In the Crawl Space

The crawl space is a dark, dank, creepy, subterranean hole no one wants to venture into. That said, there are certain trades that must traverse the icky and go below. When considering an inspector it's real important that he/she does a thorough inspection of the crawl space.
Pictured here is a crawl space in a 1930s home. There are several issues here but the main concern is the red posts. They are supporting horizontal boards that are in turn supporting a concrete slab. The joists are cut and a 2x installed to "cap" the joists. The posts are also resting on concrete blocks that are sitting on dirt mounds.
So what's the problem?
First of all the floor system isn't sized for an eight inch slab. The horizontal boards are "falling" to the outside wall and so is the concrete. This is putting undue strain on the floor system, outside wall and foundation.
The joists, when cut in the middle of a span, have to have a properly sized beam installed and that beam must transfer the weight to some point.
Sitting support posts loosely on blocks that are sitting on dirt is a huge problem as well. Any shift in the soil beneath could cause the floor to collapse. There should be footers poured at the proper depth for your climatic zone and the posts (properly sized) should be fastened at the top and bottom.
The issues found in this crawl space are numerous and in no way diagnosable from the top. In other words, you wouldn't know these problems existed if you weren't in the crawl space.
When I found what you see in the picture it ended up being an expensive fix for the owner of the property...but a necessary one.

Why Inspection Matters

In the early months of 2013 my wife and I discussed adding to the menu of services offered by Mayo & Sons Construction. We offer remodeling, handyman services, new construction as well as custom furniture. In truth, as time goes on I have been drawn more and more to furniture and away from "rough" carpentry.
Well, at the same time we were looking at homes to purchase with our real estate agent (also a personal friend). As we walked through a particularly distressed property I began discussing what I saw in great detail. after several minutes my friend/agent asked, "why aren't you a property inspector again?"
As is true in life, often the simplest questions are the most profound.
I began researching what was involved in becoming an inspector and what was required to be a good inspector. It turned out that I already possessed a bag full of skills and professional experiences essential to an inspector.
In May of this year I took the classes and test and became a licensed inspector.
During my time as a contractor I have worked with seller and buyer agents. I have also gone behind many inspectors and attempted to understand what it was they claimed to see. In many cases I found that the information contained in inspection reports was more about protecting the liability of the inspector than giving their client the information they needed.
In these dealings I also talked to agents and found the same to be true.
The job of a property inspector is to find potential safety issues and/or structural issues with the home. His/her job is not to hinder or hasten the sale of any property. In fact, I would argue the inspector's main job is a simple and direct mandate to provide essential information regarding the condition of a given property to his/her client.
Many of the reports I've reviewed go beyond that mandate and only serve to add confusion.
I knew I could do better.
So, in the summer of 2013 Mayo Property Inspections was born. My goal is quite simple. It is to provide my clients with the information necessary to make a clear evaluation of the observable condition of a property. That is all.
By combining my experience, formal education and training I believe Mayo Property Inspections will give clients the information they need.
In this blog I will share with you pictures and information regarding what to look for and what to do about it. It is, however, for your information only as each case will vary.
I hope you come back often and share your questions as we go.