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and there is clear water issues from roof in several places in the house
I don't want to be a naysayer, but in that case it may have some mold issues. You should check for those too, esp. if the house smells musty or mildewy.
inct55: good point. Plus, I read brick is more susceptible to mold. The house _does_ have an odd smell, but it is old. It is still owned by the family who lived in it since the 1950s. The realtor -- and I don't trust realtors -- stated that was just due to age, etc. Whatever. We are going to push the inspector on mold issues for sure.
The worst part is the plumbing is mostly galvanized at 50+ years. _And_ the electrical is in question as far as no ground wire. All-in-all, a project house to say the least....
Where is this located? Reason I ask is that I've been house-hunting and so have been paying attention to what's on the market, how much price reduction there is and how long to sell. Here in New England, these type of houses just don't sell as well - lots of price reductions and months sitting on the market. I guess people here just like the traditional colonials and capes better than anything modern (or semi-modern).
From the point of view of a homebuyer, I'm put off by this type of built. First there's the lack of / tiny windows. And if you modernize the inside, it'll look weird as in the period details don't match the style. But if you don't, it feels like you're trapped in the 50's. The lack of energy efficiency is also a big minus in my mind. Also the flat roof.... I just don't want the headache. Even if it's good now (which it is not per your observation of leaks already), flat roofs just need more frequent and expensive maintenance. If you have a leak, you sometimes can't tell where it comes from and you keep patching and fixing all your life... no thanks.
The worst part is the plumbing is mostly galvanized at 50+ years. _And_ the electrical is in question as far as no ground wire. All-in-all, a project house to say the least....
and where are those wires, pipes and duct work installed?
MrRational: I watched both videos. Very eye-opening to say the least. This shocked me about bad enough to call my wife and cancel this whole thing. I still might.
My thoughts now are that the house _does_ have a basement. It also has a finished ceiling in that basement. the basement and unfinished rooms off of it do cover about 2/3 of the house underneath if I'm guessing right. Another 1/3 of the house is probably on a slab, but that part has duct work in the ceiling I know as the vents are above the head. The rest of the 2/3s just mentioned over the basement (and I _hope_ it is over the basement) does have the vents along the wall about 6 inches above the floor. I have no clue how air is provided to these.
The house does indeed smell musty and old and the owner had lit a tons of candles before we got there. However, on our 2nd visit, there were no candles, and I didn't think it smelled so bad. My wife did though, but she is very sensitive to smells.
I _did_ see the old red clay pipe shown in that video outside the house, but it was dug up and broken up and literally in pieces. I boggled as to what it was. It is on the side of the house not over any basement and that has duct work in the ceiling. I wonder if they already addressed this in that area and/or all over....
By -laws... That's something I have no experience with... This is specific to the neighborhood?
I meant more the situation where a person buys an authentic FLW house and finds that they can't even make simple repairs without an architectural / historic commission review and approval that limits them to unique and expensive options.
I still think that by the time you are ready to sell the right buyer will come along, even if it takes awhile. This is a beautiful house, the small size and lot situation is very nice.
EDIT: Hoping you get all good inspection reports, of course!
SusqueHappy: home inspection: exactly. We are talking about tripling the home inspections. It seems to be the answer to all of this stuff. When you ask, "what about this and what about that." People go, "well, if it's an issue, it'll get caught in the home inspection. Otherwise, don't worry about it." Can I rely _that_ much on a home inspection?...
Our experience is yes and no. We've had inspectors miss things we knew were a problem. However, it's a great place to start. Considering the cost, a person takes an awful lot of risk buying a house - any house - I think! Maybe the question is more "what types of repairs are deal-breakers" and different people have different tolerances. Excavation and mold would put me off but roofing doesn't concern me so much, we've had roof leaks and have reroofed twice over the years (hodge-podge roofs & roof-lines on this house, we have shingle but membrane in some places too.).
You are getting lots of good info on this thread, I'm learning too!
OMG! What's not to love ... I'd buy that house in a heartbeat if I could afford it. That is freakin' gorgeous!
Find yourself a good roofing contractor who knows his/her way around a minimally sloped roof. Buy some blond end tables and funky-shaped ashtrays, and enjoy!
SusqueHappy: home inspection: exactly. Can I rely _that_ much on a home inspection?...
No. But it really doesn't matter much (here) because the scope of work this place needs is so encompassing...
that anything they might miss will get caught when the total renovation you need is underway.
With a basement rather than a slab you have more and better options...
but this house still needs a MAJOR overhaul of nearly everything down to (and including) the kitchen sink.
What's appealing about the place (like the original cabinetry in great condition)...
actually creates more problems and expense as saving it and reinstalling it later (maybe)..
will cost almost than just tearing it all out roughly and starting over.
Similar applies to the windows and doors and probably the landscaping too.
The flat roof is an architectural detail that most will say to not disturb the lines of...
but if it needs replacing then it's hard to not go whole hog on that.
All the water pipes, drain and vent pipes, sewage pipes to the street and new water service back to the house,
electrical systems, HVAC and other mechanical equipment, kitchen and bath remodeling...
The carpet, blinds and paint most buyers fret over are the least of it.
This won't be cheap; not by a long shot.
I've seen these flat roof's removed entirely (including the plaster ceiling attached to them) and a framed pitched truss system installed to replace it. It's completely out of character but it's entirely practical way to have a less expensive and (nearly) trouble free roof into the future **AND** have room for serious insulation, new wiring, ductwork and often water pipes too.
This still won't be cheap but the money is just the beginning of it all.
It will take MONTH's to complete this work before you can move in.
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"I can build you anything you want... if you'll just draw it out on the back of a big enough check."
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