anybody ever bought a foreclosure on a slab?

Question

my concern is pipes might get frozen while the heat would be turned off for a couple years? would have to bust up the concrete and that can get pricy? anybody had any experience with slabs? I've been apt to stay away from them.

Bryan H. · Answer

I bought a REO with a slab last year. It did have pipes that did burst, but like Account Closed the work was above ground and in the walls. An alternative that I looked into was re-piping the home in PEX through the attic. Considerable cost savings. I was adding insulation to the attic so I would have added after the new PEX was run. Since the work was minor and only in a few spots in the bathroom, we were able to make repairs. I got quotes of $1200-$1500 to redo the whole house in PEX. It was a 1150 sf home, 1 bath, laundry room and kitchen.

Account Closed · Answer

Hi Scott, I've sold a good number of vacant, slab homes (in Ohio) and have encountered my fair share of burst pipes... but none required concrete work. The damage has always been above ground. I agree with Ryan - have a pressure test done and with Bill - check to see if and when it was winterized and if there's a guarantee. In all honesty, it's more common for me to see vacant homes with basement walls needing EXPENSIVE repairs due to poor landscaping and/or improperly installed gutters. In short, I'd say keep your options open regarding vacant slab homes. :)

Matthew Paul · Answer

If the water was on and froze , you would see the damage , it would have occured in the house first , Odds are the supply line is fine , look at the shut off valve in the house , if its a ball valve and it was off and the house wasnt winterized ,and it froze , there will be a split on the side of the ball valve .

Roy N. · Answer

In our area SFHs on slabs are a "recent" {ie. 30 years} occurrence and are still in the minority. However, I believe this has more to do with the Maritime (& New England) mindset that a house must have a cellar. On the other hand, multiunit and commercial buildings around here have been built on slabs for close to a century (the old train station was predominately on a slab). As other have alluded pipes in/under a slab are no more likely to freeze than those in an unheated basement {perhaps even less}. If the plumbing was winterized - or even just drained - it should be fine.

Xing Zhu · Answer

In my area, cheap houses are typically on slabs

Rob K. · Answer

You can hook up an air compressor and see if the pipes hold pressure. If the power is off, you will need to bring a generator. I recently purchased a house on a slab and have the same fear. Mine has the water meter in the laundry room and one of the bathrooms is on the other side of that wall. I plan to run PEX in the laundry room and through the wall to that bathroom. The other bathroom has copper in the attic running to it.

J Scott · Answer

I've had several burst pipes under slabs (unlikely due to freezing...more likely due to inferior building materials), and have never had to break concrete to fix the problem. It's often possible to route supply lines through the house and by-pass any lines under the concrete. May not always work, but we're about 5-for-5 in our attempts.

Sean Kuhn · Answer

Most of my foreclosures have been on slabs in Illinois. Some in winter. As long as the property is winterized it isn't a problem. If water was left on during winter it could be an issue. Every lender and cash buyer has the right to test the plumbing before purchase but after contract is signed, its standard and easy to request.

Bill Gulley · Answer

Bring up the concern with the lender/servicer it's in their best interest to allow an inspection and you may have costs to winterize again. If it was winterized call that service company and see if the guarantee the work and if it was working. I've had many slabs in the south, never had a water issue with a line, drains yes but not a big issue. Are there any indications? Cracked floor, low spots around foundation, damp lower walls or excessive sweating on tile or damp carpet? Thinking ahead, in your area if a slab is not common for the area think about the future appraisal you will need to sell it or finance it. :)

Ryan R. · Answer

Not an issue in my area. We don't have the cold temps that you might experience up North so maybe that is cause for concern. Have a plumber perform a pressure test on the house and that will tell you if the plumbing has been compromised. Concrete is a pretty good insulator though.