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Hi all,
I am shopping for a new home and everything else about this home hits the checkmarks except this bathroom - the Realtor says there is an obvious sign of water damage and can be costly - the person living there says they wont fix anything because its a 1 year old home - we do not even want to get an inspection (costs 650) if the owners are being unreasonable like they are so I figured lets see if our experts here can give any insights.. !
Not sure what you want from the experts here based on one photo. I'd be wanting one to evaluate this in person. Repairing water damage is a PITA. Cosmetic issues that don't hinge on structure are fixable. How long has the house been on the market? Is the asking price in line with comparable houses in the area? Is it noticeably lower? I'd listen to your buyer's agent.
My non-expert thoughts about that shower:
Doesn't make sense that they would thoroughly clean the whole shower but leave soap scum right where build up is the most obvious. Is the water hard in that location? Should be some sign of that elsewhere. Can't tell much from the single photo, but IMO that looks suspiciously like water seepage/effervescence from under the tile possibly related to the drain. Can you go take a second look maybe with someone who does tile work?
Maybe its moot. The sellers are stating right up front they won't fix any problems. Maybe that's all you need to know. A one year old house isn't automatically trouble free or better than an older one. If that locale requires property disclosures that doesn't guarantee a seller will be honest.
Whether you get an inspection or not, you know you'll be taking on any repairs for yourself. How lucky do you feel? If you think you'll want to put an offer on the house and considering what you're otherwise willing to pay for it, is there room in the budget to re-build the shower? Find out what tearing out and re-doing a shower floor and tile + glass surround might cost. Incorporate that cost estimate when deciding what to offer. The seller can always refuse it. If there turns out not to be a problem, you may just have a shower that needs the grout scrubbed more often.
Last edited by Parnassia; 06-04-2021 at 05:10 PM..
Not sure what you want from the experts here based on one photo. I'd be wanting one to evaluate this in person. Repairing water damage is a PITA. Cosmetic issues that don't hinge on structure are fixable. I'd listen to your agent.
My non-expert thoughts about that shower:
Doesn't make sense that they would thoroughly clean the whole shower but leave soap scum right where build up is the most obvious. Is the water hard in that location? Should be some sign of that elsewhere. Can't tell much from the single photo, but IMO that looks suspiciously like water seepage/effervescence from under the tile possibly related to the drain. Can you go take a second look maybe with someone who does tile work?
Maybe its moot. The sellers are stating right up front they won't fix any problems. Maybe that's all you need to know. A one year old house isn't automatically trouble free or better than an older one and people can lie on a property disclosure. Whether you get an inspection or not, you know you'll be taking on any repairs for yourself. How lucky do you feel? If you think you'll want to put an offer on the house and considering what you're otherwise willing to pay for it, is there room in the budget to re-build the shower? Find out what tearing out and re-doing a shower floor might cost. Incorporate that cost estimate when deciding what to offer. They can refuse it. If there turns out not to be a problem, you may just have a shower that needs the grout scrubbed more often.
Thank you so much all valid points! I am just going to keep hunting!
WTF!? Really!? That’s a sign of “water damage”? This is the best joke I’ve heard all day!
Was this “your” agent?
If the house checks “all the boxes”, why would you walk? Because you hired an idiot as your agent? A little forethought, and a lot of self-education would most likely deduce that there is a water and drainage problem- on the surface! If you literally had “water damage” the tiles would most likely be loose or popped off! And, as previously mentioned, the type of water could be playing a significant role in the present appearance.
Understanding how a shower is constructed could also help you in your decision.
I’m not saying that all buyer’s agent are totally worthless- but there’s certainly a lot of totally incapable idiotic morons out there.
WTF!? Really!? That’s a sign of “water damage”? This is the best joke I’ve heard all day!
Was this “your” agent?
If the house checks “all the boxes”, why would you walk? Because you hired an idiot as your agent? A little forethought, and a lot of self-education would most likely deduce that there is a water and drainage problem- on the surface! If you literally had “water damage” the tiles would most likely be loose or popped off! And, as previously mentioned, the type of water could be playing a significant role in the present appearance.
Understanding how a shower is constructed could also help you in your decision.
I’m not saying that all buyer’s agent are totally worthless- but there’s certainly a lot of totally incapable idiotic morons out there.
Thanks all for all the insights! Just to give closure, we did ask the sellers directly and they replied that there is water damage for which they used caulk to seal up the gaps in the grout lines they again re-affirmed they wont fix anything. We are back on the hunt
Is this on the second floor of the home? Or are we talking about it being on the main level with a concrete slab? If it's second level, just go look at the ceiling directly underneath the bathroom for signs of water damage or fresh ceiling paint.
K' is right here, it helps to understand how a shower is constructed. It is likely a concrete base underneath with a 6mm rubber "pan liner", meaning whatever "water damage" there might be, is likely contained to the rubber pan liner. If there is damage at all other than the wrong grout used for the floor or they put a wire brush to the floor to clean it and screwed up the grout. Water finds the weakest spot and goes there. What I see given the wide area, is bad grout and likely not sealed grout.
I just had my master bathroom completely redone. Similar shower as this photo. It was 20 years old and a failed grout spot on the side wall tile caused some water damage behind it. But the subfloor when they finally pulled it all out - bone dry. The pan liner saved the damage. Only had to replace a small piece of wall insulation because of mold, that's it.
It probably costs, what, $5k-ish to rebuild the shower? K' would you agree with that price range? OP if all the boxes are checked and you're not seeing obvious signs of water damange on the ceiling below, then maybe use this element to negotiate down the price with their realtor. Have it inspected obviously (your lender will likely require it anyway as a condition of the loan, assuming you're getting a loan however). But to me, this just looks like bad grout and a clueless homeowner using caulking. Heck, you might just need to have the grout replaced. But end of the day, if no damage on the ceiling, and the tile walls aren't soft and spongy, then this is likely not a major event to repair. I certainly would not allow it to chase me off from a home that I otherwise like and would use this as leverage to negotiate.
Lastly - 1 year old home. Um, did it not come with a general 1 year warranty from the builder? Most builders have to post a bond with the county in exchange for receiving a building permit to build the house. That bond's whole purpose is to allow the county to pay to fix something not built to code correctly if the builder fails to repair their mistake. If this had been my house and that was occurring in my shower and the builder refused or danced around fixing it - I'd of called the county to come back and take a look. In my area, all new builds come with at least a 1 year warranty and a set schedule for when the builder will come back to fix the laundry list of things that happen during that first year of a home's life. The wood structure acclimates throughout the seasons which causes drywall cracks and nail pops, is the most common issue. Also will cause hardwood flooring joints to open/close, and so forth. Since this owner did nothing but put caulking down over the failed grout, I'm guessing they had no idea...
That look like a reaction between grout and a cleaning product or bath product. I don't think the owner is being unreasonable, many sellers won't do most fixes especially on a newer home. If you are buying a house then you should be able to pay $650 for an inspection, otherwise can you actually afford the house or maintenance? You at the very least get a contractor to take a quick look at the bathroom and it won't cost as much as a full inspection. To be honest, I think your agent may killing good deals for you by saying things like "water damage" when they don't actually know.
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