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06-27-2012, 06:16 PM #1
One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
This afternoon's inspection was on a 6700sf McMansion. Original small structure was built in 1938 and enlarged in the 90s (poorly). It's now a short sale. Buyers knew it had problems, but about 1.5 hours into the inspection they had heard enough... we had identified enough issues that would mean a bare minimum of $400K in repairs just to make the house habitable. It was really one of the worst exteriors we've seen, and it was all due to water.
Poor site drainage didn't help... The back side of the house was recessed nearly 20 feet into the side of a hill, and water would run down the side of the back hill and just soak the entire back side of the house. We haven't had any really soaking rains here in a while, and the moisture meter was still pegged along the basement walls. (Of course, the indoor pool wasn't helping matters... it was full, and the AC was turned off. Can you say humid?)
Anyway, here are some pictures from the little adventure. The first shows just one section of the roof (north facing). Second picture is of one of the five (!) outside AC units that has met with some horrible fate (Tree? Bowling ball?). The third shows the horrendous rot on the "conservatory" addition to the kitchen. The fourth picture is of an irregularity on the roof... and it was an area that was completely inaccessible; there was no scuttle. We eventually decided it was probably due to a broken truss, although we're open to other interpretations.
The clients thought they were getting a bargain... A huge house in a very desirable neighborhood, for about half of what other houses in the area were selling for. Now they know why.
Similar Threads:Welmoed Sisson
Inspections by Bob, LLC, Boyds, MD
"Given sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine."
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06-28-2012, 11:54 AM #2
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
i'd love to see the listing on that one.
You mean to say, they didn't see any of that, and their broker let them dive into that house without making them aware of the obvious problems,
and now you are on the S list for that office
That is our life in a nutshell
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06-28-2012, 12:36 PM #3
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
Homes like that would make for a good test house for new inspectors. It's easy to lose your train of thought with such places and become overwhelmed. I have vivid memories of struggling through such places when I was starting out.
Eric Barker, ACI
Lake Barrington, IL
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06-28-2012, 02:29 PM #4
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
I'm not comfortable posting the listing info in a public forum.
Actually the agent agreed with us, so I think we actually could pick up some business from it.
Welmoed Sisson
Inspections by Bob, LLC, Boyds, MD
"Given sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine."
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06-28-2012, 05:46 PM #5
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
One of the Worst Exteriors you've see?
* well hang in there.
.
It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
Billy J. Stephens HI Service Memphis TN.
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06-28-2012, 05:56 PM #6
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
Organic Garden View,
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06-28-2012, 06:05 PM #7
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06-28-2012, 06:32 PM #8
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
Welmoed,
A 6700sf disaster!
I'd be interested in knowing how much you charged for an inspection on a house this size and its condition?
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06-29-2012, 04:30 AM #9
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
here is one of mine
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06-29-2012, 09:32 AM #10
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
Kinda funny to say this, but over the years, I have found these disaster homes are easier to report than "normal" homes. Instead of itemizing defects, I just write about wholesale problems that need evaluation and repair. I often spend a lot time discussing the problems with the client than actually write one line about the structure or electrical, etc, having significant problems requiring further evaluation by appropriate experts.
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06-29-2012, 02:12 PM #11
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
Welmoed, if the buyer doesn't buy that home, the listing agent will still call you a "deal killer".
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06-29-2012, 02:14 PM #12
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
Hey, more power to him if he wants to call us that. We don't rely on realtors for referrals. The inspector who looked at the house before we did (as part of the short sale process) called the house "dumpster fodder."
Welmoed Sisson
Inspections by Bob, LLC, Boyds, MD
"Given sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine."
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07-02-2012, 01:35 PM #13
Re: One of the worst exteriors we've seen!
Hi, ALL &
This thread reminds me of a couple of 'gems' = One was a small house, for sale by the actual Listing Agent & the vinyl siding had all been hand-painted looked like a grade school art project and the only 'fix' I could think of was to tear all off & re-side it if the buyers were still serious.
Second was a stucco "mansion", with a tiled roof which had been so poorly installed - most of the deluge of rain-fall in this WET West Coast region had entered the rear exterior wall assembly, which was facing the shady side so no drying opportunity & it rotted it right out (think 'structural stucco & windows', as that was pretty much all was left)...
That second one was also my first "bats-in-the-attic" Inspection.
CHEERS !
-Glenn Duxbury, CHI
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