Video Transcript
What are some of the common structural problems found during a home inspection? Hi, I’m Jennifer Prestwich, the Prestwich Group and Madison and Company Properties.
It is vital to choose a home that is in good structural condition which will help maintain value when selling in the future. There are some visible signs to keep in mind while you tour a home that may indicate the foundation has moved.
For example on the exterior, do you notice any sagging of the concrete porch or major cracking in the brick or in the mortar? Any large cracks in the exterior foundation? Or do you see major soil erosion around the foundation? If there’s a basement, are there any huge cracks in the walls or flooring? Are the walls bowing?
While walking the interior, notice that the floors are level or uneven. Are there tile floors that are cracked? Do the doors stick when they’re closed? And do the windows open and shut easily? Pay attention to any wide, horizontal cracks in the sheet rock, especially from the corners of the doors or windows. Concrete slabs will crack but pay attention if you notice unusually wide cracks, say over a quarter inch or so.
Choosing a good home inspector will help identify structural concerns and you may consider hiring a structural engineer to determine the severity of the problems and what the fix might be.
Tune in to the final of this series to ask the seller to repair. I’m Jennifer Prestwich, the Prestwich Group at Madison and Company, I’m living the Denburbs life and I wanna help you do it too.
