Warning- sarcasm to follow. Is this a pro job or not?
To be truthful, I saw the brick work from the parking lot and knew it would be a thermal camera issue inside.
Is it a pro job? Probably not.
What happened?
Likely the front hose bib was not winterized and it froze.
However, to repair that you don't have to remove masonry.
Why was the masonry removed here? Probably because an amateur did the work.
Really amateur - the cute brick work is one clue. And it was done not too long ago!
The other clue is the hose bib sticking out too far from the wall.
What does that bode indoors? Drywall and insulation issues!
I could see the drywall installation. It looked like a 10 year old did it.
And I asked my client how we could find out if the insulation was done well behind the drywall.
Shrug. The Realtor was smiling though.
Breaking out Mighty Mo we could see the professional installation inside.
The professional installer obviously ripped out the insulation because he had to solder two joints - an elbow at the top of the wall and another down near the level of the hose bib.
The hose bib location can be seen on the right side of the image.
Did a plumber do the pipe repair? Maybe. They are famous for cutting out joists and removing insulation. But who did the rest? An amateur.
My recommendation: the clues are everywhere on home inspections. My biggest clue is poor drywall repairs that indicate previous leaks. I find them in walls and ceilings, and they lead me to investigate further. And my thermal camera is the sharpest arrow in my tool quiver. It will often reveal more.
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC
Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia.
Office (703) 330-6388 Cell (703) 585-7560
Mighty Mo to prove what you already knew! That was a very messy repair job!
Good morning Jay. The brick work said loudly "breakout Mighty Mo", we have a problem! Enjoy your day!
Oh yicks...we "USED TO" have what were supposed to winterized bibs....and then....they were not.....all gone now. I saw a real estate show recently where the "remodelers" slopped some sort of mortar randomly all over the outside brick to create a "new look"....it was new all right....yuck !
Sellers must really hate Mighty Mo. Your investigations, er a, inspections are giving Might Mo a bad name!
Love that quality brick work... not a bricklayer for miles around!
Good morning Jay. Another scary and smart catch. Enjoy your day.
You should have seen the drywall Kat. Just as messy!
Wayne - Mighty Mo heard the brick calling and started to hum and vibrate. He really got excited!
I don't trust those either, S&D. And I expect things are a tad colder there.
S&N - I had a builder once look me in the face and say home inspectors should not be allowed to use thermal cameras. On the contrary, I think MM has a good name!
It's one of a kind, Fred, which makes it valuable! And now, in the blogosphere, it is immortalized!
Not that bad as repairs go, Sheila, but the work to date was horrible!
This reminds me of Mister Mom, what voltage are you going to use? 220, 221, whatever works.
In this case it was truly whatever works, Joe. Poor job all around.
Whooops....wrog sarcasm...bet there will be more tomorrow !
A professional roofing company just finished my roof (shredded by a tornado in April) and it looks great, S&D. I just might have a sarcastic post comparing the professional job to the other unprofessional ones in my neighborhood. Coming soon to a blog near you.
You can only imagine the amount of work they created for themselves. Removing and replacing that many bricks had to be painful! Not to mention the shoddy drywall work inside. If you could see it, I bet the plumbing work is perfect. NOT!
Well, it wasn't leaking or Mighty Mo would have seen it, Stephen. But shoddy work all around.
And thanks again for the off-line contact!
Jay- I think everyone should have a Mighty Mo, but I suppose it would help to know how to use it! That's the thing, your keen eye and experience can help buyers avoid some costly mistakes, or at least know what they're dealing with.
Yes they should, Kathy. A good one shouldn't cost more than $11K or $12K! And the training is expensive, but useful!
MM found a plumbing leak today that the people tried really hard to hide! Ain't they gonna be serrrrpraaaahzed to see my report!
Thank you Jay Markanich
I can see why Kathy chose to highlight your post today! Great job!
Thanks Kathy! A pleasure, as usual!
And thank you, Kristin! I hope you stop by my posts often.
Good Morning Jay - yes, I think any casual observer could say we have a problem.
I could see it from the parking lot, Grant! It was a sign of things to come!
Jay
"Pro" definitely does not belong in the same sentence decribing what happened here.
Jeff
You find the most interesting things...
I felt justified in using it because of the educational nature of the post, Jeff! Says he, with a wink. You are right, of course.
Thanks Marte. I deal with interesting things every day!