buying an older house

  • onestout
    Hudson, WI
    Posts: 2698
    #1280893

    We are looking at an older house, have looked at it twice so far) but I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a house inspector. The house was built in the 70’s and has settled some (kitchen cabinets are seperating in a spot and there is a crack in the ceiling) and I would like someone else to take a look at it.
    Also if anyone has any ballpark figures to update a bathroom that would help as well.

    Thanks for any input.

    carroll58
    Twin Cities, USA
    Posts: 2094
    #1146615

    pm sent

    carroll58
    Twin Cities, USA
    Posts: 2094
    #1146616

    Brian @ Inspect Minnesota

    Grant, MN 55110

    Office: 651-493-2682
    Fax: 651-493-2683

    Jesse Krook
    Y.M.H.
    Posts: 6403
    #1146619

    Did you look at the foundation?

    onestout
    Hudson, WI
    Posts: 2698
    #1146624

    tough to see, finished basement and everything outside covered in snow.

    Thanks for the PM, I’ll give him a call.

    PikeFishman
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 364
    #1146626

    Quote:


    We are looking at an older house, have looked at it twice so far) but I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a house inspector. The house was built in the 70’s and has settled some (kitchen cabinets are seperating in a spot and there is a crack in the ceiling) and I would like someone else to take a look at it.
    Also if anyone has any ballpark figures to update a bathroom that would help as well.

    Thanks for any input.


    Not sure when asbesto stopped being used, but I would have them keep an eye out for any in areas where you plan to do any renovations. Also, if there are wood floors covered by carpet ask if you can pull it back a ways. We found this out the hard way when we pulled all the carpets back on our 1948 house and found over 900 nails. Here’s the kicker, the old homeowners husband was a carpenter that pounded them in…

    killerhiller
    Hastings, MN
    Posts: 24
    #1146628

    Honestly I think a really good contractor will give you better info than a house inspector. I have dealt with two in the last 6 months that have no clue what is really wrong or causing issues. Most probably have never built home from the ground up so they really don’t understand what is involved in fixing the problems.
    I recommended the buyer walk on the first and am fixing the second now. The inspection report on the second really has useless info in it. Moisture stucco mold hvac and window issues.

    bigpike
    Posts: 6259
    #1146635

    Depends on your inspector. Not all are created equal….

    nhamm
    Inactive
    Robbinsdale
    Posts: 7348
    #1146651

    Quote:


    Quote:


    We are looking at an older house, have looked at it twice so far) but I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a house inspector. The house was built in the 70’s and has settled some (kitchen cabinets are seperating in a spot and there is a crack in the ceiling) and I would like someone else to take a look at it.
    Also if anyone has any ballpark figures to update a bathroom that would help as well.

    Thanks for any input.


    Not sure when asbesto stopped being used, but I would have them keep an eye out for any in areas where you plan to do any renovations. Also, if there are wood floors covered by carpet ask if you can pull it back a ways. We found this out the hard way when we pulled all the carpets back on our 1948 house and found over 900 nails. Here’s the kicker, the old homeowners husband was a carpenter that pounded them in…


    Oh I cry a Lil bit everytime I pull back carpet to refinish a floor and that is the case. Frustrating thing with those are for the most part those nails do absolutely nothing to stop the squeaks. Unless its a 3″ nail that finds its way into the floor joist it will solidify nothing. Good recommendation though, pull back carpet in all the rooms, right in the corner, funny how things in the 70s started getting made cheap that includes houses and hardwood is not guaranteed to be in every room. Good luck.

    mwal
    Rosemount,MN
    Posts: 1050
    #1146684

    Really check outer walls of basement for water lift carpet look for stains on baseboards. I would get a contractor buddy to go with you. Would be worried about ceiling crack and cabinet shift. If it moved cabinet its structural?

    Mwal

    tomhopkins
    waconia, mn
    Posts: 132
    #1146709

    This is what I’ve found owning a house built in 1926. Check with the city for permits pulled on the property. Look for tape lines on sheet rock from poor remodel.indicates repair done by home owner usually to hide something. Look to see if breaker box is updated to 100 amp service. Check attic insulation depth( this goes back to permits pulled) for example… I was told when I got my house the roof was only 1.5 yrs old. One year after owning my house my shingles curled where the sun hit them. I found out when pulling a permit for the roof that it was the 4th roof replacement in ten years. Would have been good to know. Right? Found roof only had dormer vents. We cut in 6 new vents. Also we found that there was next to no insulation in the attic. Measured at Aprox 2″. The attic is now insulated. The heat transfer from no insulation and no venting was cooking the shingles. The lack of insulation was also causing ice dams to form in winter which can create its own nightmare. as far as the foundation and water goes … Talk to the neighbors around the property. They will know not only what problems the property had but also other things like bad weather frequency .. Hail flooding etc. if your block is on a crappy grid that the power goes out on every time the wind blows. Is your yard the one that floods every time it downpours. I could go on and on but that’s the best advice I can offer. Make sure to have it inspected by both an inspector and a contractor buddy

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