Inspection standards require me to respect each home I enter and to leave the property in the same condition I found it. I work hard at this. It’s often a challenge due to various factors.
People get mad when you mess up their homes, even if things are just a little out of place.
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| Cable splitter unsupported in pathway |
Tradesmen working in crawl spaces and attics rarely leave these areas undisturbed. Their goal is to “Git er Done” ASAP. Cable Guys are the worst: they’re paid for piece work, ignorant of standards, dismissive of the menial nature of proper workmanship (“This job is just temporary until I land that job as a software designer.”) and are aware that homeowners don’t follow them into the crawl space to check their work.
Logic, building science and an abiding interest in homes have led me to improve my crawl space. I’ve controlled moisture, conditioned the space, removed extraneous materials, strapped and supported utilities, fought to keep pests out, and installed lighting. I’ve made it considerably easier for tradesmen to do their work. In my role of inspector I understand how dirty and difficult navigating crawl spaces can be. Believe me, I know.
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| Cable run UNDER stored items. Note all other utilities supported to joists |
So it really pisses me off when the cable guys break my A/C condensate drain allowing water to create an environment mildew and roaches. Or NOT spend 5 minutes to support their wiring to underside of the floor joists and bust holes in the wall and insulation allowing warm, moist air into my conditioned crawl space.
THIS IS STANDARD THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY. Contract workers are underpaid and unsupervised. Homeowners are content to have their internet and are ignorant of damage done by the CABLE GUY. When confronted with poor quality of work the typical response is to offer a few free months of HBO.
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| The A/C condensate drain was broken by the black cable in foreground |
Git-er-Done means sloppy work. Larry the Cable Guy could tell you that as plain as the nose on your face.
And I can get by without another three months of HBO.
