You read it right.  Belly-crawling it was.

We've toured the home twice, and my clients want to know what the potable water supply piping system is.

In this area, built in 1995, that is quite likely to be polybutylene, with copper risers, a common method with local tract builders in the 1990's in Wake County, NC.

The North Carolina Property Disclosure form is marked for copper and plastic.  Hmmmm...  I called the Listing Agent who called her clients.  She then told me, "Mike, he should have marked "No Representation."  He really isn't sure about the main system.  He thinks it MIGHT be polybutylene."

All we can find is copper, including at the water heater.  And the crawlspace door is about 12 feet back in under the deck, which is about 24 inches above the ground level.   And we are dressed too nice to crawl. 

So we decided to return tonight for a crawl.  We found the polybutylene as soon as the door was opened, and that was settled.  But once I get that dirty, I want to make it worthwhile, so we crawled the entire crawlspace.  Not much of interest.  That's OK.  Boring is good under a house.  Some wood repair where water had entered behind the deck ledger, and to my eye a decent repair.  I told my client, "If you want this house, I'll have the inspector all over this with a fine tooth comb."

So, why are we doing this?  I'm no Home Inspector.  I could have said, "That's not my job."  Some people think I should have.

What we did tonight was get a quick sketch of the general conditions of the crawlspace.  My clients know there is polybutylene piping, with copper fittings.  And they know there is a little dampness and a ground vapor barrier is probably a good idea.

And I feel comfortable if they want to make an offer, that I have done a complete look at the property, and I'm at peace that we went to the effort to detect any easy deal-breakers.  And we gained that knowledge before they entered into a contract, and without them paying an inspector $400 to tell them they had polybutylene and needed a ground vapor barrier.

If they decide to accept a home with polybutylene piping, they want to know up front.  No surprises.

Full-service Real Estate Agency?  Sure.  Any pretty boy can walk a finished basement.  My client was delighted with a crawlspace tour.