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Hello,
I just recently put a offer in for a house that is in a very nice area in Portage, Michigan. The house was a great deal for the location and size, but there was one issue that I noticed that turned me off. The two support beams in the basement are not bolted down but are tightened using clamps. We have a home inspector coming out on Monday to check the house out. The sellers don't know anything about it and say it was like that when they moved in. Does this sound very bad? The house is relatively new as it was built in 2001. How can a house pass code with something like this? We can walk at anytime as the we have to be solely satisified with house inspection. Any feedback would be gladly appreciated and I will take pictures when I can get in the house again.
You haven't bought the house until closing. I assume you have a home inspection contingency; in this case make very sure you are satisified, if necessary bringing in a structural engineer.
It would be difficult to comment without a picture or more information. When you are finished with the home inspection, and nothing else is there that makes you want to leave, then you might well want to have a licensed Structural Engineer review this item and the remainder of the structure for any issues. If what you are concerned with is an improper build or a repair for a previous issue then there might be a potential for other errors as well.
A basic home inspector isn't going to satisfy you on whether or not the foundation is done properly. He'll only say it's "performing as intended". You need a foundation person like a structural engineer or a reputable foundation company who isn't known for fixing everything because they need money, and yes, there are plenty of those.
Obviously its not possible to give an opinion without at least a photo.
It might be as simple as installing the missing bolts.
It also could be a major structural issue.
The home inspector can look at it and give you an opinion. You may need to get a structural engineer, you may not.
Not all areas of the country have Building Departments, inspections, or any kind of code enforcement. There are many Counties in TN that only have a State electrical inspection, and a septic inspection. Of course, there are also Counties that have very good Building departments and inspectors.
Hello,
I just recently put a offer in for a house that is in a very nice area in Portage, Michigan. The house was a great deal for the location and size, but there was one issue that I noticed that turned me off. The two support beams in the basement are not bolted down but are tightened using clamps. We have a home inspector coming out on Monday to check the house out. The sellers don't know anything about it and say it was like that when they moved in. Does this sound very bad? The house is relatively new as it was built in 2001. How can a house pass code with something like this? We can walk at anytime as the we have to be solely satisified with house inspection. Any feedback would be gladly appreciated and I will take pictures when I can get in the house again.
I don't know much about homes with basements, but in Texas, a home on a pier/beam set up is usually not actually physically attached to the piers with any fasteners at all...the house is literally just built on top of the pilings - there is nothing holding it down other than its own weight.
When the ground shifts, a contractor comes in with a jack, lifts it up, shims it, and sets it back down.
A home inspector may be able to give you an idea of if this is typical construction or not in your area. Personally, I don't think I've ever seen a support attached as you describe. In the end, for peace of mind, you may want to have a structural engineer come in for a look even if the home inspector says it's OK.
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