I’ve been doing this a long time. Every once in a while, I get a chance to right a wrong. It’s like a shooting star—rare, and lucky to catch. A woman hired me to do a home inspection for her. She needed the forms for insurance, nothing out of the ordinary. While I was there, she casually mentioned that the air conditioner had been acting up. It had been installed in 2023, and the company had already come back out several times. She didn’t sound angry—just tired. So I took a look. And what I found was bad.

This is the part where we both had to take a breath. I don’t think people realize this, but these moments? They’re not fun for me either. I’m not out here trying to hunt down problems. But I didn’t have a choice—and neither did she. The condition of that system disqualified her from getting insurance coverage. A passing 4-point inspection is required in Florida, and with a leaking condensate line due to a sloppy install that had already failed multiple times, there was no way I could pass it. I can’t ignore that. It’s right there. I have the pictures to prove it.

This isn’t new territory for me—being alone in a home with a single woman asking for help. I know how often women, especially those living alone, get brushed off. And like I said: I can’t ignore it. So, what do you do when you can’t ignore it? You start by not burying your head in the sand.

For those who don’t know, the condensate line is what removes water from the home. Air conditioners remove moisture from the air to cool it—and that moisture has to go somewhere. The condensate line carries it outside, away from the structure. If it’s not installed properly, it leaks into the attic, the walls, the insulation. That’s how you end up with mold, water damage, insurance claims, remediations—the kind of bad day that spirals into a worse week.

I documented that it was leaking. Then I pulled the electrical panel cover. When they installed the new condenser outside, they had to replace wiring. And they butchered it. Exposed copper, no connector, no grommet—just jammed it into the panel. Now we had water and fire hazards, all in the same system. The water heater was installed by someone else entirely—a “friend of a friend” situation—but it wasn’t wired correctly either. How much bad news can one person take in a day?

But then came the turning point: the AC install had a permit pulled.

That matters. When a contractor pulls a permit, they’re legally obligated to do the work to code. The building department reviews it, and when the work is complete, they send out an inspector to confirm it’s been done properly. If it doesn’t pass? The contractor has to fix it before the permit is closed. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. In reality, mistakes happen. People get lazy. Shortcuts get taken. Sometimes it’s just “my first day and I screwed up.” And that’s okay—mistakes can be fixed. What matters is what happens after the mistake.

Permits allow us to hold people accountable. They give us a reference point. We can say, “This was required. It wasn’t done. Fix it.” But most homeowners can’t do that. They don’t have the time, the energy, or the knowledge. This woman just knew her system wasn’t working. She’d spent a lot of money and time on it, and it still sucked. So I documented everything—in all of its fabulously stupid glory.

Back at the office, I cross-referenced everything with the applicable Florida Building Codes. And what we found was simple: this company—and another—had taken advantage of her. I don’t believe the water heater installer did it maliciously. But the AC company? Yeah, I think they knew better. And they did it anyway.

I wrote a full report detailing the issues, the code violations, and a plan of action she could use to demand accountability. That same day, the condensate line was fixed. A few days later, they sent an electrician to correct the panel. And then, on a Saturday, we returned to fix the water heater wiring ourselves. I updated the report. She got what she needed. She finally accomplished what she hired me to do in the first place.

While I was there, she asked if I could just fix everything from the start. I told her no—not yet. The people who did the work needed to be given a chance to fix it. If I had to step in, it meant the whole system failed. And to their credit, they did show up—though apparently the guy wasn’t too friendly while correcting his own mistakes. But that’s another story.

The water heater crew? They ghosted her. So we handled it. That’s what happens when no one else will.

Here’s the truth: if I have to fix someone else’s mess, it means the people who told you they could do the job lied to you. And when you call them out and they disappear? That’s not just unprofessional. That’s cowardly.

Me? I show up. On time. With a reason. With the tools to solve the problem. That’s the bare minimum. If you can’t do that, go work at Walmart instead of installing appliances in people’s homes.

This is just one story. I have too many more. And every time I walk into one of these situations, I ask myself: when are we going to start treating each other with respect again?

If you’re having trouble with a contractor and a permit is involved, call me.