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I bought a house just this month and had it inspected two months ago. The inspector missed some HUGE stuff that looks to be costing me a ton of cash. First there are some severe dips on the slab (split entry). I called him about it and he sad the dips are cosmetic because the house is supported by the foundation walls (this is after I bought the house). I didn't notice the dips until I started hanging out at the house a lot.
Today I found Efflorescence in the storage space under the stairs (which he went into). I didn't even know what it was I had to look it up. It isn't extensive, but I can't figure out where it is coming from since the other side of the concrete wall is the garage. I also found some serious bubbling paint in the downstairs, peeled it only to find more efflorescence. Now the home owner says he has never had water issues. I also note there was a downspout located there that I have since moved. But the inspector should have noted that.
Last night my kids went to take a bath and I found the tub doesn't plug at all. So I have had to replace the entire linkage assembly. Nothing on the report about that.
I also found the wall behind the tub bowing in... it appears just to be the tub surround and due to it's color it can be deceptive and not look that way. But now I wonder what is going on. Nothing on the inspection report about that.
This in addition to a myriad of little problems I continue to find that never showed up on the inspection report like drywall cracks. He did tell me they were typical.. as the only couple are above a door and a window.
Being ignorant enough I trusted the inspector. My trust is going to cost me and at this point I really don't like this house and feel we majorly overpaid.
Do I have any recourse?
Yes, no, maybe. Depending on the laws of your state.
First hire a second inspector to go over the home with a fine-tooth comb. Then get an hours time with a real estate attorney familiar with these issues.
I bought a house just this month and had it inspected two months ago.
The inspector missed...
Do I have any recourse?
In a word... No.
Short of the maliciousness level or some sort of truly gross and obvious...
you can be certain that the contract includes adequate protection for (most) errors or omissions.
Nothing you mentioned sounds HUGE. You didn't mention how old the house is, or if was occupied when he did the inspection.
If you didn't notice the dips until you had been hanging out a lot, they might not have been all that noticeable during the inspection. It sounds like you were there during the inspection.
The efflorescence may not be a current problem. Did he use a moisture meter on the walls? He should have.
There are a couple scenarios about the tub drain.... 1. It didn't work during the inspection, and the inspector did not report it., 2. It worked fine during the inspection, and broke in the time between the inspection and you using it last night. Whichever scenario went down, the cost of fixing a tub stopper should not be a HUGE expense.
The bowing at the tub may not be a huge problem either. As you said, it was difficult to see. Drywall cracks are fairly common in homes, and if he told you they were typical, it sounds like you were at least told about them.
Why not ask the inspector come out and address your concerns? He may be willing to pay for the tub repair (I would), or refund your inspection fee if you are that dissatisfied.
Your last comment, "Being ignorant enough I trusted the inspector. My trust is going to cost me and at this point I really don't like this house and feel we majorly overpaid. ", tells me you might have a case of buyer's remorse. You have not outlined anything that I would consider HUGE, nor incurred a HUGE financial loss.
Call the inspector, explain your concerns, and ask him to come back and look at them. I hope it works out for you.
Starting with the "dips" in the slab it is all but impossible for somebody on the internet to classify something as "severe" without real evidence. I have seem many poured slabs that vary by inch or more from edge to center over a 20 span and without laying a level you'd never notice it. Even if you did notice it the only reason to really fix this is to lay fancy tile over the slab. The fix would likely be a done with a batch of self-leveling concrete which is cheap and not exactly technically demanding.
Similarly things like efflorescence are not by themself any kind of alarm bell -- demanding on local climate and interior airflow / HVAC it is entirely possible that this happened very quickly. If it is due to some failure to keep the moisture away from the slab (which implies possible clogged gutters and/or changes to landscape ) the inspector cannot be blamed.
Not at all clear if the paint issue was due to improper work done by prior owners or new work, more confusing is statement "there was a downspout located there that I have since moved" -- is the implication that the downspout was located in such a way that the rain coming off roof was staying right against the foundation or that the downspout was eliminated ? If I had to guess I would say about 90% of new homeowners don't understand that downspouts are not just something they trip over when trying to cut the lawn, they are a vital part of moving the rain water than is concentrated from the roof to a part of the lot where it can safely be directed away from the foundation. Redirecting downspouts can have dramatic consequnces...
It is true that bathtubs have many different kinds of stoppers. Some are rather elaborate while others are just a simple rubber plug. Every inspector tries to fill up the tub, it is a simple way to ensure there is an appropriat anti-scald mixing valve as well load down to tub to check for watertight caulking. The elaborate stoppers that have some kind of lever to flick from draining to holding water and can easily be broken by someone struggling to try to close the drain so the kiddos can have some quality "Mr. Bubble"-time... In most such cases something can be retrofitted in a cost effective way.
If the inspector called out drywall cracks as "typical" what evidence is there that is not the case?
Most buyers experince some degree of the "dream home" not being anything other than a real physical object that is, in a myriad of ways, imperfect. So long as there was no effort to actively decieve the buyer it is unlikey that inspector is liable for anything...
Being ignorant enough I trusted the inspector. My trust is going to cost me and at this point I really don't like this house and feel we majorly overpaid.
Do I have any recourse?
Your confused to what an inspector does. Your inspector is simply a guy offering his "opinion" of your house. He is not certifying it is perfect and is certainly not liable for fixing things. He also cannot see hidden defects behind walls, etc. You bought a "used" house. Used "anything" are going to have some issues. You dont need to fix everything right away, take for example the tub. Buy a plug for $1 and its fixed. As for the dip in the slab, it may have been thereforever, and there is no fix. Simply learn to live with some of the house's shortcomings. Its a used house, its cheaper than a new house.
If you had bought a new house, you could have the builder fix things. But since you bought a used house, you are going to have to fix things.
I'm wondering if it is normal for the buyers not to be present at the inspection. Our realtor didn't really allow us to be there , except at the end for a 10 min overview, and instead of showing me things, the inspector kept saying "it will all be in the report". Now, the report was good, and extensive...but that does NOT substitute for him showing me things. In another state, it was normal for the buyer to be present at the inspection and the realtors took a backseat role.
The realtors just want to get the house sold, but I felt uncomfortable about not being at the inspection. Is that normal procedure?
I'm wondering if it is normal for the buyers not to be present at the inspection. Our realtor didn't really allow us to be there , except at the end for a 10 min overview, and instead of showing me things, the inspector kept saying "it will all be in the report". Now, the report was good, and extensive...but that does NOT substitute for him showing me things. In another state, it was normal for the buyer to be present at the inspection and the realtors took a backseat role.
The realtors just want to get the house sold, but I felt uncomfortable about not being at the inspection. Is that normal procedure?
My first preference is for the buyer to be there for the entire inspection.
Minimally, I like the buyer to be there for the wrap-up summary, so the inspector can review the findings and walk around the property pointing things out.
As an inspector I like my clients to be there. OK, honestly, I would prefer they come towards the end instead of following me around every minute. I can focus better when I am by myself.
While I'm OK with them being there every second, but its a little like watching paint dry, for the most part. If they come toward the end (I like them to come the last hour) I can bring them up to speed on what I have found so far, and then address any concerns they may have in our time together.
When I am finished with the inspection part (I still have to write the report), I walk them around showing them where the shut off valves are for water & gas, and the location of electrical panels and what GFCI controls what outlets, etc. I then show them any issues that I have found and discuss them. I finish up asking them if they have any questions, or if there was something that we didn't cover.
I want my clients there because answering questions at the inspection, means less time on the phone answering questions after the fact.
On a side note regarding the tub drain. I'm one of the rare inspectors that offer a 90 Day Warranty on my inspection. As long as my report says that something is working OK during the inspection, and its not OLD (nearing the end of its expected life), its covered under the warranty. There are a few limitations, but for the most part it eliminates these kind of issues, and unhappy clients.
In 2014, I think the warranty has taken care of a few microwaves, a couple dishwashers, an a/c unit, and a disposal or two. The price I pay for the warranty is small compared to the ill will you get from someone when they just move in and something breaks. Sure, stuff happens, but it still sucks.
If fact, the warranty company first denied a claim on a dishwasher because in my report I put that the electrical feed was not fully visible. This is a standard comment I make because I can not see the electrical connections without partially disassembling the dishwasher. Something an inspector does not normally do. It turns out the problem was a loose connection. When my client called me to complain about the warranty company, I told him I would pay the repair out of my own pocket. I then called the warranty company, and after discussing the issue, they not only covered the claim, but called my client to apologize for the inconvenience.
I'm a pretty diligent inspector, but we are only in the house for a couple hours. We are looking for the BIG STUFF!, not the little things. Think of us as big game hunters. In our quest to bring down a moose, we may let a few rabbits and squirrels get away. There will always be the Uncle Charlie that comes by, spends a couple days in the house, and finds a small crack at the corner of a window (after the old curtains have been taken down) then loudly proclaims, "Look at this crack! I CAN NOT BELIEVE YOUR INSPECTOR MISSED THIS!!
Sorry for the slight thread drift.
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