NACHI

Fire ratings for commercial building involve a mirad of different wall and ceiling rated assemblies.
This link by USG provides you with that information and will be able to recognize the assembly at times in your Commercial Inspections.

Learn to recognize the assembly at times by the thickness of the walls at doorways and other openings. Knowing the wall material framing widths normally used for your area will be a good clue as to what was used for a firerated material surface.

This is a 6.1 MB file.


USG Fire Resistant Assemblies for metal Framing and Wood Framing :)

This is good reference material for those Commercial Inspectors.


Fire and Exit Doors

:)

Thank you for the Commercial SOP Book, it is well written and love reading it.
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For sometime I have been dis-satisfied with the report software that I am using. Ifeel it does not give me the latitude I desire to express myself. I am now looking at software put out by "Inspection Report Creator". This software is very expensive. Does anyone have any experience using this software? Is it worth the money or is there another that may be just as good but less expensive? Thanks for the advice.

See ya on September 3, 2010. Booth manned by member Matthew Jenks.

Thanks Matthew!

www.FirstStepHomeInspectors.com

This was in this months Nachi news letter.

http://www.youtube.com/user/bengromi.../3/Mejuv8fP9l8

Whoever thought of this up there, hats off.

JJ

(Pic 1) 1981 two story w/full basement, with attached 3 bay garage...

(Pic 2) Gap in concrete between garage slab and driveway. Driveway has minor slope to street. Driveway has some cracking, but no heaving. I see this often, and is generally an easy fix.

(Pic 3) Garage slab at rear wall has excessive gap. Runs the entire length of rear wall. Gap measured 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches.

(Pic 4) Garage slab at front (vehicle door) wall. Notice no gap at wall, but see gap from pic 2 on other side of wall.

I have seen small gaps develop from concrete shrinkage, usually 1/8 to 1/4 inch. The slab has the typical hairline shrinkage cracking, hardly noticable. I have never seen this severe of a gap before. It is only at the rear wall. There is no evidence of the wall bowing, leaning, shifting, etc... There is no damage to the block foundation wall (visible) other than the mortar has hairline cracking in some areas. No noticeable displacement of the blocks.

Question: Does anyone have any idea what may have caused this gap? I swear, looking at it you would think it was done on purpose. As there appears to not be any issue with the walls, do you feel it to be of concern?

Note: Already informed client, in person and in report, to get an SE, as there are other framing issues in the home to be evaluated.

Thanks in advance,
Jeff

Bonus: for you "eagle eye's" inspectors... can you spot at least two other issues in Pic 4 ???
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Is any one using a mobile debit/credit card machine in ontario ?

Trying to find out cost and good company to deal with.

If anyone has recently taken the Florida Certified General Contractors Exam and wants to sell the reference books and material, I am in the market. I am looking to upgrade my license status and prefer not to spend the $1000 on new books. The books need to be the correct edition. Post a reply or PM

Thanks in advance

"it usually takes about three to four months from the day a new franchisee signs their final paperwork to the day they do their first home inspection.

During that time, they undergo rigorous training, including 10 binders of home study materials, and an intensive two-week boot camp in Halifax.

After the boot camp is over, the new franchisee is ready to become a licensed home inspector – a must in BC.

“They can walk back into their business after boot camp, do an inspection on day one, and put a cheque straight into the bank,” Williams says.

Once they’re up to speed, A Buyer’s Choice franchisee can do 600 inspections per year at about $450 per inspection – creating a gross income of $270,000 per year."

What are we all doing on these boards.......buy a franchise tomorrow......or sooner if you can!!!!

Shake the head again and again until you understand.....buy a franchise right now!!!!!!!!!:twisted::twisted::mrgreen::p

I actually came across a house today that had tamper resistant receptacles that easily allowed my tester to be inserted. I have inspected dozens of houses with these where I had to wiggle, push etc to get the same tester into. I guess I will have to start recommending they all be replaced if they are not readily useable.

Two story home. mostly hip. one gable in front(20'), and small flat(10x10) on top of a hip. the flat is def less than 10%. the roof perimeter is 240+/-(major pain in the a** to measure) Its so damn close.. Do you guys count the edges of this type of flat section while factoring other? Feedback appreciated
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I did a radon test for a buyer and the level came back high, 13 pCi/l. The seller is installing a mitigation system and the buyer wants me to retest after the system is put in. I am wondering where to put the test canisters. The canisters were side by side for the first test, in the basement. Should I now put the canisters on different levels ( basement, first floor)? Any thoughts?

Check this one out..........
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Does anyone recognize this type of nail, its 10d and used in power nailers.

A new house had lots of these used in deck components and I am trying to find out if they are rated for this new treated lumber.
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Just inspected a house today for the owner - older metal roof which is about 1:12 slope where an addition was built and the addition's roof is 3:12 slope. I wanted to get opinions on the seam where they transitioned from old to new.
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Tomorrows inspection with Radon testing set-up. Home is a 2 story with unfinished basement. Standard protocol is to place the testing devices on the lowest habitable level, which currently is the main level.

My Client has indicated that he is planning on finishing the basement, which will convert it to a habitable space.

Question: Should I follow protocol for the current use of the home, or the future intended use of the home?

Note: Home is FSBO, and Client has indicated he will be making the purchase, irrelevant of what the HI and Radon testing reveals. I already informed my client that the renovation of the basement may change Radon levels in the home and that he should have a long term Radon test performed after purchasing the home.

Thank you in advance,
Jeff

Are ther any SOPs required by the state of new york. I tried researching online and the DOS web site sucks, and the nyahi site is nothing to be proud of. I am trying to help some one who got taken big time by a home inspector there. I would assume they are doing the same as the rest of us, right?

Does any one know if the plywood roof sheathing was attached with staples, and then they took the time to add adhesive to the truss and plywood on both sides. Would that upgrade the uplift resistance to at least 103 psf. Or would you still mark (A) under roof deck attachments?

I am doing draw inspections on this 1 or 2 year old 1 mil+ house that had a leak upstairs from a supply line while the house was occupied. When a repair company started tearing out damaged drywall they found more issues with water damage and mold. The cost is around 300k to fix everything. :shock:
A different contractor is now taking over and I went out to see what they had planned.

The exterior had water running down the brick for a long time even with a kickout divertor present. The wall sheathing picture is the other side of that brick wall. The other picture is a small example of the demolition done so far on the lower level. The upper level is gutted pretty well too.

When someone else is paying, the costs are really inflated.
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