Today I had the inspectors take a look at a house I placed an offer on which was accepted. It has no foundation and is built on pillars.
Should I have the house raised and placed on pillars to lay a fuondation and if so, what type?
Is this a cost I an expect the seller to shoulder, should we go 50/50 or should I pay for it all?
2007-07-25 10:32:25 · 7 answers · asked by heartshapedmailbox 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
Piers are a form of foundation that is perfectly acceptable in most areas, as long as the piers are in good condition.
Some pier foundations have tie downs to keep the house from shifting during seismic activity, ask about that. Especially if your area is earthquake prone.
Ask to see the home inspection to make sure it addresses how the home is attached to the piers. Typically, there are anchor bolts that run from the base of the house to the piers, then cement is added to hold the anchors. As long as the home is sufficiently attached to the piers, you will never know there isn't a full foundation under the house.
If you have doubts, have a structural engineer take a look, or the structural engineer's field inspector, this is not expensive and will give you piece of mind.
2007-07-25 11:22:28 · answer #1 · answered by godged 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no reason why the seller should have to pay to have the house raised and a foundation put under it. There is usually a good reason why homes are built that way.
You also need to call your lender and ask them if they have pulled a flood certificate for that property, to see if it's in a high-risk flood zone...and that could be the reason for the pillars...so the owner could get hazard insurance on it.
PS: The Oregan Realtor above is also correct.....I don't live in an earthquake area, so I didn't think of that....it's something to consider.
2007-07-25 11:42:21 · answer #2 · answered by Expert8675309 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There should be nothing wrong with the house being on pier blocks so long as they are still keeping the house level. Pier blocks is a very acceptable and common (in some areas) way to build a house.
What did the inspector say about the pier blocks? Are they ok? If there is a problem with them, you may ask the seller to repair them; if he refuses, you should be able to cancel your offer so long as you had inspection contingencies written into the offer.
If the pier blocks is a major concern to you, you may want to look for another home.
2007-07-25 11:14:55 · answer #3 · answered by CMR2006 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You probably don't want to do that! That is a legitimate type of foundation and is often used where ground water is an issue. Put that on a slab and you may be swimming for the rest of your days!
Have it evaluated by someone who knows that type of support system and make sure that the piers are properly installed and the posts and beams are in good condition.
2007-07-25 10:49:10 · answer #4 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There is no need to have the foundation changed, what you have is perfectly sufficient. Have a structural engineer check it out for safety's sake, that should put your mind at ease. If you liked the home well enough to put in an offer, why would this change your opinion?
2007-07-25 10:55:42 · answer #5 · answered by mocgap 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How much big bucks do you have?
Forget this one. There are bokoo houses on a slab.
2007-07-25 10:38:01 · answer #6 · answered by ed 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
don't buy this one....when the inventory is flooding the market....get another one.....
good luck :)
2007-07-25 10:35:44 · answer #7 · answered by Blue October 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋