Can your inspector double as a repairman? That is a tough issue to answer, yet it occurs often.
As a stucco repair specialist, I’ve always thought that doing a moisture assessment/stucco inspection would be a conflict of interest. There is a fine line between educating a homeowner about stucco issues and notifying the homeowner about the expense of repairing the damage.
Here’s the Scenario
Let me tell you about something recent that occurred. A well-known general home inspector who also does moisture assessments and stucco inspections had inspected a new house for a luxury builder who was also a personal friend.
This inspector was well-known for doing the inspection and submitting estimates to fix any problems he found. He would then delegate project management to a family member. Because we knew this, the builder/friend requested that I join him in the reinspection because the previous inspection seemed “off.”
What We Did
I first called another close buddy and made an appointment for an hour after the reinspection. The work was made to get a repair quote for stucco repair.
After all, parties were on site for the stucco reinspection; the inspector began his tests. I immediately thought of this. Using a “wet wall meter” to check the inside walls of the house.
This experiment was carried out over the summer. It was rather hot and humid outside. Inside, the temperature was a comfortable 72 degrees. The home was about 7500 square feet, with magnificent marble flooring and 14-foot ceilings.
The Problem
This is important because stucco should NEVER be inspected from the inside. The moisture level will be skewed due to the humidity inside, resulting in false positives. As previously indicated, moisture must be measured outside so the meter’s prongs penetrate the plywood under the stucco.
Our inspector refuted this, pointing up many areas that he thought were drenched with water. We had him examine over 20 different sites, and he received extraordinarily high readings each time. Remember, this was a newly constructed home. These readings, although not impossible, were doubtful to be accurate.
The builder and inspector’s relationship became sour as the inspection went on. So the big question had to be asked. Please submit a proposal for repairing all of the damage.
The inspector responded no, but I asked when his next appointment was. He said it was nearly time for him to go to work. That’s when he was informed that he had a meeting scheduled for a stucco repair quote.
Conflict of Interest
This is crucial since we found dry conditions when we opened the wall from the outside in a sample of areas assessed and declared damaged by this inspector. The inspector needed to be corrected.
This raises the question of whether the inspector’s conclusions were correct. Was it a genuine blunder? Did he give false findings on purpose to get a repair contract?
This situation naturally involves a conflict of interest.
Your inspector should never be able to tell you what’s wrong with your home and then provide a quote to remedy it.
Would you be contacted if the inspection turned out to need to be corrected? Is it possible to challenge the inspector’s decision, and is there a return from the inspection or repair to ensure you are not paying for anything unnecessary?
It would help if you used an unbiased third-party examination and a stucco restoration contractor for your job. Honesty and integrity are indisputable. You can always rely on your inspector to ensure that the stucco work is done correctly. You may always rely on your stucco contractor if the report misses something or produces a false positive.
You Can Trust CMB Jersey City Stucco & EIFS Repair
At CMB Jersey City Stucco & EIFS Repair, we avoid conflicts of interest. CMB Jersey City Stucco & EIFS Repair would never offer to inspect your stucco home. We can link you with several good inspectors. We specialize in stucco home repair.
In case you have any inquiries, contact us. Need anything else? With us. About what ICMB Jersey City Stucco & EIFS Repair can do for you!
