TOPIC: Being a Deal Killer

deal killer, observe & report if the person buys the house or does not buy the house has nothing to do with me, I know for a fact that Saturdays inspection changed the clients mind about this property, I know because 1.5 hrs into the inspection he asked me to stop
I have REA's that use me but I'm not influenced by their opinion I never have or never will write a soft report and I'm proud of that fact.

If your talking about silicone caulking around the fixtures to prevent water intrusion, then yes it would make my summary report.  But not in red:) If it's new construction then the builder should have applied it, if it's an older home, I recommend it as a maintenance issue.

My understanding is that if there is an item that needs service that it should go on the summary report. As far as the number of pages is concerned. All my summary reports are 15 pages and its because I include a picture with every defect. At times I take over two hundred pics. I feel that this is an important technique because if I tell the home owner in my report that the PRV is leaking at the water heater heater, it will mean nothing to him. If I had a pic at least it gives him a reference point. If I bury a impalement hazard or a outlet with out a cover in the body of my report and a child falls on the re-bar stake or sticks a screw driver in the open portion of the outlet then I would feel partially liable. These are not defects but simple maintenance type items that could lead to a lot worse. I think I agree to disagree.

Ooooh.  I don't use red! It scares away business. Everything that needs repair goes in blue and suggestions or material lists are in black. I see I didn't know that people were using multiple font colors in the summary. I understand now. It makes sense. I differentiate the really important defects by writing about them in the summary disclaimer paragraph.

If I report to the home owner that the electrical panel is using a GE panel and there are breakers being used that are made by a different company which technically is a fire hazard. If I say that the white wire is normally a neutral wire but is being used as a hot feed and it should be wrapped in black tape. If I say that there are knockouts inside the panel that are not being used to supply wire into the panel and therefore should be sealed. ETC. ETC I see these things on every house and there completely insignificant for the most part. A inexperienced home owner just heard fire hazard, unsafe, house burn down, DONT BUY. And for what because I watched NACHI TV electrical episode 2 and have learned enough to kill a deal.

Each inspector does his or her report in a different way.  I include the pictures in the main body of my report which is typically around 24 pages or so.  I then take the issues I feel need immediate attention, like the one's you listed above and include them in my summary report.  If it is a safety issue, or even an issue that will cost a substantial amount of money to fix or replace, then it get's put in red.  I can only imagine how much of the report actually get's read.  I am guessing the majority just scan it.  So I want to make sure it sticks out and makes them pause to read it.  The reason I don't include the pics in the summary, is that realtor's will normally send this along with the response to the seller, and they just want the facts/description.  Pic's don't fax well anyway.