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I make a lot of recommendations for home repairs. One of the most common is for HVAC professionals, and there is a company I have been recommending for years. No more. I actually used to have their business card on my website, but after today’s inspection I have taken it down. Here Read more
I just got this inspection request. We inspect it all, including homes for pigs. Pictures to come later!
Sometimes you are asked to look at “repair” work on the homes we inspect. This home has a metal roof a masonry chimney. The mortar cap is gapping allowing rain to enter the hollow bricks. This was a major concern and I called for professional repairs. Today I got an email Read more
There are so many things wrong with this sink can you spot the issues here? That p trap os too deep Double p-trap Accordion drains are not “listed plumping part” and not code. But they sell them at the hardware store of course. Sink leaking. Besides those issues the sink Read more
Usually, I am a big fan of metal roofs the materials can last a very long time. But as in any roofing project, it takes a trained and qualified craftsman following manufacturer’s installation instructions. This roof has planes are not laying flat, and a raised seam roof must have flat planes Read more
So proud of our students! We had a great class and they all did great. Happy to teach them and see them launch their careers. Congratulation to all our students, look forward to seeing you in the field soon. Our next class is just a few coming up fast, call Read more
We love to hear from our former students and follow their progress as they get their licenses. Brian, Adam and Kristine were all super sharp students, and we had no doubt they would all get their licenses. By the way, we have one of the best referral networks around. When Read more
This million plus dollar home had a lot of issues, just because a home is expensive and beautiful doesn’t mean it doesn’t have problems. This home has a regular basement flooding problem, so the homeowner decided to install a sump pump that dumps into a bathtub! It is wrong on Read more
Some of the best study materials are the quizzes we give our students. The class is now taking a 100 question electrical quiz, soon we go over the answers. These are all eye-opening experiences, testing the knowledge you just learned a couple days ago. Here are some sample questions: How many feet Read more
We lost a colleague the other day in Florida. This tragedy reminds us to always use the utmost care when inspecting homes. He was killed using a pole camera when it touched a power line. There are dozens of items we look at that where there can be significant risks. May William Spear rest in Read more
Our list is always growing. We are proud of our graduates and happy to make referrals. We have licensed inspector referrals from all over Washington State. All our members have completed our rigorous training program and mentored by licensed inspectors. All inspections are performed to Washington State Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. These high standards Read more
They are taking their final exams, soon we pass out certificates and enjoy an adult beverage to celebrate with our students. Our next class starts in just a few weeks!
We have taught this class a dozen times now and we have had many requests for a class that can be completed within a 2 week period. We have heard you and the next upcoming class will also be taught on Monday to Saturday on 2 consecutive weeks. That is 12 Read more
Yesterday the sun came out so we took a short walk around the neighborhood. We always find great examples to share. Within 2 blocks we have almost every type of siding and roofing. These walks really help students to recognize different products, how they are installed and in some instances, how Read more
Interested in a Home Inspection Career? School of Professional Home Inspection (SOPHI) is your first step toward becoming a Licensed Home Inspector, offering interactive and informative course material taught by experienced professionals who truly value your long-term success, even beyond the classroom. Whether you plan to join an established team Read more
Have you noticed groups wandering around Burien looking at buildings? There is nothing to fear, they are students of The School of Professional Home Inspections (sophi.biz) and their mentors, JJ and Suzanne Greive pointing out issues on one of their local walkabouts. How many re-roofs? Dunno, too many! “We Read more
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A couple pictures from the latest field training day. In this session, we did some drone photography.
Found a few gems today! Siding is not structural, and you cant attach metal hangers on it. This deck is really large, you could have dozens of people on it at the same time, it will need significant repairs We would really like to see it constructed with these metal Read more
We take walks around the neighborhood with the class. 120 hours is a long time to sit in a classroom and it is always interesting to see and touch real homes. Hearing about a product and seeing it on a screen is not the same as tapping on it, touching Read more
Most of you have heard me talk about the importance of water alarms. Today technology has come a long way in protecting your home. Flooding damage and mold in homes are one of the most common claims on homeowners insurance According to the website water damage defense in 2013, insurance claims Read more
Some things you know without them being said. In this case, we are looking at the ‘handiwork’ of a not-so ‘handyman’, all 4 examples are in the same house. I thought this would be a good example of what we find. In each case, the sink had some problems that Read more
I have always warned people about excessive lint in the dryer vent. On today’s inspection we found this burnt hole where the dryer venting caught on fire. Be sure you have these maintained. “The U.S. Fire Administration (part of FEMA) cites that there are 2900 home clothes dryer fires every year Read more