Lesson Learned: Plumbing Inspection saved me $30,000+

[Austin Fox]

Hello BP,

I am in the process of trying to buy a duplex down in South Florida to house hack. Like everywhere else, the market is insane. However, I managed to get a duplex under contract at a decent price with a decent return. When it came down to the building inspection, I had the opportunity to pay the extra $500-$600 for the plumbing inspection. So to protect myself I did it and well...

Everything looks great on the outside but not always on the inside. The entire pipe system is decaying as we speak and needs to be replaced. The piping system is made up of cast iron and the building has some years on it. The plumber couldn't even get the camera through because of a built up corroded pipe. Total Estimate of Repairs: $50-60k. If you don't fix it and it breaks... well you can only imagine how bad that will be so....

The deal isn't dead yet as we are still negotiating, it could turn into something really good. However, to those starting out like me, do your due diligence and don't be cheap on the inspections. I am still a student in this game and learning but this is a lesson I would like to share with you guys. 

Best of luck to everyone!

[Jim K.]

@Austin Fox

Austin, I own multiple properties with cast iron stacks up here in western PA, all built well before 1963. When a section goes bad, you or your plumber can saw it out with a recipro saw with a diamond blade in it and replace it with section of PVC or ABS using Fernco couplings. Cast iron DWW  piping hooked together with Fernco couplings instead of the old oakum-and-lead connection system is still being used for custom housing today because it's much quieter than plastic drainage piping and it doesn't collapse in place and leave air gaps in the event of a house fire. Replacing the whole system for 60K is just unnecessary silly-season talk. What usually happens is that the problem points that are most susceptible to corrosion go bad, you replace them, and the system works just fine for decades on decades more.

What you need to make sure of, though, is that the sewer line to the street is uncompromised. This line is typically made of fired clay up here in the older housing that's so common up here. The sewer line is the big money, particularly if the line runs deep into a built-up hillside to get to your property. The stacks are not.

Don't let the cast iron stacks be what stops this deal. I suspect the plumber is sniffing an opportunity for deep-pocket enrichment off a new investor..after all, a scope only costs $200 a day to rent so you forked out $400 for his time and his line of bull. Tradesmen pull this crap all the time. Get multiple opinions before you do anything.