TOPIC: One comment to appear in multiple sections.

Hey guys!

I was wondering if anybody out there (mainly in TX, because that's where I am and I'd like to get Y'All opinions) ever need to put a comment in multiple areas of the report?
For instance, a leaking whirlpool drain on the 2nd floor which made significant damage. I would put that in Plumbing system Drains, Wastes and Vents, but also in the Hydro-Massage Therapy Equipment, in the Ceilings & Floor section and maybe in the Walls section if needed.
Would it be possible, difficult to add some sort of option to click in the program so that a comment can be added to multiple sections at the same time? (I guess that would also mean having that same comment multiple times in the summary page if the comment is in red)

Thanks

Hi Will,

Personally, I try to put a "Full" description in one particular section in the report(sometimes I duplicate it with copy/paste).  Usually when multiple sections overlap as you described, I'll also put a brief description in the additional section, and reference back to where the key problem area seems to appear; example...

SPA TUB; Spa tube functioned as intended, however, leakage appears to be occurring; Water marks are noted on the family room ceiling below.  A licensed plumber should be contacted for further evaluation and estimate repairs and necessary.

INTERIOR CEILINGS: Ceiling in family room show signs of water damage. Ceiling is below the the master bedroom spa tub. Further evaluation will be need by a qualified contractor and plumber(Also see SPA TUB section under MASTER BEDROOM).

Sorry..I'm not from Texas, but my great grandfather did fight against Pancho Villa

If you repeat the same issue in multiple sections, you will be working on our reports for hours.  It is only a defect once, mention it once.  No need to fill your report with fluff or repetition.  JMHO.

Thanks for the input guys!
It is my understanding that in TX we have to write up the deficiencies in all areas of the report where they "apply". I completely agree about the fluff and would prefer not to do it as it does add on to writing time and space on the report, but this is the way I was trained to write the reports and have been doing it for a couple years now.  ???
It will be a question I will ask for sure when I do my CE on TREC SOP. It would be nice to see what more seasoned TX inspectors say/do.

So, I wrote TREC and this is their reply to my question:

When an item is deficient and is connected to multiple systems, does this deficiency have to be repeated in the different systems?

Here is the answer I got from:
Sharon Harris
Attorney/Mediator
Standards & Enforcement Commission
Texas Real Estate Commission

"Yes, a deficiency that affects more than one system should generally be reported in both/all systems affected by the deficiency."

So there we have it...

And before anybody replies anything about the word "generally" that she added, I will say that in any case, just to CMA, I will copy and past the deficiencies that affected the different systems, in their respective systems at the time of the inspection.

Now, for Dom, would it be possible/easy to make something up so that we could click on a deficiency and then click copy to... then select the different systems it would apply to?

Hmm, this seems really odd to me. I'm going to look into this some more.