cognise these monition sign could spare you from costly repairs and unexpected renovations down the line .
microprocessor chip Gaines is no stranger to unexpected renovations . Throughout five seasons ofFixer Upper , he and his married woman , Joanna Gaines , navigated their fair parcel of inspection singultus and surprisal repairs . Now , he ’s sharing his biggest piece of home - buying advice .
With decades of experience as a contractor , he ’s learned the admonition signboard that come withcostly resort jobs . “ These are the red flagstone that come in for me — I call them the large four , ” Gaines says . “ You ’ve engender plumbing , you ’ve beget electrical , and you ’ve got roofing — or anything in the exterior good sense — and the origination , ” he say .
Credit: Brie Williams
If one of those four areas has visible equipment casualty or postulate extensive work , he tell you might want to reconsider buying the property . Here are the possible red flag to watch for whenshopping for a home .
1. Leaky Plumbing
Household leaksare a common maintenance event that , unluckily , is fairly easy to hide during a walk - through . Look for house ofwater damageon the rampart and ceiling , and if potential , tour the mansion during or just after gravid rainfall to verify the broken storey are n’t prone to flooding . Another warning signal is amoldy or musty smell : This can indicate bathymetry outlet within the walls , or moisture within the air conditioning whole or vents — both of which can be expensive to fix .
2. Faulty Electrical Systems
trouble with a home ’s electrical wiring can not only pose a huge concern ( especially in former home plate ) , but they can also be a possible fire risk . During an inspection , verify all wiring is up to code . Also be on the observation tower for flickering lights and mercantile establishment that do n’t work properly , as these can both be indicators of a larger problem .
3. Roofing in Need of Repair
Taking a second look at the roof is always a good idea when buying a household . Aleaky roofcan lead to water supply damage and mold ontogeny . While a small-scale wetting can be a fairly sluttish fix , if the leak has n’t been properly ready right by , the damage has in all probability already been done .
And because a new cap is a turgid expense , it ’s also not a spoiled idea to find out when the ceiling was last replaced . The lifetime of a roofdepends on the materials used , but 20 year is generally a good benchmark . Even if the cap appear to be in right condition , be sure to ask when it was last replaced . If it ’s been longer than the expected lifespan , keep in judgement that repairs may be on the view .
4. Foundational Problems
No matter whichtype of foundationthe household has , affirm that it is in good condition before you sign up any paperwork . Because the relaxation of the sign is literally built on top of this structure , it can be unmanageable and very expensive to make repair . “ If the foundation is screwed up , that is a complicated , costly scenario that can lead to a hundred different thing , and you do n’t need to mess with that , ” Gaines says . If you fall in honey with a place that does have foundational exit , Gaines ’ advice is to call the professionals . “ You need an expert to come in and buy a house that has grave foundation problems , you do n’t want to do that as your first DIY , ” he pronounce .
