Sagging Roof Insight

[CLETUS]

Normally if the buyer's inspection reveals $5,000.00 in needed repairs that would be deducted from the agreed upon pricing.  But if the customer knew of the needed repairs in advance because he had seen the seller's inspection report, then he would not have that option.  It would be a part of the description of the property (assuming he decided to show the inspection report). 

It seemed like a good idea to me.  What do you think?

It is still a negotiation.

[Snipe Hunter]

Recently a friend was selling his house.  I suggested that he have a house inspection done before he made the sale for two reasons:

1.  It would let him know what a buyer's inspection will reveal and he could decide if he wanted to make those corrections in advance.
2.  If he decided to reveal the inspection report to the potential buyer anything that was revealed within the report would not have to result in a price adjustment after the buyer's inspection. 

Normally if the buyer's inspection reveals $5,000.00 in needed repairs that would be deducted from the agreed upon pricing.  But if the customer knew of the needed repairs in advance because he had seen the seller's inspection report, then he would not have that option.  It would be a part of the description of the property (assuming he decided to show the inspection report). 

It seemed like a good idea to me.  What do you think?

The downside would be that the seller's inspector finds things that the buyer's inspector would have missed.  But I don't think you can count on that happening.

Not sure about your state but if a seller or agent knows of any serious problems and does not disclose them he is breaking the law. That's why some folks don't want to do a pre sales inspection but I still do a few.

I don't know anything about the $5000 number. Never heard of that.

The areas I am inspecting in are fairly hot markets. Nice homes have severl offers the day it goes on the market. I inspected one last week that needed all the gutters removed, rotted facia boards replaced, new wood soffit (3ft overhang) and repair any unseen damage once they get it all off.Maybe the roof decking and truss ends will be rotted also. It was caused by inserting those open cell foam gutter guards and never cleaning off the top to water was running behind the gutters. Stupid product.  And the chimney re-pointed. The buyer didn't blink. They were just thrilled to be the high bid. This was a 650k 2000 sq ft rancher. That house easily needs 5k in repairs.

[MstrCarpenter]

how do you keep the wire from just relaxing in between the times you put weight on it? Or does it pull back in and stay?

I was laying out the roof of my shed ant that got me wondering if they just got the angle of the cut on the rafters wrong, and that exaggerates the problem a bit.

The weight stay on the cables 'til the rafter ties are secured. The easiest way I've found is to run the cables through concrete blocks. I did an old colonial with a walk-up attic. The cables fit between the roof boards on top of the rafters. I used small lags to keep the loop from sliding up the rafter, and in this case I laid planks on the cables and loaded concrete blocks on top. I took it nice and slow over a full week; nothing broke or split, but some shingles on the ridge cap buckled.

[Mr_Mike]

By the time this thread is finished LWB will have built his two story addition in its place.

[Large Wooden Badger]

I was just going to post something to that regard.

[geek2me]

2.  If he decided to reveal the inspection report to the potential buyer anything that was revealed within the report would not have to result in a price adjustment after the buyer's inspection. 

Normally if the buyer's inspection reveals $5,000.00 in needed repairs that would be deducted from the agreed upon pricing.  But if the customer knew of the needed repairs in advance because he had seen the seller's inspection report, then he would not have that option.  It would be a part of the description of the property (assuming he decided to show the inspection report).

A couple of issues:
1. If the inspector finds anything, the seller has to disclose it - even if it is wrong
2. Inspection reports are usually written as only for the benefit of the buyer of the report - so the seller cannot share the report with the buyer, per the contract.

Best advise is to only hire an inspector who is also a Professional Engineer (PE) - they are the only ones that have any real responsibility for their reports.  A licensed inspector who is not a PE is usually only responsible up to the cost of inspection.

All inspectors miss things, it's essentially impossible not to miss anything, since they cannot see inside the walls and other "non-visible" conditions.

[geek2me]

Not sure about your state but if a seller or agent knows of any serious problems and does not disclose them he is breaking the law. That's why some folks don't want to do a pre sales inspection but I still do a few.

Not sure how it might be elsewhere, but in my state an inspection report releases the seller from liability for non-disclosure.  If I ever sell another house, I will get a PE in do to an inspection before I list it and complete the disclosure form, to protect myself.

[Snipe Hunter]

A couple of issues:
1. If the inspector finds anything, the seller has to disclose it - even if it is wrong
2. Inspection reports are usually written as only for the benefit of the buyer of the report - so the seller cannot share the report with the buyer, per the contract.

Best advise is to only hire an inspector who is also a Professional Engineer (PE) - they are the only ones that have any real responsibility for their reports.  A licensed inspector who is not a PE is usually only responsible up to the cost of inspection.

All inspectors miss things, it's essentially impossible not to miss anything, since they cannot see inside the walls and other "non-visible" conditions.

It's true that the buyer of the report owns the report and doesn't have to share it with anyone. I have to keep a copy but I don't own the copy. I can't even modify it without written permission from the owner. Usually the buyer's agent shares a few clips, or pages with the seller's agent. I have to get a signature just so the buyers agent can see the report. But... the owner  of the report can do as he/she pleases with it except make it public. He can make it public if everything identifying the property, address or owner is removed and even all pictures need to be eliminated from the report.

[Cooler]

It is still a negotiation.

A couple of issues:
1. If the inspector finds anything, the seller has to disclose it - even if it is wrong
2. Inspection reports are usually written as only for the benefit of the buyer of the report - so the seller cannot share the report with the buyer, per the contract.

Best advise is to only hire an inspector who is also a Professional Engineer (PE) - they are the only ones that have any real responsibility for their reports.  A licensed inspector who is not a PE is usually only responsible up to the cost of inspection.

All inspectors miss things, it's essentially impossible not to miss anything, since they cannot see inside the walls and other "non-visible" conditions.

My electrician said that the local inspectors miss so many electrical issues that if I bought another house I should have a supplemental inspection done by  an electrician.  

I have not bought another house so it has not come up as an issue yet.