By Admin Wednesday July 14, 2021
Look, if you buy an old house—you buy all the baggage that comes along with it. We are talking about all sorts of things like faulty electrical panels, foundation and roof damage, toxic building materials, so on and so forth. So, you would do well to tread carefully when you step into old-house territory for more reasons than just the potential hazards you may find. Think of the fact that you might have to invest a lot of money in making repairs, replacing panels, getting the house rewired, and other similar damages.
The upshot here is that you can probably get the seller to drive down the price or make the repairs themselves because you will have leverage over them. The best way to identify these problems is to hire a professional home inspection service like ours—but even if you don’t, you should look out for these problems.
The home has likely been around for a while—which means that the foundations have seen their fair share of trauma. Damaged foundations may not give you problems immediately, but the damage will start piling up in the form of bent walls, warped floors, and various leaks sprouting through the house. So, thoroughly inspect the foundations to make sure they are in good condition. If they are badly damaged, either get the seller to bring the price down, make the repairs or pass.
Roof replacements and repairs are pretty expensive—it’s a cost that you should not have to bear if you are paying top dollar for the property. These problems include falling shingles, cracks in the ceiling, leaks, and shoddy insulation. If you detect any moisture in the attic, see bowed gutters, or if the shingles fall from the roof in front of you—be wary of buying the house, and invest in a home inspection to see how far the damage goes.
If the house has been shut up for a few years, then it is quite likely flooded with toxic gases like Radon that will pose significant hazards. You should hire someone to conduct a radon detection test throughout the house to see if it’s safe to live in. If not, then invest in a Radon Mitigation System to reduce the amount of radon in the house—ideally, you should get the seller to buy you a radon mitigation system.
If are buying an old home, you should get in touch with Clear Sight Inspection. With years of experience as professional home inspectors, we offer a wide range of services like multi-unit house inspections, Radon testing, new construction inspections and more. Call us today for more information on their services in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, NY.
Reach out to us upon putting an offer on a new home. We will connect with you at our earliest to schedule a date for the home inspection and discuss your requirements. If we are unable to schedule an inspection on your preferred date, we’ll work out to pick another available date at your convenience.
For any inquiries or concerns regarding the inspection, please feel free to contact us. We’ll be ready to address all your concerns.
TEL : (347) 286-8696
Clear Sight Inspections is a veteran-owned company. We aren't afraid of a little hard work, and we are willing to put in the effort no matter the circumstances. Through our home inspection services, we continue to serve our community and put that experience to work for you.