Where has Tuna been?

I am not sure how many care how much, but there are reasons other than laziness for none of my build threads being updated in months.

On April 28th, we closed on a bigger house, with a homeschool room, in a nice neighborhood, at a reasonable cost. It even had a bigger yard and a shed, so the garage could be utilized better. Bigger attic space, everything was pretty much better other than the HVAC was pretty old. We held $12K back from the sale, making sure we had room for furniture, working appliances and HVAC dangers.

Since then, every toilet leaked, the water line to the refrigerator leaked, rot was found under and all around a door, the windows were found to be poorly installed, some leaking badly, the shower was leaky and moldy, we decided to build a big kitchen island to use as a kitchen bar/table, and several light fixtures and faucets were replaced.

We also went on vacation to Kitty Hawk, celebrated ten years, and built a workbench for the kids hobby room.

I still am VERY far behind on many many projects. The $12K is completely gone, and debt is coming. We got our $400 back from the home inspector though, ca-ching!

EVERYTHING has been a complete and total fight. Every toilet seal, every board, every piece of sheetrock, everything I ordered (shower, and the door are the huge offenders, but there are many others) went wrong in some annoying and expensive way.

Take it as the truck build, just less automotive and less hobby. It's like buying a $20K used car that you sort-of can afford and finding out it was a flood car, that had been stolen, and in several accidents, after the engine and transmission were swapped out for junkyard pieces with a long expired 30 day warranty on half price day, but having no Lemon Law, because you can't return a house.

Anyway, I'm still here. Just with less money and less time than before, as if that was even a thing. I tried to spend more money that we don't have on a laptop, but of course we're three days into trying to buy it and still nothing, so who knows?

Here are some pictures for your enjoyment (click it).

Glad you're back Tuna!

I see a lot happening in Tuna life!

MAn that sucks. Good luck. Shouldn't you be able to get back more than just your $400 from the inspector if he/she missed all the issues?

MAn that sucks. Good luck. Shouldn't you be able to get back more than just your $400 from the inspector if he/she missed all the issues?

Adrian_Thompson wrote: MAn that sucks. Good luck. Shouldn't you be able to get back more than just your $400 from the inspector if he/she missed all the issues?

proof!

I can't prove that he should have seen something. The report is half report and half disclaimer. In essence, they are responsible for their fee, and that's only if they are nice.

Likewise with the house. Despite trying to talk to the previous owner, I am unable to PROVE that they knew about these issues. As if it's completely OK that it rained inside three times in our first month, but in six years they never noticed.

In reply to tuna55:

I think you would have better luck going after the owner. It just cost more money. Did they not do a disclosure form?

Small steps. Prioritize. Don't let it get you down. Friend of mine wound up killing himself (litterally) over a worse house than that. So don't get too worked up over it. 1. Roof. 2. Bathroom. 3. Fridge. Or maybe 1. Fridge, 2 Bathroom, 3. Roof. Whatever, just small steps.

My projects have been on hold for months just because I couldn't afford to do anything with them, and I've made no other progress to speak of in that time, so to me it looks like you're doing good! And I've felt no urge to apologize for or even explain any of this - but I guess anyone who follows my build threads, or notices the incredibly long-term nature of my modest plans, would've spotted the pattern by now.

(will get some movement on the Toyota in the next couple of weeks, if anyone's curious Maybe physical movement on the back of a truck...)

spitfirebill wrote: In reply to tuna55: I think you would have better luck going after the owner. It just cost more money. Did they not do a disclosure form?

We can't prove they knew something which contradicts the disclosure. They could have just been ignorant idiots without an idea that their house was a total leaky mess...

It would probably cost us more to lawyer up than just to fix it. The lawyer didn't even call us back.

Dr. Hess wrote: Small steps. Prioritize. Don't let it get you down. Friend of mine wound up killing himself (litterally) over a worse house than that. So don't get too worked up over it. 1. Roof. 2. Bathroom. 3. Fridge. Or maybe 1. Fridge, 2 Bathroom, 3. Roof. Whatever, just small steps.

Oh, I'll make it. It's just stuff, and I still have faith, family, friends and a job.

It's just annoying and expensive. Painting, sheetrock and plumbing are like my least favorite things, and it's basically all I do nowadays.

tuna55 wrote:

Dr. Hess wrote: Small steps. Prioritize. Don't let it get you down. Friend of mine wound up killing himself (litterally) over a worse house than that. So don't get too worked up over it. 1. Roof. 2. Bathroom. 3. Fridge. Or maybe 1. Fridge, 2 Bathroom, 3. Roof. Whatever, just small steps.

Oh, I'll make it. It's just stuff, and I still have faith, family, friends and a job. It's just annoying and expensive. Painting, sheetrock and plumbing are like my least favorite things, and it's basically all I do nowadays.

Yes you will make it. And when you get there, it will be great.

for plumbing issues, use sharkbites (and for toilets, spend the extra $1 to upgrade from the wax ring to the rubber 'funnel'). OMG changed my life for toilet jobs.

I'll give you painting and sheetrock though. Awful, awful jobs.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wax-Free-Toilet-Seal-for-3-5-in-Drain-Pipe-FTS-4CF/203349073?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-VF-PLA-D26P-Plumbing%7c&gclid=CjwKEAjw7qi7BRCvsr3N58GvsTkSJAA3UzLv-APuvdvwLR4bfwcK2zdeizAGiT63VvGa4Nz3yxEvqxoCspXw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

No flashing around window's is a pet peeve of mine. A lot of new houses don't have the flashing and it's just dumb.

I'll be keeping you and your family in my prayers, man.

If you need a hand, now that I am somewhat healed up, just let me know. I may not know a whole lot, but I'm a good G.P.B.

I wasn't kidding when I told you I'd come help if you need it. Just ask.

Aside from the windows ive enjoyed lots of the same issues. Big one was the furnace. My inspector was useless. Good luck

Keep plugging away I got a "fixer upper" 7 years ago and it is still a "fixer upper"

I agree it's best to fix what you can and move forward.

I have s F-I-Law that rehashes over and over problems from 30-40 years ago. We always tell him to stop and move forward. Discussing past problems is exhausting.

I too will pray for patience for you and Mrs Tuna.

I feel your pain Tuna. I've been trying to polish the turd that is my house for over a decade, it won't let me fix anything by the book, or on the first try.

Are there any competent home inspectors, and if so, where do I find them? If they really know their stuff, why aren't they working as contractors instead?

HappyAndy wrote: Are there any competent home inspectors, and if so, where do I find them? If they really know their stuff, why aren't they working as contractors instead?

Yes. I am one. There are many, many more.

The reason most good Home Inspectors are not working as Contractors is, basically, because they are NOT Contractors. They are Home Inspectors. Different licensing, different qualifications.

A good Contractor knows how to build. A good Home Inspector knows how to identify potential issues in a property. Very few Contractors are capable of providing the kind of in-depth detailed reporting required in home inspections. They also don't carry E&O insurance, aren't necessarily good at written communication, aren't necessarily well-versed in legal affairs required for Home Inspectors.

The LAST person I would want for a home inspection is a Contractor.

I am both a Home Inspector and a licensed Contractor. I am currently inactive as a Contractor, and recently began home inspections.

The reasons I am inactive are a) Work slowed to a crawl, b) My marketing capability as a contractor wasn't good enough to keep pace with the market, c) I decided to focus my efforts on Commercial Construction Management, d) My age is now limiting my ability to start over with the physical exertion at 150% after the economic downturn.

I avoided home inspections for 30 years because it felt like a conflict of interest while I was primarily doing contracting. I was trying to represent a buyer's interests and identify as many problems as I could, yet I was able to offer my construction services to fix any problem encountered. So, I didn't do home inspections. I recently started doing home inspections because I am no longer doing residential contracting, so there is no longer a conflict of interest. It's a way of capturing my knowledge base and utilizing it in an effective way.

I believe 99% of unhappy experiences with Home Inspectors have to do with a fundamental misunderstanding of the job of a Home Inspector on the part of the client. We are not magicians, and can not see through walls. We can't tell the future, nor the past. We can't tell you how long something will last, nor how well it was put together before it was covered up. ALL professional associations for Home Inspectors have standards that define the scope of the work, and they ALL clearly define it as a visual inspection ONLY. That means if we can't see the problem, we don't take anything apart to find it.

Consumers make the mistake of assuming a Home Inspector is their insurance policy. That's not my job. My job is to use my knowledge and help you make an informed decision based on what I can see in a property at the time that I see it.

Honestly, poor experiences with a Home Inspector usually have a lot to do with the customer failing to properly vet the inspector and check his references. Do your homework, and don't hire the first guy the Realtor recommends (Realtors work for sellers. It's not in their best interest to find you a good Home Inspector. Home Inspectors work for buyers).

If you want to properly vet a Home Inspector, ask for references and FOLLOW THEM UP. Check with banks, look at a completed sample report, confirm their membership in a professional association, confirm their current license, read the inspection standards, check with the Better Business Bureau, and the local Board of Realtors.

Most people just call the guy "their" Realtor recommended. That's not smart.

Robbie wrote:

tuna55 wrote:

Dr. Hess wrote: Small steps. Prioritize. Don't let it get you down. Friend of mine wound up killing himself (litterally) over a worse house than that. So don't get too worked up over it. 1. Roof. 2. Bathroom. 3. Fridge. Or maybe 1. Fridge, 2 Bathroom, 3. Roof. Whatever, just small steps.

Oh, I'll make it. It's just stuff, and I still have faith, family, friends and a job. It's just annoying and expensive. Painting, sheetrock and plumbing are like my least favorite things, and it's basically all I do nowadays.

Yes you will make it. And when you get there, it will be great. for plumbing issues, use sharkbites (and for toilets, spend the extra $1 to upgrade from the wax ring to the rubber 'funnel'). OMG changed my life for toilet jobs. I'll give you painting and sheetrock though. Awful, awful jobs. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wax-Free-Toilet-Seal-for-3-5-in-Drain-Pipe-FTS-4CF/203349073?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-VF-PLA-D26P-Plumbing%7c&gclid=CjwKEAjw7qi7BRCvsr3N58GvsTkSJAA3UzLv-APuvdvwLR4bfwcK2zdeizAGiT63VvGa4Nz3yxEvqxoCspXw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I did that the second time I did one of the toilets. It's not exactly the same as you showed, but the same idea.

Can't do sharkbites on 2" PVC...

Antihero wrote: No flashing around window's is a pet peeve of mine. A lot of new houses don't have the flashing and it's just dumb.

1998

No flashing

No house wrap

Missing sections of OSB sheeting

Loose fitting windows

Missing window flanges in sections

Improper stud mountings around windows

It goes on... They probably saved like $125 in material though.

In reply to SVreX:

I recognize and appreciate your genuine offer

(for those not in the know, SVREX and I spent an hour on the phone educating me on how to fix the door situation, he offered to drive up the four hours to come help me)

I could not possibly impose that on you though. Anyway, it's down to sheetrock and the shower door and the island now. Nothing too critical, just pain-in-the-ass-ish.

My home inspector came with a glowing recommendation - my own! I used the same dude on my last house and was really happy with the report and his findings. In this case, he was off his game. He never pulled out the moisture meter even after finding the loose toilet. He missed the loose light fixture outside, he missed the rotting door (and we're not talking about X ray vision here, Tunawife found it!!) and that was enough that I asked him for a refund.

You're really scaring me here. About to close on our forever home on the 5th.

tuna55 wrote: Oh, I'll make it. It's just stuff, and I still have faith, family, friends and a job. It's just annoying and expensive.

At least you have the right outlook! Sorry to hear about all the problems. We'll be here when the build threads get resurrected.

I'm pretty happy i'm in a rent to own situation in my brother's old house. I can rent for as long as I want before turning the rent into a mortgage payment, meaning i can take my sweet time spotting all the issues. So far the basement has flooded. That wasn't fun, but it did only take me a solid day's worth of work to fix the issue for good. I fixed that (new window cover, gutter cleaning, repair, and adding a downspout, addition of a water alarm just in case) because I plan to buy the place as soon as my old house closes (have a buyer already, just going through the process). I had my brother pay the air conditioner repair guy because i'm renting, the land lord should pay!

Also go kart pictures FTW!