What You Need To Know About Purchasing A Fixer Upper

You are totally crafty, love DIY, and have the ability to visualize and execute projects. You can turn something that was once nothing into a beautiful masterpiece, and you love taking on new projects. If this is you, chances are you’ve thought about purchasing and/or have already invested in a fixer upper. Or maybe this isn’t you and you are just simply willing to put in the work for a budget friendly house. If you are either of these people, and you’re looking to purchase a fixer-upper home, there are 3 major areas to pay very close attention to and to have professionally inspected prior to purchase.

The Structure

1. The bones. The bones of your home are its structure. This includes foundation, roof, walls, and basically anything else holding your home up. The bones of your home are as important as they sound. Is the overall structure of this building sound, and will it stand for many more years?

Settling:

• The settling of a home SHOULD BE factored in by the builder, but if it wasn’t, there are ways to tell.
• Cracks in the walls (specifically around framed items like doors and windows), as well as sticking doors or ones that will not open and/or close are clear indications that the overall construction of the home may be poor. Doors not opening and/or closing could be a good indication that they’re under stress from leaning homes and/or settling that was not properly taken into account.

Foundation:

• Look for:

1. Large cracks in the foundation’s walls
2. Sagging or buckling of both the floor of the foundation and/or its walls
3. Moisture or water damage – This is one of the leading causes for foundation damage coming mostly from improper water drainage. Improper drainage can be caused by unnatural soil shifting and/or from poorly functioning gutters on your home. If you do not have gutters, or they are not working properly, this could cause serious foundation issues, because without gutters, water will pool at your foundation during rainfalls, consistently. This pooling can not only cause damage to your foundation, but also flooding and water in your basement which can lead to mold or water damage. If your potential fixer upper does not have gutters, or they are in horrible condition, this may be a red flag, or at least an indication that the foundation and basement need to be inspected very diligently.

Roof:

1. • Your roof protects the interior of your home and its structure is extremely important. A damaged roof could be very costly and/or cause other potential costly problems, if you are unaware that your roof is damaged.
   • Buckling or missing shingles, gutters full of shingle dirt and granules, ceiling wet spots, and soft areas on the roof are all signs that the homes roof may be compromised.

Interior Items

1. Plumbing and electric. Faulty wires, and leaky plumbing are very important warning signs to pay attention to, as they can cause costly and devastating damage.

1. • Some warning signs of faulty electric are warm outlets, flickering lights, a burning smell, and charred outlets.
   • Faulty wires have the potential to cause excessive heat and even electrical fires.
   • Leaky plumbing and high pressure could lead to pipe bursts and/or water damage. Both of these repairs are time consuming and costly.

2. Windows, doors, and heat loss. This may seem minor, however, fixing attic insulation as well as replacing windows and doors can be much bigger projects than expected.

1. • Heat loss and drafts can significantly increase your electric bill as well as cause problems to the exterior of your home like ice damming. Ice damming on your roof and/or gutters is caused by heat loss from your attic. See more on ice damming HERE.

Inspection Is Essential

When it comes to purchasing a fixer upper, it is important to have a very detailed inspection done. It needs to be done prior to buying, and to specifically pay attention to these three main areas, first and foremost. It is important that you do this prior to purchase to reduce the amount of unexpected costs. And further repairs after already beginning your renovation, especially if you’re on a budget. The above fixes often fall under the “surprise costs” category. They may end up draining the budget you had for your dream kitchen or bathroom. These projects can be costly, time consuming, and honestly, not fun. Fixer uppers are hard work, but can, and should be fun, especially for you DIY professionals. Make sure your inspection is thorough before purchase. This can significantly slim down these unaccounted for fixes in your “surprise costs” category.

Gutters!

We often find that homeowners are not aware their gutters need to be replaced. Not until they actually discover they aren’t working during heavy rainfall. When it comes to your gutter project, sometimes the cost of gutter installations is a bit of a surprise. Because properly maintained gutters can last 20-30 years, they aren’t often priced out. If you are feeling surprised by the cost of a gutter job and would prefer paying over time, The Brothers that just do Gutters do have financing options. Although often an afterthought, a working gutter system is extremely helpful in protecting your foundation. In which is one of the most important bones of your home.