Vern Heiler
08-24-2008, 05:30 AM
Inspected a 1930 built duplex on Friday. The old house has the typical sagging in the hardwood floors with a little more near the center shared wall than I was comfortable with.
When I inspected the basement/crawl, the first thing I saw was steel support jacks, holding up a twisted drop girder. Repairs have been made to damaged doubled joist in the not too distant past. All of this beneath the area of sag, but on the neighbors side of the shared wall. The half of the duplex my customer, who is in his late 20's early 30's, wants to buy, is vacant. The neighbor is living in the other half of the duplex which I know nothing about.
I have no problem pointing out the support problems (and there are more), and recommending a licensed structural engineer further evaluate the foundation. This will be an added expense that may be wasted if my young client has not thought very far ahead. The SE may simply give a report of all repairs necessary to bring the building back to square, and sound enough to build a sky-scrapper on. (Typical CYA report) Or he may point out the problems of moving parts of one side will effect the other?
IMHO buying a half of a duplex is like getting half married, but not my call.
My concern is how do I, or should I, bring these concerns to the attention of my client without stepping on someone’s toes? If I point out the problem of cracking your neighbor’s walls and tile, am I stepping over the line of engineering? If I bring up the problems of having a neighbor attached at the hip, I am kicking around in the young real estate agents sandbox.
I don't like being in this position! Any thoughts?
When I inspected the basement/crawl, the first thing I saw was steel support jacks, holding up a twisted drop girder. Repairs have been made to damaged doubled joist in the not too distant past. All of this beneath the area of sag, but on the neighbors side of the shared wall. The half of the duplex my customer, who is in his late 20's early 30's, wants to buy, is vacant. The neighbor is living in the other half of the duplex which I know nothing about.
I have no problem pointing out the support problems (and there are more), and recommending a licensed structural engineer further evaluate the foundation. This will be an added expense that may be wasted if my young client has not thought very far ahead. The SE may simply give a report of all repairs necessary to bring the building back to square, and sound enough to build a sky-scrapper on. (Typical CYA report) Or he may point out the problems of moving parts of one side will effect the other?
IMHO buying a half of a duplex is like getting half married, but not my call.
My concern is how do I, or should I, bring these concerns to the attention of my client without stepping on someone’s toes? If I point out the problem of cracking your neighbor’s walls and tile, am I stepping over the line of engineering? If I bring up the problems of having a neighbor attached at the hip, I am kicking around in the young real estate agents sandbox.
I don't like being in this position! Any thoughts?