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#1
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I want a full refund on my engineer's report
I was about to buy my first house. It looked great at first glance (aside from there being a major
road behind it. I made an offer and it was accepted. It looked so good that I wasnt going to get an engineer but many of my friends told me to get one for piece of mind, if not as a bargaining tool if there was something wrong. I told my real estate agent (a friend of a friend of mine) and he told me that the owners are not going to wait much longer to go to contract so, he said he knew one that would come on short notice on a Sunday. Sunday came and I was to meet the engineer at 1pm in front of the house. I got there at 1pm and waited. After 15 minutes, I decided to go to the owner's door and she informed me that the engineer got there half an hour ago (he came 15 minutes early). When I met him, he told me he was already in the attic and there were no leaks and he checked around the outside of the house. He then proceded to turn on all water faucets, turn on appliances, lights, etc. He looked at the boiler. After 30 minutes, we walked out. He told me outside the house that it was an 18 year old custom made house that was built right. He said the only thing it needed were a couple of GFI outlets. I got the report the next day (via email) and it was 16 pages. A good friend of mine, who knows a lot about houses, read it and was surprised that the only major concern was the GFIs. He said the house must have been in Near Mint condition according to the report. He then asked me about the roof and if the guy got on a ladder and looked. I told him he came in a Corvette and had no ladder. That started my friend off. Discrepencies: Engineer said there were two layer of roof. Owner said it was the original 18 year old roof. Engineer said that the roof was expected to last 20 years but he feels it will last 10 more years Engineer said that the boiler was expected to last 20 years but he feels it will last 10 more years Engineer said there were no termites (unheard of for a home on Long Island) My friend decided to go to the house on his own. He called me and told me to meet him there. The owner saw us outside and invited us in. Here are his observations: The roof as missing shingles and was buckling on the right side. There was a lot of potato chipping The side of the house was buldging a bit and beams had to be replaced (engineer said the house did not even begin to settle yet) After looking in the attic, my friend said the rafter collapsed (under the buckling shingles on roof) The house was on a 1 ft foundation on one side of the house but the shingles were completely in the dirt on the other side because of the way the land is pitched. There were hair line cracks in 50% of the kitchen ceramic floor tiles. There was a huge split in the corner of the livingroom wall (from floor to ceiling) Anyway, my friend went nuts. He said I have to demand my money back based on the report I got. He wants to know how the engineer could say there were 2 roofs when there was only one and how he could miss all of the other things that were wrong. For $500, I should have received a better report. Word got back to the owner of the engineer firm and the he called me back and told me he was going there personally to look at the house with a ladder. I asked him if they usually use a ladder and he said they do not. After he finished, he told me that the rafter needed to be jacked up and a few other things. I feel this report is tainted at this point. He cannot change the original report radically because it will prove that the first guy screwed me. As a result, I backed out of buying the house. My friend said I should call the engineer and demand the money back. He told me that I would have bought that house based on their original report and would have been screwed. He also told me to ask him if it is their normal practice to send an engineer down, then have the potential buyer's friend have a visual look at the exterior and find more problems than the engineer, and then send a second engineer down to do the job correctly? They did a ****ty job, end of story! I need to find out who regulates engineers? I want to write to them to report this guy. In the meantime, I have learned a ton about what to look for. I didnt know before and didnt think I had to beause I thought the engineer should catch the problems. I also learned a lesson... never let your real estate agent refer you to the engineer. There has to be a certain loyalty between them that allows the engineer make the house look good enough to sell. So, if anyone knows what governmental agency regulates engineers, I would appreciate it. Tony |
#2
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I want a full refund on my engineer's report
"Tony" wrote in message ... I was about to buy my first house. It looked great at first glance (aside from there being a major road behind it. I made an offer and it was accepted. It looked so good that I wasnt going to get an engineer but many of my friends told me to get one for piece of mind, if not as a bargaining tool if there was something wrong. I told my real estate agent (a friend of a friend of mine) and he told me that the owners are not going to wait much longer to go to contract so, he said he knew one that would come on short notice on a Sunday. Are you sure that the inspector was an engineer? Most inspectors do not have a P.E. license. other stuff deleted I need to find out who regulates engineers? I want to write to them to report this guy. In the meantime, I have learned a ton about what to look for. I didnt know before and didnt think I had to beause I thought the engineer should catch the problems. I also learned a lesson... never let your real estate agent refer you to the engineer. That's for sure. Real estate agents virtually never recommend anyone who is really competent. The competent inspectors are known as "deal killers". There has to be a certain loyalty between them that allows the engineer make the house look good enough to sell. So, if anyone knows what governmental agency regulates engineers, I would appreciate it. Depends on the state, but first find out if the inspector is really a P.E. (Professional Engineer). Anyway, if he's really a P.E., start he http://www.nspe.org/ Tony |
#3
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I want a full refund on my engineer's report
On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 21:55:28 GMT, "Brake Shoe" wrote:
"Tony" wrote in message .. . I was about to buy my first house. It looked great at first glance (aside from there being a major road behind it. I made an offer and it was accepted. It looked so good that I wasnt going to get an engineer but many of my friends told me to get one for piece of mind, if not as a bargaining tool if there was something wrong. I told my real estate agent (a friend of a friend of mine) and he told me that the owners are not going to wait much longer to go to contract so, he said he knew one that would come on short notice on a Sunday. Are you sure that the inspector was an engineer? Most inspectors do not have a P.E. license. other stuff deleted I need to find out who regulates engineers? I want to write to them to report this guy. In the meantime, I have learned a ton about what to look for. I didnt know before and didnt think I had to beause I thought the engineer should catch the problems. I also learned a lesson... never let your real estate agent refer you to the engineer. That's for sure. Real estate agents virtually never recommend anyone who is really competent. The competent inspectors are known as "deal killers". There has to be a certain loyalty between them that allows the engineer make the house look good enough to sell. So, if anyone knows what governmental agency regulates engineers, I would appreciate it. Depends on the state, but first find out if the inspector is really a P.E. (Professional Engineer). Anyway, if he's really a P.E., start he http://www.nspe.org/ The guy is an engineer according to the report. After his name, it say P.E. I will try the site you mentioned above. Thanks. Tony |
#4
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I want a full refund on my engineer's report
If he is an engineer you should find his name he
http://www.op.nysed.gov/opsearches.htm If you can't find it call his company and ask for his license number and then look that up on the same site. If he is not an engineer as stated in his report - report him - http://www.op.nysed.gov/opd.htm Tony wrote in message . .. I was about to buy my first house. It looked great at first glance (aside from there being a major road behind it. I made an offer and it was accepted. It looked so good that I wasnt going to get an engineer but many of my friends told me to get one for piece of mind, if not as a bargaining tool if there was something wrong. I told my real estate agent (a friend of a friend of mine) and he told me that the owners are not going to wait much longer to go to contract so, he said he knew one that would come on short notice on a Sunday. Sunday came and I was to meet the engineer at 1pm in front of the house. I got there at 1pm and waited. After 15 minutes, I decided to go to the owner's door and she informed me that the engineer got there half an hour ago (he came 15 minutes early). When I met him, he told me he was already in the attic and there were no leaks and he checked around the outside of the house. He then proceded to turn on all water faucets, turn on appliances, lights, etc. He looked at the boiler. After 30 minutes, we walked out. He told me outside the house that it was an 18 year old custom made house that was built right. He said the only thing it needed were a couple of GFI outlets. I got the report the next day (via email) and it was 16 pages. A good friend of mine, who knows a lot about houses, read it and was surprised that the only major concern was the GFIs. He said the house must have been in Near Mint condition according to the report. He then asked me about the roof and if the guy got on a ladder and looked. I told him he came in a Corvette and had no ladder. That started my friend off. Discrepencies: Engineer said there were two layer of roof. Owner said it was the original 18 year old roof. Engineer said that the roof was expected to last 20 years but he feels it will last 10 more years Engineer said that the boiler was expected to last 20 years but he feels it will last 10 more years Engineer said there were no termites (unheard of for a home on Long Island) My friend decided to go to the house on his own. He called me and told me to meet him there. The owner saw us outside and invited us in. Here are his observations: The roof as missing shingles and was buckling on the right side. There was a lot of potato chipping The side of the house was buldging a bit and beams had to be replaced (engineer said the house did not even begin to settle yet) After looking in the attic, my friend said the rafter collapsed (under the buckling shingles on roof) The house was on a 1 ft foundation on one side of the house but the shingles were completely in the dirt on the other side because of the way the land is pitched. There were hair line cracks in 50% of the kitchen ceramic floor tiles. There was a huge split in the corner of the livingroom wall (from floor to ceiling) Anyway, my friend went nuts. He said I have to demand my money back based on the report I got. He wants to know how the engineer could say there were 2 roofs when there was only one and how he could miss all of the other things that were wrong. For $500, I should have received a better report. Word got back to the owner of the engineer firm and the he called me back and told me he was going there personally to look at the house with a ladder. I asked him if they usually use a ladder and he said they do not. After he finished, he told me that the rafter needed to be jacked up and a few other things. I feel this report is tainted at this point. He cannot change the original report radically because it will prove that the first guy screwed me. As a result, I backed out of buying the house. My friend said I should call the engineer and demand the money back. He told me that I would have bought that house based on their original report and would have been screwed. He also told me to ask him if it is their normal practice to send an engineer down, then have the potential buyer's friend have a visual look at the exterior and find more problems than the engineer, and then send a second engineer down to do the job correctly? They did a ****ty job, end of story! I need to find out who regulates engineers? I want to write to them to report this guy. In the meantime, I have learned a ton about what to look for. I didnt know before and didnt think I had to beause I thought the engineer should catch the problems. I also learned a lesson... never let your real estate agent refer you to the engineer. There has to be a certain loyalty between them that allows the engineer make the house look good enough to sell. So, if anyone knows what governmental agency regulates engineers, I would appreciate it. Tony |
#6
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I want a full refund on my engineer's report
Tony wrote in
: Thanks for the info. I did not find the engineer's name or the owner's name on that website. Looks fishy. I just emailed them and requested a full $500 refund. I recommend that you also send your request in a letter via mail. Registered wouldn't hurt, but I'm not sure it's really necessary. Keep a copy of the letter for your records, along with the rest of the story you've related here. |
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