Occasionally a Seller or a Seller’s agent will call me up after a home inspection and call me a few names, some of which I’ve never heard before. The object of their ire is usually something in the home inspection report that is “irresponsible” or “down right wrong” or “simply not true.” For example, following is a picture of a roof of an enclosed patio.

Whenever I find something “interesting” that looks like it might have been done by Harry Homeowner or Wally the Weekend Warrior, I always try to be somewhat kind in my report. I’ve heard some inspectors say that they stated something like “Repairs were done by someone who didn’t know what he was doing.” I hope they’re just talking bravado, but one never knows. While such a statement might be true, I don’t believe that putting judgmental statements in a report is very professional.

For the roof in the above picture, I stated that “Non-standard repairs had been made to the enclosed patio roof.” The listing agent took umbrage with my use of the word “non-standard” because the Seller had provided her with the receipt for the work, which had been done in preparation for selling. It had, indeed, been done by ABC Roof Repairs and even had their state license number, which she was kind enough to read to me.

Folks, just because you have something done by a licensed professional doesn’t necessarily mean that the work was done professionally or in a “workmanlike manner.” When the professional leaves, have a look at the work that s/he did, or have a third party look at it.

I have specifically found that when the work is “out of sight, out of mind” it also quite often is “out of this world” and “beyond belief.”

I have no clue why the professional roofer painted the brick patterns on that roof.

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