🧰 The Catwalk in the Rafters: A Home Inspector’s Dream Come True

🕵️‍♂️The Inspection Insider

The Inside Scoop for Buyers, Sellers, and Realtors

This Week's Inspector Spotlight: Interesting Hook

Attic Surprise!

Up in the attic, I expected insulation… maybe a squirrel or two.
What I didn’t expect was a cool little catwalk—stretching from one end of the house to the other, built like it came straight out of a contractor’s daydream. No mystery, no drama—just pure, practical brilliance.

The house was a modest bungalow in a quiet, tree-lined neighborhood. Built in the early 2000s, it didn’t scream luxury, but it was clean, solid, and well-kept. The buyers were first-timers, and they’d done their homework—asking great questions and taking notes like they were studying for the homeownership final exam.

Everything on the outside checked out fine. No real red flags. Next I like to inspect the attic for a top down look at things, figuring I’d find the usual: uneven insulation, maybe a disconnected bath fan hose, and at least one spot where I’d have to ninja-crawl over ceiling joists while trying not to plunge through the drywall ceiling.

The Surprise
But the moment I popped the attic hatch, I knew something was different.

There it was—an actual catwalk. Not just a endless sea of insulation and trusses. This was a well-supported wooden walkway that ran the entire length of the attic. It had lights, it was level, and it was glorious.

Taking it all in
I stood there for a second, just taking it in. Most attics are the kind of place you enter reluctantly—dusty, cramped, and full of surprises you didn’t ask for. But this? This was a pleasure to inspect. I walked the entire attic without stepping on a single ceiling joist. I didn’t have to perform any Cirque du Soleil acrobatic moves to check insulation coverage or look for signs of moisture, rodents, or wiring issues.

Even better—there were no issues to report. The insulation was perfect. The ventilation was well-balanced. Everything up there was done right, and thanks to that catwalk, I could actually see it all clearly.

Lesson Learned
This was one of those rare moments in my job where I didn’t just admire the house—I admired the person who built or maintained it. Someone had taken the time to think ahead. Not just about the construction, but about access. They understood that things in the attic eventually need attention, and they made sure future owners—or their inspectors—could actually get up there and do the job safely.

That simple decision made everything easier. And safer. And faster. I finished my attic inspection in record time, and I probably smiled the whole way through.

🛠️ Pro Tip of the Week

Most people don’t think about attic access until they need it. But a well-built catwalk can turn a dangerous crawl into a safe stroll. It’s a small detail that pays off in a big way—not just during inspections, but any time repairs, upgrades, or inspections are needed down the road.

So if you’re building or renovating, take a cue from this house: think about the person who’s going to be up there someday. It might be me, it might be you, or it might be someone installing a new bathroom fan. Either way, they’ll thank you.

🔎 Coming Next Week…

Brand new build Mystery. Never been lived in. Everything looked perfect—until we turned on the taps. The water pressure dropped to nothing. Then, five minutes later it came back — then gone again. What was causing the pressure to vanish in a house with all-new plumbing? You won't believe what we found.

Ron Henderson, CMI
Certified Master Inspector

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