When looking for a house to buy, you may be in a dilemma of whether or not to purchase a water-damaged home, which you can comfortably afford and enjoy. However, you may love the house because it has everything, which meets your lifestyle and needs, including location, design, and layout, and still be reluctant to close the deal to buy it when it’s affected by water.
It can be a risky venture to purchase a home damaged by a flood. The water can cause structural faults, and hazards in the house, like mold and unsound walls, may continue even after the damages have been reduced, especially if the root of these problems has not been correctly fixed or identified.
However, it’s possible to stay clear from these risks and ensure your decision to buy the property is a wise choice, particularly if you consider water damage services and know what precautions you need to take beforehand. Every time you’re buying a home, you should start by determining the extremity of the water damages and costs for the repairs through the below rundowns:
1. Consider Home Inspection Services
Is it advisable to buy a home with water damages? Well, to narrow it down, you should determine the following first:
- What’s the root of the problem? Is it a damaged pipe, an overflowed river, or a leaking roof?
- What was the extent of the damages? How long did it take before the issues got noticed?
- What were some of the actions taken? Was the issue fixed right away? How was the problem handled? Was it through mold remediation or repairs? Were the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems inspected for potential issues?
- Who carried out the restoration project? Are there some reports showing the information about the process of restoration? What was the final outcome after the project was completed?
- Did the repairer conduct some tests after removing the mold and fixed all the structural damages?
- Who took cared of the restoration expenses? If it was the insurance company, will the firm cover for any future and additional issues associated with water damages?
You can always ask all these questions to the current property owner or a realtor you are dealing with. Though it will still be advisable to carry out a home inspection with the help of professional and certified experts so you may get the comprehensive and correct information before going to the next step of buying the property.
With good home inspectors, you can also establish the cause and extent of the damages. The most experienced inspectors know what to examine so they can spot all the hidden damages and potential dangers of foundation cracks, faulty pipes, mold growth, and leaking windows. The experts will also provide you with an inspection report that explains everything in detail. This will help you to know what you are dealing with so you can make a good decision.
What You Should Keep in Mind during the Inspection
Ensure you get copies of every home inspection report. In addition, make sure the property is well examined for dry rot and mold. Both the mold and rot are challenging to spot, so they can easily spread, causing structural damages and posing a threat to health problems. The home inspector you hire needs to look everywhere, including, inside small crawl spaces, under carpeting, and wallpaper, so as to detect all the hidden water damages.
Inexperienced inspectors will not open walls and perform specialized tests to evaluate the extent of the damages. Only reliable and experienced experts specialized in wood construction and mold remediation can detect potential hazards.
2. Know the Estimate Through Contractor’s Help
Immediately after an inspection, you may get an evaluation of how much the restoration will cost. To have a rough idea of what you will incur for the repair, you need to consult at least four contractors. The contractors must have experience when it comes to water-damages. You can give them a copy of the home inspection and request an estimate, which has to include the expenses for repairing all the sustained damages, remediating mold issues, and fixing the problems caused by water.
If possible, have every contractor assess the damages and evaluate the home. Though before you do that, you must have written authorization from the current homeowner, especially if contractors need to perform extensive tests and open all the wall areas to check the issues associated with water damage. With the estimates, you will make a practical bid to the current homeowner.
3. Determine all the Costs to Submit Your Bid
Water damages may cause structural damages, which require time, effort, and money to repair. Hence, when placing your bid, you have to factor in all the costs by:
- Knowing the value of the property
- Reviewing the reports from home inspectors and contractors so you can calculate the expenses of water damages
- Subtracting the repair costs from the value of the property
With this, you can consult your realtor before negotiating the costs or hold the seller accountable for the restoration expenses. If you and the seller come to an agreement, you can ask for a copy of the sales contract, but remember to countercheck whether the clauses concerning the costs are all correct. In case you have doubts, seek help from an attorney to explain the terms and conditions of the contract.
4. Get Quotes from a Homeowners Insurance
Before you close any deal, you need to review the insurance options and determine whether you may get the correct coverage for your new house. Be sure to speak to some insurance agencies to determine if the policy will cover all the issues or not.
You can also buy flood insurance if the property is situated in a place where there are high water damage risks. If you’re unsure of where to start, ask for recommendations from the seller or your realtor. However, if the insurance is going to be expensive, then the property is not a worthy investment.
Concluding Remarks!
Once everything is in place, you can finalize the deal. During this process, you will need to sign the contract and start working on the restoration project immediately to avoid incurring more expenses.
Always ensure you look for a trustworthy and experienced expert to restore the property to a good condition so as to move in with your family right away.
