ba-rvinspections

The RV Looked Perfect

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 04:54:05 GMT

A FEW THINGS EVERY RV BUYER SHOULD CONSIDER

One of the most common questions I receive is, "How much do you charge for an inspection?"

Sometimes that question is followed by, "I can get one done for a lot less."

Other times it's, "I'm pretty handy. I can look it over myself."

Maybe.

The better question isn't what an inspection costs. It's what happens when you don't get the right inspection before you buy.

Over the past several months, I've had multiple maintenance customers whose stories began long before they ever called me. In each case, they had already purchased their RV. Each time, the dealership assured them everything had been checked and was ready to go. Each time, they quickly discovered that wasn't the reality.

One customer bought a used RV and spent the next several weeks sorting through problems that should have been identified before closing. Six months later, one issue is still unresolved. The oven didn't work, and the required parts and repairs took weeks to complete after the purchase. The main awning fabric was torn and covered with organic growth. The awning itself wouldn't extend or retract properly. Even the tires turned out to be older than expected, despite the dealership promising they would be replaced before delivery. Fortunately, that promise was in writing, and it was honored. Unfortunately, the spare tire was never replaced and remains older than I would trust if it ever had to be put into service.

Another customer had been using me for maintenance on their previous camper. They told me they wouldn't buy another RV without having me inspect it first.

Then they found “The One."

Like many buyers, excitement took over. They skipped the inspection.

We've all done it. Whether it's an RV, a vehicle, or even a house, once we've convinced ourselves we've found exactly what we want, it's remarkably easy to overlook things that don't fit that picture. Psychologists call it confirmation bias. Most of us simply call it being excited (ahem... or in love).

That's one of the greatest values of an independent inspector. The inspector isn't emotionally invested in buying the RV. They're not trying to justify the purchase.

The inspector's job is simply to evaluate what's there, not what everyone hopes is there.

This RV was brand new. Within two weeks of taking it home, they began finding cosmetic defects. Appliance problems followed. During their first camping trip, the oven shot flames out the back and scorched the wall behind it. They managed to extinguish the fire before it became something much worse.

The dealership then kept the RV for nearly two months to perform warranty repairs after the owners had enjoyed it for only a couple of weeks. To make matters worse, when freezing weather approached, they were charged to winterize the RV because it was sitting on the dealer's lot awaiting warranty repairs instead of in their own garage—or vacationing somewhere warmer.

These stories have something else in common.

They didn't even involve the same dealership.

In both cases, the dealership believed the RV had been inspected. The buyers paid for their RVs, then lost valuable time returning them for repairs. One customer may still be waiting for everything to be resolved. One lost months waiting for repairs before using the RV as a temporary residence. The other lost much of their camping season and narrowly avoided what could have become a much more serious safety event.

Most dealerships perform a pre-delivery inspection, commonly called a PDI. The technicians performing those inspections often work hard and genuinely want to do a good job. The challenge is time. In many dealerships, a technician may have only an hour and a half to two hours to prepare an entire RV for delivery while under pressure to get it sold.

That's a very different process from an independent pre-purchase inspection.

A pre-purchase inspection can't guarantee that an RV will never have problems. No honest inspector can promise that. Appliances can work during an inspection and fail the next day. Mechanical components wear out. Things break. An inspection is a snapshot in time, performed by a human being, not a promise that nothing will ever go wrong.

What a pre-purchase inspection can do is identify existing defects, document their condition before money changes hands, and give a buyer the information needed to negotiate repairs, renegotiate the purchase, delay delivery until issues are corrected, or simply walk away.

That's where the real value of an inspection isn't measured by what it costs.

It's measured by what it helps you avoid

Next time in the RV Whisperer Files: The Qualifications Behind the Report —what to look for in an RV inspector before you trust them with one of the largest purchases you'll make.

Up On The Roof

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:37:49 GMT

When most people think about an RV, they picture the living room, kitchen, bedroom, or maybe the campsite waiting at the end of the trip. Few spend much time thinking about the roof. That's understandable. The roof isn't glamorous. It's a large expanse of membrane, sealants, vents, air conditioners, antennas, solar panels, and other components that quietly do their jobs day after day.

For an RV inspector, however, the roof is one of the most important areas of the coach. During a recent inspection, I began implementing 360° image collection. Inside, underneath, and perhaps most interestingly, up on the roof, these images capture perspectives most owners never get to see (you can click and drag this image below too):

The result was a unique view of the entire roof layout and the systems installed there. They will be included with our reports when conditions and time allow, providing an additional deliverable to help clients better understand the RV they are considering. Not to replace any of the standard images we collect for these locations, but to allow a more "next best thing to being there" feel for the conditions onsite.

The image itself is interesting, but it also raises a good question:

What is an inspector actually looking for while crawling around on the roof?

The answer depends on the RV, but several items are always high on the list:

Roof membrane/cap condition
Sealants around roof penetrations
Vents, skylights, and plumbing fixtures
Air conditioner mounting and condition
Solar panel installations and wiring
Antennas and communication equipment
Slide topper attachments and condition
Evidence of previous repairs or damage

Many of the most expensive RV repairs begin with water intrusion. A small crack in sealant or a damaged roof component may not seem significant today, but over time water can find its way into areas where it doesn't belong.

That doesn't mean every roof issue is a major problem. In fact, many findings are routine maintenance items. This particular RV was only about a year old and was about to get its second owner, the roof was in great shape (there were other things inside that would've gone unnoticed without the testing an inspection provides). The buyer simply wanted to be sure everything had been thoroughly evaluated.

The goal of an inspection is not to create alarm, but to understand the condition of the RV and identify items that deserve attention. The 360° image also highlights something many buyers don't realize: RV roofs are busy places. Air conditioners, vents, antennas, solar panels, plumbing vents, and other components all share the same space. Every penetration through the roof represents an area that should be inspected and maintained throughout the life of the RV.

Most owners never have the opportunity to view their RV from this perspective. As inspectors, we spend a lot of time up there because the roof often tells an important part of the RV's story. When conditions and time allows on inspection day, I will be collecting these images for customers and providing them as part of the deliverables at the end of the inspection.

To be sure, while climbing the ladder, crawling around checking sealants, membrane condition, and slide toppers, James Taylor's "Up on the Roof "is almost certainly playing in my head.

A Tale of Two A/Cs

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:53:21 GMT

"It was the best of coils, it was the worst of coils..."

These two rooftop A/C units are on the same RV.

The RV was represented as being in essentially new condition, rarely used, exceptionally well cared for, and only about five years old. Looking at the online photos, most buyers would have no reason to think otherwise.

But by the time I saw these A/C coils, the RV had already started telling me its story.

I had already noticed signs of previous bodywork. As the inspection continued, more clues appeared. Roof membrane damage. A broken ladder. Roof-mounted ladder fasteners with no sealant. None of those observations existed in isolation. Like pieces of a puzzle, each one added context to the next.

One observation by itself doesn't tell you much.

A pattern of observations tells you a lot.

That's what many people don't realize about a professional RV inspection. The value isn't simply finding a defect. It's recognizing clues, understanding what they mean, and putting them together into a complete picture of the RV's condition.

Every RV has a story to tell.

The roof tells part of the story.

The appliances tell part of the story.

The bodywork tells part of the story.

Repairs tell part of the story.

Modifications tell part of the story.

Wear patterns tell part of the story.

My job is to listen and put the pieces together.

And this isn't limited to used RVs. Brand-new RVs tell stories too. Sometimes those stories involve manufacturing defects, transportation damage, or repairs that weren't completed as well as they should have been. New RVs leave clues just like used RVs do.

Most RVs tell their stories quietly.

Sometimes they scream.

To be fair, sellers don't always know the full story themselves. Many are simply describing the RV based on their own experience and what they can see. The challenge is that some of the most important clues aren't obvious during a walk-through.

That's why professional inspections matter.

Not because we're trying to kill deals.

Not because we're looking for reasons to say "don't buy it."

We're there to understand the RV's story before the paperwork is signed.

When buyers understand what they're purchasing—good, bad, and everything in between—they can make informed decisions with realistic expectations for the road ahead.

Sometimes the story is exactly what you hope to hear.

Sometimes it isn't.

Either way, the RV usually tells the truth.