Michael's View: June 2008

Well, it looks as if our ‘ol buddy ‘Bubba’ has been hard at it playing plumber again once again. Yeah buddy! While inspecting a “flipper” in Nashville, TN, I could not help but laugh and shake my head at another one of his ongoing misadventures. The picture below shows how installing a drain line for a dishwasher ain’t supposed to be done. Yeah buddy!

I guess that all ‘ol Bubba had in the back of his “pick ‘em-up truck” was a section of old garden hose most likely left over from his last misadventure. So much to be said for recycling... At least he IS thinking green in more ways than one...

I had to debate on whether give him a grade of ‘I’ for injunewity or ‘L’ for laziness on this one. I particularly liked the fact that he did take time to ‘kinda sorta’ color coordinate or disguise the hose to match the rest of the cabinet. I guess that he ran out of spray paint finishing the disposal… I didn't even want to begin to wonder what he was thinking on this one...

Other home inspectors will see other plumbing errors, but let's go easy on the 'ol guy as sometimes he is just not wrapped too tight...Especially when he runs out of duct tape!

We'll just have to wait and see what 'Bubba's' next misadventure will be in our next Photo of the Day...

Have a great weekend y'all...

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Thanks, Michael

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Copyright © 2008 by Michael Thornton of Complete Home Inspections, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Having read several articles about the rising cost of fuel and how it is affecting people in the service industries and taking a personal inventory on how it is adversely affecting mine, I was wondering how it is affecting your business and what are you going to do to combat the situation?

Personally, it cost me about $37.00 to fill my tank where before it was costing about $24.00, but the real increase that I have seen is in the cost of supplies that I need to run the business. My other inspectors are feeling the pinch at the pump more so. I feel that I have no choice but to increase the cost of inspections and pass some of the increase to my other inspectors who do not have as fuel efficient vehicle as I drive.

Funny, when I purchase my Prius, many people wagged their heads and called me an idiot. Now a few years later the same people are calling me a genius. Quite a difference a few years and a few dollars at the pump makes…

What’s your take?

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Copyright © 2008 by Michael Thornton of Complete Home Inspections, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

As we all know, art is 95% inspiration and 5% perspiration, but in the case of ‘Bubba’ our unhandy handyman, it’s probably the other way around… While inspecting a rehab on the east side Nashville, TN, I was mused by this resemblance to an old screen saver. I guess that since ‘Bubba’s’ TV went on the fritz, he has had to turn to an alternative source of entertainment. Yeah buddy…

Now mind you, there are some issues in this picture, such as the dryer vent discharging to the crawlspace instead of outside the property and lack of proper strapping to support the plumbing. But for our ‘ol buddy ’Bubba’ this is quite a work of art.

What say ye…

I do want to send special thanks to the staff and management of Active Rain for featuring me in the member’s spotlight in their newsletter.

Have you joined my birthday alarm? It is fast painless and the best part of all, you will be helping me out.

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Thanks, Michael

Copyright © 2008 by Michael Thornton of Complete Home Inspections, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Yup! You heard me right... The price of gasoline is going down. According to the latest news release on NPR, the price of gasoline declined this week a whopping 0.0033 cents per gallon Nationwide! How exciting! The savings at the gas pump and a buck will almost buy you a double cheese burger at McDonalds or Wendy's. Who says that the media just reports doom-and-gloom and disasters. This is something that we all need to click our heels over... Yeah Right! Now if they would say something positive about the housing market... "Yesterday it was reported that a house sold in the devastated housing market bringing a much needed relief to the housing slump in the....

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Thanks, Michael

Copyright © 2008 by Michael Thornton of Complete Home Inspections, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

It seems as if our 'ol buddy Bubba has been having a rough week this week. No sooner does he have one botched misadventure playing carpenter on this rehab project in the Hillsboro Village section of Nashville, TN than he decides to try his hand at plumbing again. Yeah Buddy! I can hear him now... "Plummin' is mah life..."

Now most real plumbers know that in order to pass their plumbing test, they have to know that water and other stuff flows downhill. Well, I gotta give him and "E" for effort because he kinda-sorta got it part of it right... I'm glad that I looked before I ran the dishwasher... Bubba, bless his heart, must get easily distracted or must have run out to get another 6 pack of duct tape. We'll just have to wait and see what his next misadventure will be in our next Photo of the Day...

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Have a great evening.

Thanks, Michael

Copyright © 2008 by Michael Thornton of Complete Home Inspections, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

While inspecting a newly rehabbed property in Nashville, TN’s Hillsboro Village section, I ran across another misadventure of Bubba, our unhandy handyman… Yeah Buddy! Well, either 'ol our buddy Bubba uncorked one too many brewskies or the bubble was off in his level. Maybe his bubble is off period! Who knows…

I really love inspecting homes, with Bubba around, I'll never run out of things to write about...

Michael Thornton

General Manager

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Copyright © 2008 by Michael Thornton; Complete Home Inspections, Inc. Brentwood, TN, All Rights Reserved.

Today I inspected a property that was a direct results of my blogs here in the Active Rain Community. Click here to read post. While inspecting this property in the Brentwood area, it seems as if our old buddy Bubba was up to his shenanigans once again. Yeah Buddy! Today he was playing plumber.

Now traps are a good thing for keeping the odor of sewer gas out of your home, but in the case of garbage disposals, they need a direct rout out of the grinding system to the sewage pipe. The trap by the disposal can cause debris to get clogged in the bottom of the trap causing backed-up sinks and calls to the REAL plumbers.

I really love inspecting homes, it gives me something new to write about daily…

Michael Thornton

General Manager

Have you joined my birthday alarm? It is fast painless and the best part of all, you will be helping me out.

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Copyright © 2008 by Michael Thornton; Complete Home Inspections, Inc. Brentwood, TN, All Rights Reserved.

I love inspecting rehabs… I love inspecting rehabs… I love inspecting rehabs… At least that is what I keep telling myself. There are some properties that are about as much fun to inspect as a sharp stick in the eye. Today I had a real doozie. I will not bother reprinting the marketing BS… Excuse me, marketing babble for this “pristine property” located in the “trendy” section of Nashville, TN. “Grab your hat, coat and belongings and move into this newly renovated completely refurbished bungalow…” Well, er kinda sorta ready to move in …

Well, it seems as if our old buddy Bubba was up to his shenanigans again. Yeah Buddy! I can just hear him now, “Yesterday ah cudn’t spel ‘lectrician and jee golly today ah are one!” Sigh! Oh, by the way, the light did not work!

Thank God it’s FRIDAY!

P.S. I really love inspecting rehabs, it gives me something new to write about daily…

Michael Thornton

General Manager

Have you joined my birthday alarm? It is fast painless and the best part of all, you will be helping me out.

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Copyright © 2008 by Michael Thornton; Complete Home Inspections, Inc. Brentwood, TN, All Rights Reserved.

It never ceases to amaze me as to what people will do to find better ways to cut corners just to save a buck. While inspecting a rehab yesterday in the Nashville, TN area, I came across this not so smart way to connect the disposal. The non-metallic wire needs to be encased in protective sheathing similar to the metallic conduit in the lower left corner and standard junction box and outlet should have been provided.

The contractor argued that this was just a “temporary” installation. Yeah, Right! If it has a staple, or in this case a nail, it is considered permanent!

I love my job…I love my job…I love my job…

Michael Thornton

General Manager

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Copyright © 2008 by Michael Thornton; Complete Home Inspections, Inc. Brentwood, TN, All Rights Reserved.

The price of a gallon of gasoline has now topped $4 per gallon nationally and it looks as if there is no relief in sight for weary motorists. As the price of crude on the open exchange continues to escalate, so does the price at the pump. These high prices are crippling consumers and businesses, and squelching our economy, which is already under pressure from higher food prices, job losses and sinking home values.

So where do we go from here? The answer certainly does not lie with the oil companies. Their stock holders are looking for a return on their investments. The answer does not seem to lay in Washington either as the usual business of politics steadily grinds out more of the same old crap that rolls out of Capitol Hill on a daily basis. Maybe, the energy consortiums can find a way to harvest this endless supply of stuff or the endless supply of wind that steadily blows from the Hill. Maybe a few wind turbines might help.

As I said in an earlier post, Our Current Energy Crisis, we need to start putting pressure on our current lawmakers to start clearing the way for energy production in OUR country. Instead of the domestic oil that is pumped out of our soil being put into the global supply, pass legislation that will keep the oil home to be used for our goods and needs. We, by the power of the voting booth, need to force Congress to adopt plans for energy independence.

What do you think?

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Copyright © 2008 by Michael Thornton; Complete Home Inspections, Inc. Brentwood, TN, All Rights Reserved.