Rental Housing Inspection FAIL: Homeowners Insurance to be CANCELED…OH NO!!

None of this sounds like fun, but when these rental housing inspection fails occur, McCray & Sons Home Services has you back with a remedy for each.

Maria reached out to McCray & Sons Home Services. Her family owns several rental units in Sacramento. The Sacramento Rental Housing Authority cited two of their duplexes and several failed items that must be addressed. 

This list of repairs on the two properties included:

PREMISE

FAIL:

1. Provide proof of permit for the dividing wall in the garage or legalize with a building permit or remove.

2. Extensive dry rot on the exterior, Window trim, fascia & siding

REMEDY: 

This wall was not permitted; the landlords did not erect this wall, and the tenants erected this wall without a permit—McCray & Sons Home Services to remove the wall and haul and dispose of demo materials. McCray & Sons Home Services assessed dry rot, removed it from siding, trims, and fascia, replaced it with solid boards, caulked it, and painted it.

ROOF AND CEILINGS

FAIL:

1. Repair dry rot at eaves right of front porch.

2. Re-roof pump house

REMEDY: 

McCray & Sons Home Services To Remove and replace a dry rotted portion of exterior trim & paint. McCray & Sons Home Services replaced Plywood sheathing, added 32’ of metal flashing around the roof's perimeter, and installed paper and asphalt shingles.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

FAIL:

Secure loose exterior wall light near sliding door.

REMEDY:

Upon inspection, the light fixture was broken and in poor repair. McCray & Sons Home Services replaced the light fixture.

ENTRY DOORS

FAIL:

1. Replace the door from garage to dwelling with a solid core 1/3/8" minimum thickness that is self-closing and self-latching or a 20-minute rated steel door that is self-closing and self-latching.

2. Repair both fire doors between the garage and dwelling so that they are self-closing

REMEDY:

McCray & Sons Home Services replaced the hollow core door with a steel self-closing door and added self-closing hinges on the second property.

WINDOWS AND WINDOW LOCKS

FAIL:  

Remove the security bars on the bedroom windows to provide proper egress, repair the safety release cables, and always make them accessible.

REMEDY:

McCray & Sons Home Services removed bars from all windows, hauled and disposed of legally.

HEATER

FAIL:

Clean the air filter in the hallway.

REMEDY:

McCray & Sons Home Services replaced the air filter.

KITCHEN COUNTERS AND SINK SURFACES

FAIL:

Provide an air gap for the dishwasher in the kitchen sink deck.

REMEDY:

McCray & Sons Home Services drilled a hole in the counter and plumbed in the air gap.

WATER HEATERS

FAIL: 

1. Provide an upper and lower seismic strap for the water heater.

2. Install the temperature pressure relief line to the exterior. The pipe must discharge on the exterior between 6 and 24 inches and be pointed downwards with no threads. The pipe cannot trap water and must maintain the same diameter as the discharge valve (no flex). Allowable materials include CPVC, Copper, and Galvanized iron pipe.

3. Properly plumb the temperature pressure relief line to the exterior for unit 2031 following the same instruction on the 2nd item in this category

REMEDY:

McCray & Sons Home Services Double-Strapped the water heater, Added T&P to both units, and plumbed it out of the house using copper.

SMOKE/CO DETECTORS

FAIL: 

Provide a working hardwired interlinked smoke detector in each bedroom. 2. Replace the battery in the hallway smoke detector.

REMEDY:

McCray & Sons Home Services installed hardwired smoke detectors and swapped a battery in an additional unit.

ELECTRICAL-GENERAL OUTLETS

FAIL: 

1. Properly install the receptacle so the box is flush, and there are no exposed conductors, or adequately install with a surface mount box.

2. Install a cover plate for the garage door opener receptacle.

3. Properly wire the wall AC in the kitchen into an interior receptacle, as cords cannot pass through the wall.

4. Properly attach a separated conduit on the exterior above the kitchen wall AC.

5. Provide an exterior receptacle weather-rated cover plate.

6. Provide a knockout insert for the exterior box on the back wall.

7. Secure loose electrical conduit under the eave at the front of the house and reattach the coupling so there are no exposed electrical conduits.

8. Protect and conceal all exposed electrical conductors in a water well.

9. Repair or replace the non-functioning GFCI outlet in the bathroom.

10. Install missing outlet and switch cover plates throughout the house.

11. Repair or replace the non-functioning switch for the light located in the hall bathroom. (Toilet room)

REMEDY:

McCray & Sons Home Services adequately installed a new J box, Installed a cover plate,  rewired the wall, and brought the outlet inside. McCray & Sons Home Services connected the conduit to the electrical box, secured the wall, and installed a weather-rated exterior cover. Installed a knock-out plug, Reglued PVC coupling and resecured it to the wall, replaced MIP on PVC that feeds the junction box to the pump house, replaced a GFCI, replaced cover plated throughout the house, and replaced bathroom light switch.

The cost for repairs presented to the homeowner from their property management company was astronomical, and the wait for the property management vendors was excessive. The customer had 30 days for reinspection. McCray & Sons Home Services saved them a considerable amount of money (upwards of 10K), and we completed the work in the allotted time frame, allowing for reinspection and passing of all items.

The property owner was then hit with a notice from their homeowners’ insurance.

PROPERTY NOTICE OF CANCELLATION FOR UNDERWRITING REASONS:

1. Property with hazard or exposure that increases the chance of injury or illness to others is not eligible for this program: Property with cracking or uneven walkway

2. Dwellings with trees overhanging roofs or touching dwellings are not eligible for this program

McCray & Sons Home Services was able to get right back out to address the issues. As a temporary solution and an opportunity to help the homeowner meet the insurance requirements, McCray & Sons Home Services pressure-washed the driveway, eliminating growing dirt and vegetation in the cracks and crevices. McCray & Sons Home Services then filled the cracks with a QUICKCRETE concrete crack seal. This met the insurance requirements and saved the property owner from the immediate expense of pouring a new driveway.

McCray & Sons Home Services cut back the trees from the awning and hauled and disposed of the waste.

All inspections passed with no issues. 

McCray & Sons Home Services saved the day!