal just to close the sale.
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Ask a home inspector where GFCI's should be in a house and he will pick up a copy of the latest code and recite ALL the locations.

It doesn'e seem to matter what year the house was built. They all seem to think that a house built in 1950 should have GFCI's in it.
 
roger3829 said:
They all seem to think that a house built in 1950 should have GFCI's in it.
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Should ... must ... 2 different things. First, I'm an engineer, not an electrician, but IMO the bath, kitchen counter, and outdoor receptacles SHOULD be GFCI, and I had them replaced in 2 older homes ... material cost at each house was under $100.00, the electrician was a friend and did the work for $50.00 and a couple of malt beverages. Counting driving, (but not the time enjoying each others company) it took him under 2 hours.

Could I have sold the house without it ... one in NC, one in SC, yes. But I understand there are locations where SOME OCCUPANCIES are required to upgrade SOME LOCATIONS to current codes.
 
GeorgeB said:
Should ... must ... 2 different things. First, I'm an engineer, not an electrician, but IMO the bath, kitchen counter, and outdoor receptacles SHOULD be GFCI, and I had them replaced in 2 older homes ... material cost at each house was under $100.00, the electrician was a friend and did the work for $50.00 and a couple of malt beverages. Counting driving, (but not the time enjoying each others company) it took him under 2 hours.

Could I have sold the house without it ... one in NC, one in SC, yes. But I understand there are locations where SOME OCCUPANCIES are required to upgrade SOME LOCATIONS to current codes.
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You are right, big difference between "should" and "must".

They all seem to forget that difference and just tell the homeowner that they "MUST" have GFCI's all over the place.
 
This is my first response to another persons posting. I think that, that inspector is doing his job. In my opinion I feel that receptacles are a hazard above Electric baseboard heaters and that should be brought to the attention of the home owner and the bank. You are correct when you said that it would be grandfathered in and would not be a code violation but it is still a hazard.
 
billisa67 said:
This is my first response to another persons posting. I think that, that inspector is doing his job. In my opinion I feel that receptacles are a hazard above Electric baseboard heaters and that should be brought to the attention of the home owner and the bank. You are correct when you said that it would be grandfathered in and would not be a code violation but it is still a hazard.
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He inspected and that was his job.Past that we now deal with if he was correct.It likely was legal at time house was built.Thats not saying safe but legal.We now need to read the words on his report word by word.Did he say must be replaced or suggested ?Bank has right to say they demand but usually its the insurance company at risk.Most older houses get sold as is.Buyer can get it inspected but not force repairs.Price might make it still good deal to take with faults.
 
You know when the outlets were installed, was probably before the electric heaters were installed..then someone came along and installed the heaters for what ever reason..You can find this in any number of homes in this country and you will find over the holiday season Christmas trees in front of the heaters and cords plugged into them..you can judge anything you want but why would you want the mortgage company to be involved in dictating how you sell your home..I don't understand why you guys feel HI are so important..For years now people have been buying and selling house just fine and the program still works the same..So someone wants to buy a house in another state site unseen so he hires someone to check it out for him..Now we think they are some kind of requirment..I really don't understand why you would even support the unqualified doing nothing but taking cash and creating fear..plus have no liability at all for what they do..I am still amazed that the public feels these guys are something special..all they do is steal from you for an unnecessary service..the American way..
 
cschmid said:
You know when the outlets were installed, was probably before the electric heaters were installed..then someone came along and installed the heaters for what ever reason..You can find this in any number of homes in this country and you will find over the holiday season Christmas trees in front of the heaters and cords plugged into them..you can judge anything you want but why would you want the mortgage company to be involved in dictating how you sell your home..I don't understand why you guys feel HI are so important..For years now people have been buying and selling house just fine and the program still works the same..So someone wants to buy a house in another state site unseen so he hires someone to check it out for him..Now we think they are some kind of requirment..I really don't understand why you would even support the unqualified doing nothing but taking cash and creating fear..plus have no liability at all for what they do..I am still amazed that the public feels these guys are something special..all they do is steal from you for an unnecessary service..the American way..
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Thats taking it bit far.For some they have no idea what there looking at.For them its likely a good idea.Whats wrong is the lack of training most have.Personally it might be smarter to hire an electrician for an hour of his time.When he walks away you know have estimate on idems he found.He likely will SUGGEST gfci recepts in kitchen,bath ,etc.Then again he might find a fed pacif panel.Paying for good advice is worth it.

Banks have one thing needed for that sale so yes they can say no to any home.
 
I may be over the top but I think you pay an eelectrricain an hour and you got the best you can get..Same with the mechanical and structuale and it is cheap as an HI and you got it from professionals..So why do we give our business away to the unqualified..
 
Along these lines, what are the general requirements in your areas as far as when installations must be brought up to current code (residential)?

For example, after the POCO disconnects my service so I could have my service changed to PVC (remodeling the exterior on my house), service conductors, grounding, bonding, etc needed to conform to current standards before they reconnected.

Do any jurisdictions require further changes for current code compliance?

Kent
 
cschmid said:
:grin: You know I can not again let the opportunity slip by..another incident where a unqualified inspector doing licensed work..You must be licensed to perform any type of electrical work including inspections..there are no laws exempting people..If you except cash for electrical work of any form you must be licensed..the only benefit to the homeowner from this inspection is worry and fright..now you buy a house as is and if there is a hazard and it is negligence you sue the previous owner..HI just gets cash and has no responsibility for nothing and does licensed work illegally..
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Uhh, I periodically inspect work for people and accept compensation for that. If someone hires a licensed journeyman electrician to inspect a premises, you think that is illegal? I'm not performing electrical work, I'm performing a service. Is that really sidework?

When the inevitable invitation to perform the work comes along, I hand them a business card for my master electrician buddy who gets paid to deal with such headaches, and needs the work. :)
 
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