TOPIC: Common Cracks

When you find common cracking in say a concrete slab floor do you call this out in Red or just as an observation in say blue ?

Jim

Each to their own but I am not a fan of rating defects.  A defect is a defect is a defect.  Unless your state mandates specific rules for reporting defects, I would put them all in red.  Talk with your client.  Let them know about how you report that something is not correct.  It is not up to us to determine for the client what is important to them and what isn't.  If you feel something is uber-important, then put the reasoning in the narrative for that specific defect.  I list every defect in red, regardless of how big or small.

And on a second and intertwined subject, this is why I print the summary at the end.  I tell the client that there will be red ink throughout the report and those items will all be included on the summary at the end as well.  If you don't talk with your client and pre-warn them about the red ink, they can panic for no reason at all.  If I were looking at a report and the first 10 or 12 pages were solid red defects, I may not read the rest of the report.  Buyer's remorse may set in and blow a deal for absolutely no reason other than the order in which things are listed in the report.  Inform your client, don't scare them to death.

Thanks Stephan, I actually do exactly the same as you.  I explain my report format and colors to them at the beginning of my inspection.  I was just curious about this 1 particular defect as I do put them and ALL deficiencies in red.  Just that Friday I got into an argument with some dip shittt REA that told me and the client that a common crack was nothing to be concerned with at all.  I told them that they were absolutely wrong and were they willing to take full liability for any future damage?  of course they shut their trap after that.


Jim

Yeah, there are some used house sales people that will say and do just about anything to keep a deal from flipping.  I had hoped the 3 year down turn would leave some of them looking for some other job.

As for the crack, I would show more or less concern based on whether the crack is in say a Family Room floor or a garage floor.  You never know what prep work went on prior to pouring the slab and type of moisture conditions are present in the area.  That is one of those items that needs future monitoring as part of a regular home maintenance program...... just like checking big trees after large wind storms and retaining walls after prolonged heavy rains.

Crack is a crack is a crack. All concrete cracks.
Whether or not it is a defect, depends on whether or not you can determine the cause of the crack if bigger than a dime edge.
How and why a slab cracks is a whole ballgame all its own.

Note what you see in black or red if you know for a fact that it is a defefect.

Just got back from my mom's house for her 89th birthday.  My dad poured his concrete foundation, garage slab, and driveway, by hand with a personal cement mixer, a shovel and a wheelbarrow.  That was 1952 in the SoCal Santa Barbara earthquake zone.  He watered it 3 or 4 times a day and covered it with burlap bags.  Foundation -- NO Cracks.  Garage slab -- NO Cracks.  Driveway, 2 cracks at the approach where he was running out of concrete and had to throw all the beer cans in the void to have enough concrete to finish the job.  60 years old.... 2 cracks.  It is all about the pour and care afterwards.  Time is better than chemicals for curing.