A recent call from a prospective client reveals the extent of potential issues in purchasing a renovated, foreclosed property. The home inspector was unable to complete his inspection due to standing water in the crawl space. The remodeling contractor indicated the problem was caused by the gutters and informed the buyer that the problem was fixed. The caller noted that the home was on a hillside, built in 1969 and they were interested in a third party inspection to insure that there were no structural or environmental problems before culminating the sale.
I have advised others, prior to completing the sale of a previously owned home to consider issues - expensive issues - before completing the purchase. Some listen, some ignore the advice. This caller obviously did their homework and was prepared to move foward with my recommendations before the purchase was finalized.
Here is what I told him:
1. Gutter issues will not solve water in the crawl space; sloped grading away from the home, elimination of planters and irrigation against the home and exterior drainage systems that prevent water from entering the crawl space (most are below grade) is required. These are expensive measures but cost a fraction of what it cost to repair structural deterioration and interior enviornmental issues related to moisture intrusion in the crawl space. Building science fact: as much as 30% of the make-up air in a structure comes from the crawl space. Moisture laden air (a gas) will rot wood, encourage fungal and biological growth and penetrate into the home's interior environment. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that excessive moisture (65%+) is the single largest health issue in building envelopes.
2. Since the home was built in 1969, the presence of asbestos materials and lead based paint is more probable than not. Want to immediately kill a real estate deal? Ask for the results of asbestos and lead testig on the property - it appears that no one is paying attention to the federal, state or local mandates for testing, abatement and quality control testing of these verified health issuues. Most home inspectors will advise the home buyer of these issues but surveys and testing is expensive so caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) is mandated.
3. If the buyer approached the seller with these issues, it would most likely kill the sale.
The result of my telephone consultation was that this well-informed buyer spoke with the seller about fixing the water in the crawl space and the seller refused any responsibility for this issue; the buyer wisely walked away from the deal.
So how much would my recommendaitons cost a potential buyer?
- Crawl space inspection with photo documentation $125.00
- Formal report of findings $175.00
- Asbestos and lead survey and testing $400 - $600.00 or more
- Interior Environmental Testing - moisture related problems, mold - $400 - $600.00 or more
Approximately $1500 or more is substantial but not unreasonable for a $225,000.00 investment. On the flip side, fixes for the above matters $2500 - $25,000.00.
Seems like cheap insurance to me but given our current economy, most would fore-go the data, information and expense.
Feel free to contact me if you would like more informaiton regarding the listed services and costs.