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.
Thanks everyone for your input so far! Some other details..
-it's a flipped house. The seller is also the listing agent.
-clearly, this flimsy little thing isn't actually helping structurally. My concern is that perhaps it's intended to be helping structurally. This house had other pseudo-fixes in the basement, like 'retaining walls' that were just plaster applied directly to dirt. I'm hoping this metal stick isn't supposed to be addressing an actual issue.
Thanks everyone for your input so far! Some other details..
-it's a flipped house. The seller is also the listing agent.
-clearly, this flimsy little thing isn't actually helping structurally. My concern is that perhaps it's intended to be helping structurally. This house had other pseudo-fixes in the basement, like 'retaining walls' that were just plaster applied directly to dirt. I'm hoping this metal stick isn't supposed to be addressing an actual issue.
Huge red flags. I wouldn't close until you are 100% sure what that things purpose is. Frankly I would have walked when I saw dirt walls claiming to be retaining walls covered in plaster.
Thanks everyone for your input so far! Some other details.. -it's a flipped house. The seller is also the listing agent.
-clearly, this flimsy little thing isn't actually helping structurally. My concern is that perhaps it's intended to be helping structurally. This house had other pseudo-fixes in the basement, like 'retaining walls' that were just plaster applied directly to dirt. I'm hoping this metal stick isn't supposed to be addressing an actual issue.
run...
Did you have it inspected? I would hold off on closing until you found out what that is.
DANGER WILL ROBINSON. Ok, not this strut specifically, but all the warning signs going out. Flipped house. Hidden items. Misleading "retaining wall." Foundation issues. If these are the VISIBLE things, what about the INVISIBLE? Wiring, plumbing, HVAC?
Stick a bar under it and rip it out. If the house falls in don't buy it. Anything less consider what it means
Really weird. How did you miss this and your inspector? Was not there? Then rip it out and see what falls off. .
Some will think I am kidding but I am not. Rip it out. Should not be there and you don't have time to be polite.
Bet you some kind of conduit getting electrical wire to an awkward place or similar.
But I would rip it out and see what is there and then decisxe whether to close or not. And if you are not willing to rip it out...hire somebody. Not interesting enough to cancel a late phase deal nor minor enough to ignore. So do something .
We and our inspector missed it because the room was staged with furniture, there was a huge bed on top of/covering the strut. We've sent inquiries to our inspector, the civil engineer who inspected the basement (and told us about all the issues there), and the seller themselves.
Our inspector (who of course saw the house in person but has only seen the strut via photos) says: "My only guess is it's an old support brace for some portion of the wall or framing member. I don't know whats behind the wall but it appears to have been there a long time. I would not consider it an issue or problem."
We'll see what the others say. The seller's reaction to the basement issues was 'we don't know or care, sold as-is'. The market (Wash Park in Denver) favors sellers so strongly that they have the leverage to do this. So I assume that will be their response about this strut too.
Big red flags----looking at the pictures, it looks like the bar going through the drywall..(and you say the newly laid carpet was placed around this bar too). I would definitely find out what this bar is there for as for some reason it was not removed when the carpet was pout down, etc....judging by what, it looks like the bar is there for some 'good' reason.
How did you find your inspector who did this inspection for you?
The "plaster over dirt" walls in the basement are also odd---what did the inspector say about those? What kind of foundation does this house have? And, specifically, what the problems with the foundation?
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.
run...
