Homes for sale often love to say “recently updated” “newly renovated” or “like new” or similar language. And while some houses may live up to such claims, many fall short. With the popularity of flipping homes, as seen on such TV shows as “Fip or Flop”, “Flip this House” “My First Flip” many people think they can flip a home. However, many do not always realize the scope of work involved and forget many important items. This is why having a home inspection done on a recently renovated or flipped home is a must.
Here are the top 10 things that get missed on a home renovation and house flips:
1 The Roof
Most people do not spend much time looking at the roof of a home. Few ever get up on a roof, and one should not get on a roof unless they know what they are doing. As such, when planning a renovation or flip, the roof is often left out. And even when the roof is worked on, it’s often done poorly. I recall one episode of “Flip or Flop” where they sprayed water on the roof to see if it leaked, and then decided that was good enough. But an active leak is not a symptom of a failing roof, it’s a sign that roof has already failed.
Roof from a home advertised as remodeled
2 Electrical Panel
I can not count how many times I have inspected a house that has all new cabinets, new counters, new flooring, new paint, but still has the original 1940’s era electrical panel. Now a panel being old into itself is not necessarily an issue, but many times they have issues, such as rust, improper wiring, brittle wiring, or other issues that should be addressed.
3 Kitchen Outlets
The standards for kitchen outlets has changed dramatically over the years. Since the late 80’s, kitchens outlets near the sink have been required to have ground-fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI, protection, which turns off the electricity and prevents shocks if the outlet detects contact with water. Later, the rules were changed to have GFCI around the entire kitchen counter. Then in the early 2000’s, it was determined that all around a kitchen counter should have outlets that no point was ever more than 2 feet from an outlet. Obviously, older homes were built before such standards. But when a kitchen is remodeled and advertised as “updated” or “like new” then it should be brought up to current standards. New countertops do not help you prepare a good meal if you do not have the outlets to go with them.
4 Kitchen Venting
I see two common issues with kitchen venting. One is a corrugated vent pipe is installed, which can easily clog with food particles, and can become a fire hazard. The other common problem is the fan inside the vent is installed backward, so instead of blowing out the vent pipe, it blows right back into the face of the person cooking. Other problems include a vent pipe that is disconnected in the attic or connected to an older pipe that directs grease back down onto the kitchen ceiling.
5 Heating and Air Conditioning
Heaters are not sexy. They are usually out of sight and out of mind unless it gets cold. However, older furnaces can present a host of problems. Gas lines may not be installed to meet modern safety standards. Old heaters may have internal rust, which can be indicative of potential fire hazards. If nothing else, if one is paying top dollar for a newly renovated home, one should have some confidence the heater and air conditioning units are not 30 years old. But without a home inspection, this may not be apparent.
6 Hot Water Heater
On many renovations, the only thought given to hot water is if it comes out of the faucet. For too many people, replacing the hot water usually is not a concern until it stops working or leaks. But again, older hot water heaters may be functional, but on their last legs, and a home inspection can reveal potential issues. A bigger concern is water heaters are often not installed properly. An improperly installed water heater can cause massive damage (watchers of “Mythbusters” are aware of the many experiments done with water heaters). Just because a heater is “new” does not mean it is not a potential safety concern.
7 Bathroom Faucets
Have you ever watched “Flipping Vegas”? You noticed flipper Scott Yancy is often yelling at workers to hurry up and get it done faster. One side effect I have come across time and time again is in the rush to get the job done, the hot water is never hooked up to a bathtub or shower. Yes, I have seen luxury bathtubs in high end remodels with no hot water.
8 Plumbing Supply Pipes.
Older galvanized steel pipes corrode, clog and leak, making them problematic on older homes. So much so that the majority of older homes I see have been upgraded at some point. However, sometimes the people doing the job are not licensed plumbers and instead are unscrupulous people who cut corners, assuming the homeowner or flipper is not going to check their work. And what I find are homes where 90% of the pipes have been replaced, but small bits of galvanized plumbing remains. Not only do the leftover older pipes still present the problem of corroding, clogging and leaking, but connecting copper directly to steel creates a reaction that will corrode the connection!
9 Plumbing Drainpipes
While many older homes have had their water supply pipes upgraded to copper or other approved materials, many older homes have their original drain pipes. And while the pipes may not have active leaks, it’s often only a matter of time. In the cases where drain pipes have been upgraded to modern materials, they are often not installed properly, or only partially done.
10 Foundation Issues
A home flipper on a budget usually does not want to spend thousands of dollars on foundation repairs when an old brick and rotted piece of wood will do. As long as there are no earthquakes before the check clears!
To book your Home Inspection now, call 818-298-3405