Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This is PIDDLY STUFF! Honestly I would live with it! Maybe deal with the SOURCE of the bad porch rail -- probably a long term rain / water management issue, but that is nothing that happened overnight.
Long term -- budget for a bath remodel in 5 years or so. Garage door? It will never be "perfect" -- the motor shakes the sensor to death. When it breaks in 10 years of so the new one will be "in spec" for maybe 90 days or so.
And honestly my experience with trying to decipher what kind of "fix" some inspectors recommend is that maybe 10% of them have ever dealt with a real world contractor -- no honest plumber would take a job that involved destroying your whole wall just to secure the pipe more sturdily. That is flat out stupid. Similarly no honest carpenter / deck builder would fix up the porch rail if that is just the first sign that the whole porch really needs to be rebuilt EVENTUALLY, but that might be 5-7 years down the road. If the "wobble" is minor it is best not to even try putting extra lag bolts into the thing -- old wood might not hold together and then you've made the problem worse!
This sort of report screams "Inspector trying too hard." Some guys feel absolutely compelled to find a list of problems. None of these things need immeadiate attention as they have been described. Existing houses and even brand new houses are rarely "perfect in every way" and it costs too much to rip open walls to "fix" such MINOR issues!
Quote:
Originally Posted by 399083453
These issues are so minor. I'd offer the buyer a credit instead of fixing them. Many states don't even licence contractors. Depends on where you live.
The shower job may be more of a project than you think. They may have to tear apart the shower wall. Better done by the new owner, so they can upgrade the bathroom while they are fixing it.
The garage firewall? I'd tell them it was up to code when built,its grandfathered, if they want to spend extra money on upgrades, its on them after they buy it.
I actually did this...offered to just pay them an extra 500.00 to take care of these items but I was told they need these fixes done prior to getting loan...won't get loan unless fixed first.
I always recommend to my clients not to reveal the home inspection report to loan officers, appraisers, and or insurance co's. It's the quickest way to stall a loan. Most safety issues will stall the loan even though they are quick and easy fixes.
I actually did this...offered to just pay them an extra 500.00 to take care of these items but I was told they need these fixes done prior to getting loan...won't get loan unless fixed first.
They are LYING! These are are far below the FHA inspection standards for remediation! Ask to have official correspondence FROM THE LENDER delivered. Warn the real estate agent that falsification of loan related documents is Federal offense!
Did the inspector find things? Yes.
Do any of them need to be fixed? No.
I would offer a $1000 credit, seller declines fixing anything.
I get what you are saying, and I don't entirely disagree. But if the buyers are older folks (like us) for first time homebuyers, they are likely to want this stuff fixed before they move in. The former don't want to deal with it, the latter don't know how to deal with it and are probably feeling overwhelmed already.
Want the house sold, done and gone? Get the stuff fixed.
Plus I am sure the inspector made them to be slightly bigger than what is on that list. In other words, these are small things to be fixed OR hiding something big! I would just go and fix them and be done with it.
My sweetie is a licensed contractor. In his home state you need to pull a permit to change a bathroom faucet. BE CAREFUL. If you hired him he would give you a comprehensive price on all of it, itemized. You could accept his proposal and let him worry about EVERYTHING (and you'd be happy with the results). He would ensure the other tradesmen he uses did their job well, if he didn't do it all himself. You'd have his license and insurance to back him up. If you decided to let your cousin do part you just take off whatever from the quote and don't come running to him when your cousin screws it up! Sleep easy. And get your house sold.
Want the house sold, done and gone? Get the stuff fixed.
Rule #2 Dont open pandora's box.
Opening up that wall to quiet a pipe could kill the deal. You never know what you're going to find and could end up remodeling the whole bathroom. Every contractor knows, no fix it job is EVER small. You find more issues as you go along and they have to be fixed too.
Call a local builder who also has a 'handyman ' business--many do these days in order to keep their subs employed. You get all the expertise rolled into one point of contact, and you get licensed repair people.
There could be a lot going on here.....especially the trim/railing/molding issues on the porch (sounds like ice/water damage to me, but we don't know) which could be masking a lot of rot/deterioration.
The plumbing sounds mostly like washers/'O' rings. Reattaching/silencing the pipes in the wall can be done in a variety of ways without opening up the sheetrock.
Garage door opener adjustment. Anyone can handle.
Garage Ceiling Access panel-- Might need to replace a little trim around the door when you put the Code Materials in. Contractor will handle the deal.
If you can get the buyer to sign off for $1,000 I would JUMP at it. You might spend $500, or you might spend $5000 if major repairs are behind the porch and bathroom issues.
Talk with a local contractor and see what he/she suggests.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My thoughts as well!
