Inspection report concern !!SFH

[Gaby Liu]

Hi

Every one!

First of all, thanks for all the help I got from BP community ,I feel like every step of the way there are people helping me,I m really appreciated!

From June 2019 I started searching on BP and now I am on contract with my first rental property(SFH,1960s built) and just got the inspection report back this morning . This will be my first investment property and I am not sure how to handle all of the suggestions from the inspector.

How do you typically handle that with your properties. Do you ask the seller to fix every little thing or reduce the price of the house to cover having stuff fixed on your own? how much would that cost base on the report inspector provided in your opinion ?

Major repairs/hazards in the report as follow:

PLUMBING - The septic tank and well do not have the proper distance between them, the drain field for the septic system may also be located to closely to the well. We were informed by the owner that the 2 stones at the South East end of the house are the septic tank and that the line then runs behind the house to the drain field on the other end, we were also told that the well was below the brick at the front of the house. While we found no signs of failure in the septic system today, we were not able to run the usual amount of water through the system due to the low pressure and flow from fixtures today. We recommend the septic system be fully evaluated by a qualified septic contractor once proper water flow/pressure can be used to test the system, and also we recommend the systems be evaluated for the proper distance between them. - (See Photo 10) - The pressure gauge at the expansion tank for the well is rusted and loose and not readable. Water flow and pressure was very low at all fixtures during today's inspection. It seems that the tank does not pressurize the water enough to functionally recover what is being used at the time. We recommend the well and supply lines be fully evaluated by a qualified well and/or plumbing contractor. - (See Photo 4) - (See Photo 5) - The water heater TPR valve is missing the extension pipe to the floor for safety. - (See Photo 7) - The well equipment did start to drip slowly during today's inspection, it appeared to be dripping from the gray box over the pressure gauge with the wiring going to it. - (See Photo 13)

ELECTRICAL - There are 2 electrical panel boxes, one in the bathroom and one in the hallway. We are unsure if these are 2 pain panel boxes or if one is a sub panel of the other, as we could only remove the cover and evaluate one of the panel boxes. The panel box in the bathroom is improperly located in a wet location (a bathroom) and the cover could not be removed due to the cabinet installed around it. We recommend that both panel boxes be fully evaluated by a qualified electrical contractor or engineer to properly determine the proper amperage of the property and the nature of these boxes (whether main or sub panels). - (See Photo 2) - (See Photo 3)
KITCHEN / LAUNDRY - Water flow and pressure was very low at the sink faucet. - (See Photo 1) - At the back corner of the cabinet below the kitchen countertop there is moisture damaged wood and drywall, there is some biological growth present on the drywall and wood here. - (See Photo 5)

BATHROOMS - Bathroom fixtures all had very low water flow and pressure, so low the shower heads would not fully engage. - (See Photo 1) - (See Photo 2) - (See Photo 4)

INTERIOR ROOMS - There are wires run along the top of the middle wall of the house and at the wall between the kitchen and living room that are missing conduit or protective covering to prevent damage. - (See Photo 1) - (See Photo 2) - Most of the outlets in the interior (bedrooms, living room, bathrooms) tested as being ungrounded. One outlet in the middle bedroom was damaged. We recommend that all the outlets be fully evaluated by a qualified electrical contractor or engineer. - (See Photo 3) - (See Photo 6) - (See Photo 12) - At least 5 panes in windows in the living room and bedrooms have fogging inside the glass from failed thermal seals. The repair for this many failed seals can be expensive. We suggest having a qualified window contractor evaluate all the windows. - (See Photo 8) - (See Photo 9)
ATTIC - There is biological growth present on the back of roof decking in the attic, both older and newer roof decking have growth present, as do wood rafters and framing in the attic. We recommend the attic space be fully evaluated by a qualified remediation contractor. - (See Photo 2) - (See Photo 3) - (See Photo 4) - (See Photo 11) - There is an unsecured junction box with an unsecured cover laying on it at the back of the attic and a wire splice outside of a junction box at the front of the attic. We recommend the attic electrical be evaluated by a qualified electrical contractor or engineer. - (See Photo 7) - (See Photo 8) - There is a rafter at the East corner that has 2-3 large cracks and may need repair, we recommend it be evaluated by a qualified framing contractor.

[Russell Brazil]

1) Septic and well require their own special inspector. A home inspector typically does not evaluate these. 

2) water heater TPR valve - No big deal, I literally would not bother fixing this if it were my house.

3) Panel in the bathroom is bizarre. It is also bizarre your inspector couldnt check it to figure out if its a sub panel, an abandoned panel.

4) Kitchen water pressure - This really relates to a proper well yield test.  Microbiral growth, no big deal just clean it with bleach.

5) Low water pressure bathrooms - Again...this goes back to getting a proper Well Yield test. 

6) Wires w/o conduits, hard to say without seeing it. 

7) Outlets w/o grounds....to be expected in certain aged homes and can easily be identified visually without an inspector in most cases.

8) Fogging windows - obviously can be seen visually, no inspector needed to tell this. It is largely a cosmetic issue and not a functional issue. I would not bother replacing.

9) Microbial growth in attic.....could literally be absolutly nothing, or could be a big deal. Inspector and remediation company will always make it sound like a big deal even if it is not a big deal.  Look at it, use common sense in assessing it.

10) Unsecured junction box. Not a big deal, literally would take under 5 mins to fix. 

11) Could be a big deal, or could be nothing.  Use common sense in evaluating.

Honestly....a good inspector should be telling you whats important, and whats not. Some of the things hes mentioned are clearly not big issues at all and he should have explained those to you. The others could swing either way, and he should have explained that as well, but sounds like he likely didnt.