I have had a spate of tight crawl spaces lately----an earlier one I blogged about was in a Seattle Houseboat.
When my buyer called to book this inspection we discussed that the craw space was going to be difficult to get into. I recommended that necessary permissions be gotten to do whatever it took to get into the space. This is what the access opening looked like.
While I like to think of myself as “Gumby,” there was no way I was going to deform myself enough to get through this opening. So, while the opening was made larger by removing some of the deck boards, I concerned myself with other parts of the inspection. I anticipated the worst, given that this opening had been just like you see it----open----for who knows how long. I knew that although I couldn’t fit through this opening, there was any number of other critters that could. This post is not about the condition of the crawl space, but about the process of getting into it.
I would like to share with you a series of photos taken (by the agent with my camera) of me getting into the crawl space. The time between the first and last picture-----12 seconds! (I know----I couldn’t believe it myself)
Charles Buell
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My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures and some selected POEMS & STORIES.
How fun to see you in action! You are obviously very dedicated to your work, I admire that.
Amy, thanks----I wish that I had thought to have the agent take a little video of the 12 seconds:)
Well sports fans! He's going... Going... Gone!!!! Chalk up another successful entry by our fearless home inspector...
Michael----I like it when they are "easy" to get into:)
If I seem "missing" is the Rain today it is because I have all day ASHI continuing education----see you all later.
Charles, my guess is it was easier to get IN, than it was to get OUT... are you going to give us a post on what you found inside?
From the photos it appears that you damaged the deck due to the rotated floor joist. I hope your insurance will cover the necessary replacement of the deck... Just kidding - but surely you know claims like this can happen.
That's great....no way I would ever do that! Glad you will!
Charles - That's incredible. Not only that you got in there that fast, but as I've said to you before - that you choose to go into scary holes like that. You're a brave man. So glad no one ever suggested I become an inspector. You all keep doing what you do best, I'll stand there and take photos. I, like Alan, would love to hear what you found underneath.
Mr Charles,
Please. They would not have found it necessary to dismantle the deck had you had a certifried home inspector assistant.
Nutsy at the keyboard
Charles aka Gumby, That does not look like fun. Really it had no screen or other covering???
We did have a crawl space in our other home...I wasn't fond of going down there, too many snakes around that home.
Great action photos!
Charles, the getting in is half the fun. I find getting out to be a little more difficult. I always wonder why they go out of their way to make entry so difficult some times. They know we're going to do it anyway.
Charles, now you're gumby? I thought you were an attic rat. And thanks for explaining who took the photo, otherwise I would have thought it was one of those critters!
Great blog post, it's now featured at at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice. Regina P. Brown
Alan---it takes about the same amount of time to get out as to get in. As far as the condition of the crawl space goes it was what one would expect open to the outdoors for months----lots of rodent evidence.
Glen----we had permission to do what it took to get into the space.
Karen, come on why not?:)
Matt, I wish I had tons of blog fodder for you from what was in the space----just not that much out of the ordinary.
Nutsy, I saw enough "evidence" of you and your kind already in there.
Cynthia----nope, no screen or nothing.
Suesan, I just don't think they were thinking about the crawl space at all----just more interested in making a good deck.
Regina, from my rock climbing days I was considered a "Gym Rat" because that is where I did most of my climbing---indoors due to too little time to take climbing trips to real rock.
Those were interesting photos and the comments above were great. I loved the going, going gone one! Perhaps you need to change your picture again to the new view.
So Barbara, which one of the four should I use?:)
Charles,
Don't forget we are in spider country. I wear a full disposible bunny suit. They cost me less than $1 a piece and I don't worry about bugs and contaminets getting in my hair and down my shirt
Here is something special one of the nastier crawls I did just south of Bellingham
I was surprised to find this fella as the crawlspace was being used as a home by feral cats. This was one inspections that I was glad to be covered head to toe and have a respirator like yours. Let me know if you want the website where I by my suits,
//Rick
Rick Bunzel, CRI
Pacific Crest Inspections
NAHI Member of the Year 2008
NPSAR Affiliate of the Year 2006-2007
WWW.PacCrestInspections.com
360-588-6956
Fax 360-588-6965
Toll Free 866-618-7764
Rick, I have thought about those head to toe suits from time to time----and I think they are a fine idea. My current ones seem to work ok and they have zippered pockets so I can carry tools into spaces where I want to leave the bag behind. Sometimes I feel like I need a whole-body-condom:)
Charlie,
Nutsy is right. He could have done it without dismantling the property.
Steve, like I previously replied to your little furry friend: "Nutsy, I saw enough "evidence" of you and your kind already in there."
Charles, I can't imagine going into places like you do! That's scary. You da man!
Come on Lizette, you KNOW you are just dying to get down in there:)
Well Charles I'm just glad you didn't need to get out in 12 seconds.... There are lots of "grandfathered" ones, but code in my county says crawl access can not be obstructed in new construction.
Tammy, new or old they can't be blocked----in new there are minimum size requirements as well----so people don't have to be Gumby:)
The snakes probably didn't recognize you without your jump suit and mask.
I hope you got as much out of the visit as you got into it.
Jay, unfortunately----if you don't go, you won't know what you are missing:)
I was trying to be clever in hoping that ALL of you got out. Years ago in a crawl under a very old Virginia farm house I was bitten by a black widow. My vision got blurry and I was dizzy and my female client was very upset, calling my wife and then the hospital. The doctor asked her a couple of questions and said I would be alright, not to let me drive for a couple of hours. SHE HELD ME TO THAT, even calling my wife and telling her she would not let me leave for 2 hours. My wife thought that was very considerate of her, and very funny at the same time. I am not sure I have lived that down yet.
Jay, I gotta say that is the wildest story I have ever heard anyone make up to tell his wife to explain a couple of missing hours:)
Yeah, right...
That's a feat that I'm sure many would not attempt...me included. It's a good thing that you don't eat much (obviously!). I'm sure Nutsy's family was wondering who was coming to dinner when you entered that space.
Jim, I am guessing you could do it:) And what is this talk about having Nutsy for dinner? I am pretty much a vegetarian:)
My question is how did you;
That to me is more amazing than you squeezing yourself in there.
The buyer's had already found the access and knew it was blocked. I just asked them to make sure we had permission to do what it took to get in there. They dismantled the deck while I did other parts of the inspection.
Charles, you have a way of adding humor to waht might be an otherwise bland post. GUMBY? Now that's funny but I also admird the way you willingly crawl into those dark and somewhat foreboding spaces! Not for me!
Russell, most people have to PAY for their adrenalin rushes-----I get paid for mine:)
Ouch!
Hopefully the rest of your day was nothing but 1,500 square foot, new construction, ranch homes on slab!!!
Craig---no such luck---I am a crawl space magnet:)
you're the MAN- hope you had an escape route planned out. cw
Well, I don't have the fire department on speed dial:)
Charlie - You are such a crawl space invader!
SPACE INVADERS!!! I bet I could market that.