Attic Inspection Requirements

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

I thought pick-em up trucks (with extra room for us sloping head types) were required to appraise in TX?

http://tinyurl.com/5tawz3x

I have truck, too. But, at $90 a fill up and 14 mpg. I drive my 38 mpg car to anything of distance.

 

[JTip]

I have been preaching this until I am blue in the face.

You had me convinced back on the first page. I even called you wise on post #17.:new_smile-l: You saved me from filing a claim with workers comp and prevented my FIL from delaying his cross country RV trip this month.

Thinking about this debate, it brings up a question about the roof. You are not required to 'get on' the roof but inspect from the ground, noting any interior stains, leaks, etc.

The appraiser must note in the appraisal that he/she could not adequately observe the entire roof area (state which area(s) were unobservable). Based on the information reported by the appraiser, the underwriter will determine whether or not a roofing inspection is required. D-25

This should apply to the few flat roofs I have seen. I am not required to climb up to inspect or stick a camera on a pole.

We need a FHA employee on the forum.

 

[CANative]

It's not the same thing RSW...

What you're saying and what I'm saying do not conflict because they are two different situations. If there is a justified reason for the appraiser not being able to enter the attic then the appraisal process stops and Plan B goes into effect. The appraiser cannot go directly to Plan B.

 

[rowdydog]

has it occured to anyone else, that FHA inspections, done correctly, are discrimatory? how are the older FHA appraisers to gain access to the scuttle if they can`t climb a latter. is it not a goverment policy about age discrimation?

 

[Peter LeQuire]

has it occured to anyone else, that FHA inspections, done correctly, are discrimatory? how are the older FHA appraisers to gain access to the scuttle if they can`t climb a latter. is it not a goverment policy about age discrimation?

Qualifying heats in the 100 meter dash are discriminatory, as well: they keep fatashes like me from lining up in the finals. In essence, all qualifications for a job are "discriminatory" because they work to exclude people from doing a particular job who don't have a particular skill set or requisite training or physical ability. If, for example, I had no arms, I don't think that I could expect to be hired to finish drywall, and I don't believe it "discriminates" to require that someone hanging drywall have two functional arms. If you can't climb a ladder to get to an attic, or bend over and crawl to get your head and shoulders in a crawl space, you're not capable of perfoming an essential task of an FHA appraisal and you ought not undertake to do one. I know appraisers in their late 70's who have no problem climbing a ladder or crawling a crawl space: it's not age that keeps appraisers off of ladders.

FHA doesn't require people to be in a certain age range: it does require certain tasks be performed in connection with its appraisals. I, for one, am glad there are "discriminatory" requirements for certain occupations - like surgery.

 

[RSW]

It's not the same thing RSW...

What you're saying and what I'm saying do not conflict because they are two different situations. If there is a justified reason for the appraiser not being able to enter the attic then the appraisal process stops and Plan B goes into effect. The appraiser cannot go directly to Plan B.

What I am sayng is:

We are required to do a head and shoulders inspection of the attic. If an inspection of the attic cannot be done then the appraiser is to stop and notify the lender. Safe access is to be provided for the appraiser. The the appraisal can be completed after the inspection only. The lender can have a professional inspect the attic. The appraiser is not to write up the appraisal report until the attic is inspected. The appraiser should review the report from the professional before the appraisal report is completed.

 

[JTip]

If there is a justified reason for the appraiser not being able to enter the attic then the appraisal process stops and Plan B goes into effect. The appraiser cannot go directly to Plan B.

So what you are saying is that I am to inspect the attic no matter what. If I fall 15' I am then able to go to plan B because access is a "proven and documented safety issue" due to the compound fracture of my femur (see attached photos in the 1004D)?

While my age and physique is not an issue, I am a big boy but I'm not scared of most double blacks on any mountain, safety is important and having the proper equipment is the key to safety. In order for me to access a 15' scuttle, I would need a 20' ladder to be safe (pitch against the wall).

Now, how many of us can safely transport a 20' ladder? Let's see Mike put that on top of his inspection car (I remember your little inspection car from another post).

 

[Peter LeQuire]

So what you are saying is that I am to inspect the attic no matter what. If I fall 15' I am then able to go to plan B because access is a "proven and documented safety issue" due to the compound fracture of my femur (see attached photos in the 1004D)?

While my age and physique is not an issue, I am a big boy but I'm not scared of most double blacks on any mountain, safety is important and having the proper equipment is the key to safety. In order for me to access a 15' scuttle, I would need a 20' ladder to be safe (pitch against the wall).

Now, how many of us can safely transport a 20' ladder? Let's see Mike put that on top of his inspection car (I remember your little inspection car from another post).

Far and away, most of the houses financed with FHA-insured mortgages have their scuttles in ceilings that are 8' or 9' high. Beyond that (and as an admitted generalization) higher ceilings that have the attic access are equipped with pull down stairs, IME. I don't believe I've ever seen an attic scuttle in a 20' ceiling - they may exist, but I haven't seen them. A well made 6' ladder would provide adequate height for most appraisers to make the required entry into an attic scuttle. (The Little Giant folding ladder would fit in most mid-sized cars and extends to 11'.)

 

[CANative]

So what you are saying

I'm saying what RSW is saying.

What I haven't said is that if an appraiser does what RSW says he probably won't have that client as a client much longer.

 

[JTip]

Far and away, most of the houses financed with FHA-insured mortgages have their scuttles in ceilings that are 8' or 9' high. Beyond that (and as an admitted generalization) higher ceilings that have the attic access are equipped with pull down stairs, IME. I don't believe I've ever seen an attic scuttle in a 20' ceiling - they may exist, but I haven't seen them. A well made 6' ladder would provide adequate height for most appraisers to make the required entry into an attic scuttle. (The Little Giant folding ladder would fit in most mid-sized cars and extends to 11'.)

Just to summarize, the subject's attic access was located in the attached garage. The garage, which was a personal wood workshop, has vaulted ceilings, the top parallel to the garage door and the access was on the side wall, about 15' up per Disto. The wall to the scuttle had several spaced bars, about 4' spaced, which held 10' to 12' pieces of raw material. All this would have to have been moved, no big deal, but the access was out of my equipment range.

I agree. 60% of homes in my market have stair access. 30% offer drop stairs. 8.9% have small scuttles, usually in a closet, so a 3' step ladder will get my shoulders up there. 1% are those multi-level homes with a 'storage scuttle', a chest high access to the attic. This particular one fits into the .1% category.