Ferrari Mailing List: OT: Home Inspection that missed one

[Tom Reynolds (kjtar]

Dear List(s),
        Prior to the purchase of our new to us home in Tulsa in June of this 
year, we contracted with a Home Inspector to have an inspection done.  Don't 
know if our Realtors recommended him outright, or if we asked them if they knew 
of any good inspectors.  At any rate, the guy came out and did his inspection, 
we were billed around $300 or so for it, so it was not one of the cost/time 
cutting ones.  There were some things on the list we wanted fixed, the home 
owner had them fixed, receipts were exchanged, etc.  Not absolutely perfect, 
but not bad.
        But apparently he missed one big thing.  We had a home inspector out 
last week to look at our trim/siding because we were told by an independent 
repair guy that we needed caulking and repainting and it might cost anywhere 
from $4-6K.  That got me to call this second home inspector dude to come out 
and just take a look for a second opinion. 
        Well, things being things, (it was after work and getting dark) he 
didn't stop there (he charged me $175) and went not ALL over the house, but a 
good chunk over what he'd originally been asked to come out and do.  One thing 
he did find that scares the living you know what out of me/us is that there is 
a concrete slab under our deck that at one time might have been a patio, but 
anyway, there is some kind of beam attached to it and also to our deck.  The 
land/dirt/ground has been washed out from under the concrete slab, and the 
(second) inspector said that it would be very expensive to fix, and also 
imperative.  He suggested we call some people who do foundation work to come 
out and give us written estimates, and then to call the first home inspector, 
tell him that we think he missed something very important, that he might want 
to come out and take a look, and bring the claims adjuster from his malpractice 
insurance company out with him.  I'm also thinking that this might be something 
that could be covered under our Homeowner's insurance policy.   Should I go 
looking for a real estate lawyer now, or later, or ?
Thanks very much for all your help,
Tom (very worried) Reynolds
Tulsa, OK