All Forum Posts by: Chad Clanton

I'd definitely recommend speaking with your attorney, but I don't THINK you have the legal standing to keep control of his tools. Of course, there's nothing that says you have to let him onto your property expeditiously or at any particular time to pick them up, but I'd only press that so far. Just cover your bases and keep yourself in the legal clear. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

@Matthew Carducci, with the caveat that I'm not a realtor, I'm given to understand that you're required to disclose any significant, unaddressed deficiencies from prior inspection reports provided to you, but not the report itself. I can't swear to it, but that's my understanding. I'd recommend confirming that information, though. Good luck with your sale!

Good afternoon Jesse, I don't have any familiarity with your area, but here is a link to a blog article I put together a while back on vetting contractors. Hopefully you'll find it useful. Take care and good luck!

@Greg P., Charles has some good ideas listed above. If you need more help feel free to shoot me a PM. Good luck!

Worst case scenario you can check for instructions on how to take screenshots and put them in a folder, though you'll need to label them in order. The apps will likely be simpler, but screenshot is a decent, quick backup. Good luck!

@Brian Hendler, interesting concept which looks useful if it works as advertised. That said, if you're promoting this yourself, which the tone makes me think you might be, you may want to place it in the Marketplace, as promotions and solicitations aren't permitted in the main forum areas.

Most inspectors that I know won't estimate roof age or remaining life. If it happens to have aluminum wiring, it's 1970s or prior, though that doesn't help you much. If it's copper, then hard to say. You could probably narrow the wiring based on some of the electrical components, depending on manufacturer, models, etc, but again, not sure how much it'll help. As to plumbing, if it's not cast iron or lead, you may be limited as to how much you can narrow it down. Any insurance I've dealt with personally has accepted an estimate and not taken it much deeper. Wish I could help more, but I'd rely on the estimate to the extent possible if permits are not available. Good luck!

It seems somewhat pointless to mention at this point, but absolutely agree with everything above. Wire the fan to the light (if it's an integrated unit the wiring is likely contained in the unit itself and is likely a simple re-splice. It shouldn't cost too much to have someone come out and do it if necessary.) Also, ensure that it vents to the outside, otherwise you may end up with humidity-related problems in your attic. Good luck and stay warm!

The heavy guru pitches hurt my head. I'm sure there are a few good ones, but most of them just strike me as marketing on the dream or playing off uncertainty. 

@Christine Herbert, remote rehabs are quite a bit more challenging in regards to oversight, and you really need to approach from a strong checks and balances perspective. Two of the strongest points I'd emphasize are a) structuring your draws to correlate with the work completed, and requiring contextual video for progressive proof of completion. By contextual video, I mean clear, detailed video of affected portions of the project, not just photos or video of a few limited angles. Photos are easy to stage, and a month later you come down and realize you actually paid for different corners of the same room. Ethical contractors won't do this, of course, but I'm a fan of Ronnie Reagan: trust, but verify. Identify what could go wrong to the extent possible, then plan accordingly. Good luck and let us know if we can help with anything!