How Many Double Check Sketch Before Leaving Property

[spittman]

... or at least make sure the perimeter "squares" up?

Most of the time my sketch is not that far off than what is on the tax roll, but on a couple of occasions I might have forgotten to measure a wall or found out when I got back to the office that one of my measurements is off by at least 3'. This is especially frustrating when trying to get the sketch to close in my software. Not only that, but I like to have a number of comps ready in hand at the time of inspection that were based on county square footage. Usually not a problem since I print out comps ranging 300 sqft within Subject's anyways.

I know some appraisers put exact measurement including inches, but I usually round to the nearest foot depending on half an inch more or less. If I need to measure from inside I will add a foot. But when I run into the problem of being off 3 or more feet, it makes me wonder if any of my measurements are accurate at all. Am II doing it wrong? Am I worried about the wrong thing?

*note to self (and others) ... always check your measurements before leaving the property!

 

[chad hampton]

I usually give the sketch a quick "once-over" to make sure it squares up. I also measure to the nearest foot. That's accurate. Might be 6" short on 1 side, but you make up for it by being 6" long on the other. Trying to measure to the nearest 1" or .25' would drive me crazy. But to each his own.

Like the guy I trained from said when I was starting - I'll train you if you want, but I've tried to train 5 people in the past and none were able to measure a home worth a damn.

It's a good thing appraisers still go to properties. It will be a real mess when 3rd parties start measuring homes. I know if I was a "property inspector " and was going to hand off my sketch to some stooge appraiser to get a value, I wouldn't spend half the time I do measuring the home.

 

[Randolph Kinney]

I use Total on my iPad with its sketch program and I draw as I measure the property. So I know whether the property closes and if there are additions not on the county record.

I agree, always double check before leaving the subject.

 

[Digger88]

i dont unless its difficult. i trust me and move on!

 

[RSW]

Same here.

 

[andrew81]

i use to use total sketch at the property and it was especially nice for the more difficult ones. that is until i dropped the device down a flight of stairs, now i use graph paper and pencil.

i have become very comfortable with my drawings and no longer double check before leaving the property. in the earlier years i would check even the easiest ones.

 

[Artemis Fowl]

I'll wager not everybody knows what "squaring up" the sketch means.

Total all the measurements of Side A (positive and negative...makes sense if you think of it in directional terms - up/down, towards/away, etc)
Total all the measurements of Side B
Side A and Side B should be the same number...if not - find the issue and make 'em match
Repeat for Front and Back - Front and Back numbers should match

The result is 4 overall dimensions shaped as a square or rectangle. This ensures the areas will close when sketching.

Unable to Rise/Run or complex improvements? Good luck...some structures are not practical for this and you just have to do the best you can. That's when a miter-guage comes in handy.

 

[Digger88]

I'll wager not everybody knows what "squaring up" the sketch means.

Total all the measurements of Side A (positive and negative...makes sense if you think of it in directional terms - up/down, towards/away, etc)
Total all the measurements of Side B
Side A and Side B should be the same number...if not - find the issue and make 'em match
Repeat for Front and Back - Front and Back numbers should match

The result is 4 overall dimensions shaped as a square or rectangle. This ensures the areas will close when sketching.

Unable to Rise/Run or complex improvements? Good luck...some structures are not practical for this and you just have to do the best you can. That's when a miter-guage comes in handy.

you really think squaring up is a difficult concept? i give my appraiser pals more credit than that.

 

[Elliott]

I usually do a full width of two perpenticular sides and circle the number. So if the other measurements don't add up its the control.

Also..... not all houses are square.

 

[Artemis Fowl]

you really think squaring up is a difficult concept? i give my appraiser pals more credit than that.

Not difficult at all...not everybody is taught to do it tho. I wasn't when I started.