Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, WA Home Inspector (King of the House)

I was taught back before I had any gray hair and when I went to home inspector school that using those concrete blocks, with the channels in them, for piers was a bad idea if the channels were placed horizontally. That is the wrong way to go about it. You know, like this.

The channels should go up and down. I see blocks used the wrong way in homes some of the time, but they are used the wrong way in manufactured homes nearly all of the time. Honestly, I think that such installation is the "norm" in the manufactured home inspections that I do. As an inspector, I was taught that blocks with that channel in a horizontal position will easily crush. Far as I can see, even the so-called professionals who put in manufactured homes for a living apparently do not buy that crushing theory.

When I see them installed that way -- read that as usually -- I always tell the clients that the blocks are prone to crushing, destabilization. I think that most of the clients think that it is another rambling from a worry-wart home inspector running when he is not being chased. That changed recently. I was actually able to write  this concern into my report in a manner with real teeth -- no sooth saying, see the photo.

In this case a picture was worth a thousand words of warning.

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham WA Home Inspections