What should I look for when buying a modern old house?

Question

By modern old house I mean it was built with indoor plumbing, electricity and natural gas for heating and cooking. Probably built sometime in the 40's or 50's and is on piers (pillars), has or had an attic fan for ventilation/cooling.

Is there a check list on how to inspect a house before buying somewhere on the net that I can print?

Answer 1

OF COURSE.....You should always get a proffessional inspector, but if you want to know a few things to look for on your own these are some biggies.

The biggest problems with old houses are the following:

Wiring: Look at the breaker box. What type of fuses does it have? Srew in type or long cylinder or older. You want to see that it has the type you plug in that indicates it is newly wired. Old wiring in an old house is often a problem. It is not rated to handle the watts of a modern day house and will "kick off" when you have too much stuff running. The worst is when you are taking a hot bath and someone has the tv on and then goes and makes some popcorn and BOOM you are in the dark.

Floor Joists: Does the house appear to sag in the middle. Any trouble closing the doors or doors that when you pull them to and don't close them reopen or swing open. This indicates the joists may be weak or compromised and the house frame is out of balance.

Insulation: Many older houses have asbestos siding or the older unhealthy insulation, has it been updated?

Lead Paint: Many pre 70's houses have lead based paint. Any peeling paint?

Pipes: How old, and are they metal? What kind, lead?
Look under the house for leaks, DEFINITLEY.
Look for signs of leaks like mold in kitchen or bathroom.
Check around toilets by jumping up and down on the floor to see if there may have been a leaking ring that compromised the subfloor. Do the same around bathtubs. Look under cabinets to see if there are water rings or rotting wood or heavy mildew smell.

Duct Work: Under house, have someone check for leaks in duct work. Check air conditioner filter to see if it is clean and has new filter. Look in the vent holes to see if they are really nasty.

Septic: Definitley get a perk test if it applies.

Roof: Does it have metal flashing. If there is wood work, is there any softening in the wood or rotten places. Any loose shingles if metal any rust? Check the tightness of the shingles.
Also look for any patch jobs with tar on top. Look at the ceilings for any rings or indications of a leak.

Windows: Are they double paned? Storm windows? Old houses are notoriously drafty and expensive to heat and cool. Single pane windows don't help.

Air conditioner/Heat pump: How old is the unit? Go look at it. Old heat pumps are notorious for problems. You would like it to be less than 10 years for most reliability. The filter condition will indicate to some degree the level of care. Not changing filters will ruin a unit.

Power outlets: are they all 2 prongs, with no 3 prongs. This indicates older wiring. Could be problem. Also check to see if there is the right outlets for your washer and dryer.

Pests: any mouse droppings in the lower kitchen cabinets or dead cockroach bodies under fridge or behind dishwasher. Leave a donut on the counter and come back the next day and see if you don't have any ants, roaches or mouse droppings and if the donut is intact. Older houses are suseptible to mouse infestation in the walls. Also check the attic to see if you have a squirrel problem. You will smell it, trust me!
Don't forget the termite inspection, of course. Older houses with lots of wood or paneling are also suseptible to spiders. Look for signs of brown recluses or other venomous spiders. The webs are usually really intricate and fussy looking.

Fireplaces: older fireplaces can have problems, check for leaks on the roof line, floo cleanliness and general maintainence.

Answer 2

First you should invest in a licensed home inspector before buying. I bought a historic home (built in 1926) and regretted it. Inspection came back clean but in the first 3 years I had to replace the roof, electrical control panel, a/c heating system, partially re-plumb and the wooden floors. The flooring was a consequence of a hot water leak under the house (it was pier and beam also).

The house was beautiful and in a neat neighborhood. It had "character" which many newer homes lack. It also came close to bankrupting me. Another thing you should check out is the availability of homeowners insurance. Many companies won't write on older homes. Also, see if the house is in a conservation or historical district. These districts place restrictions on any changes you might want to do to the home after you buy it.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Best to hire a home inspector. Once you have found your house, put in an offer that has the condition that it is subject to a home inspection. A good home inspector will highlight any trouble spots & make you aware of any major repairs needed, or issues that the house has. From there you can amend or withdraw the offer as you see fit.
These guys are professionals & are well worth the money. You may find the very best information from a free site on the internet, & still the best you will be is a naive amateur.

Answer 4

omg....I disagree totally with Kidd....(also being in the contruction AND inspection fields forover 30 yrs) while you have problems with older homes you have JUST asmany with new homes, it seems these days..poor workmanship or inferior work...just lookat all the people here who bought NEW homes having problems! Even today soooo many who know better still try to cut costs...anyways... hire an inspector to check out ANY home your looking at...But the few things you must really look closely at, are plumbing....what type, how old, evidence of leaks, fixtures working properly? Hot water heater and or furnace. Electrical: panel amp size, how old is service? How many circuits and are outlets split up enough? are gfci's installed in bathroom, kitchen and outside areas? Outlets are 3 wire? bring small tester, plug in type verify proper wiring...simply by plugging it in....ALL you walk by. Windows: Old or new? Broken? Gaps? caulking ok?
ROOF; any evidence in any area of leaks? Roof shingles worn or missing? stains on roof?

Answer 5

Years in the construction and remodeling business have taught me one very important lesson:
If you are planning to purchase a house, look at new rather than used. While there are lots of nice older homes available, they are usally more expensive and time consuming than newer homes and there are advantages to purchasing a new house.

Convenience. Kitchens in new homes usually have dishwashers and other appliances built-in for convenience. Nearly all new homes are built with convenient central heating and, in warm climates, central air conditioning. Space heaters and room air-conditioners are not needed. There are more electrical outlets, as well as outlets for cable TV and telephone. Bathrooms often have more convenient features such as vanity cabinets, large mirrors and medicine cabinets, whirlpool tubs and easy-to-clean plastic tub enclosures.
Energy Efficiency. Because of better windows, more efficient heating and cooling equipment, better control of air infiltration, and greater use of insulation, new homes consume half as much energy as homes built prior to 1980. Old homes tend to be drafty and less comfortable. Also, frost and condensation are more likely to appear on windows of older homes, drip down, and cause deterioration of wood trim and walls.
Less Maintenance. New homes are available with siding, windows and trim that never need painting. Wood decks are typically made of pressure-treated lumber which resists rot and insects. Pressure-treated wood is also used where wood comes in contact with concrete.

Whatever house you decide on, have a professional home inspector look at it before you buy. Even a new house can have problems that are hard to detect without a thorough inspection.

Answer 6

Usually old houses are in need of restoration and at least some modernizing. Having made my own house after listening to some stories of rebuilding old ones, i would say it is easier to build a new one. Besides, why would you like an old house anyway? A family project? If no such attachments build a new one.

Answer 7

you should look 4 a house that is not to old & just the right amount of space enough bedrooms & bathrooms & make sure you are comfortable with the house.

Answer 8

no perticular instruction. try getting it cheap and then face the problems as it occurs (if any occurs)

Answer 9

yes stay away and buy new