Old House Inspection - Advice Needed

[Ober51]

I think we are going to at least ask for a credit from the sellers. We don't expect them to budge one dollar, though, just like everything else. After talking it over, however, we probably won't touch the basement anyway, at least for a looong time with the amount of other work needed in the house.

[jharkin]

Asbestos is in the same category as lead paint - poeple flip out about it far out of proportion to the acutal danger level.

Is it bad stuff? Yes.
Are you going to keel over the moment to cross the threshold? No.

As was mentioned above- so long as its not disturbed and getting airborne you will be fine. Just like with lead paint if its not chipping and you dont lick the wall you will be fine. Amateur attempts to remove the stuff often cause more harm than just leaving it alone and covering it up... and liability issues have made it so bad that professionals will just strip all the woodwork out of a house rather than even bother trying to remove the paint.

The tough part is that if its *ever* been there the stigma follows you around. When I was having my house insulated the energy auditor we had refused to do a blower door test because we have steam heat.

"What does steam heat have to do with a blower test" I asked
"Steam pipes where insulated with asbestos, and the blower wil make that airborn" he replied
" Look at my pipes, the previous owners had the asbestos professionally removed" I replied
"There could still be asbestos on the pipes in the wall" He replied
" Look at my pipes again, you can see that they DONT go in a wall at all" I replied
" Doesn't matter, I cant prove there are no hidden pipes in wall and due to liability we cant do the test if there was ever asbestos in the house in past.

** banging head on wall **

[Mick_VT]

** banging head on wall **

Don't do that there might be asbestos in the plaster on that wall, and you could make it airborne, we dont have liability insurance for that.

[Don M]

It's a good thing the dead knob & tube wiring that's under my second floor can't be seen!

[Ober51]

We are going ahead with the sale. We will not disturb it, and if/when we have to, we will worry about it then.

[Ober51]

This is how the negotiation has gone:

"Roof, foundation, and electrical are in terrible shape. Please provide some sort of credit."
"No."
"Ok, we will buy it anyway."
"Asbestos, please credit."
"No."
"Ok, we love it!"

[Mick_VT]

This is how the negotiation has gone:

"Roof, foundation, and electrical are in terrible shape. Please provide some sort of credit."
"No."
"Ok, we will buy it anyway."
"Asbestos, please credit."
"No."
"Ok, we love it!"

You are an old house natural!

[dpkmpy8]

Those negotiations seem about as rational as when I bought my old house!

I am not a licensed home inspector at the moment, lacking only the state test here in Illinois, but plan on finishing my licensing as my professional work slows for the year. By trade I am a Construction Inspector consulting for the Indiana DOT. I cant say I know everything about inspections, but I have completed the 88 hours of required online training. I learned that the inspector is NOT required to operate any functional systems. Just a representative number of windows and doors. It is a visual inspection only, and there are no guarantees that a problem will not arise the next day. If you have specific things you want them to look for, get it in writing. The Standard of Practice for my licensing group lists all sorts of things the inspector is not required to mess with, almost more than is required to mess with. It is not required that inspectors look at a roof from closer than the ground as well. It is no wonder Mike Holmes gets so frustrated with home inspectors, but you are buying a product that give piece of mind, that's about it.

I say this not to trash home inspectors, just to remember that its an old house. If the guy looking at it does not get that the inspection is not a 30 minute walk thru as in a newer house, you are not getting your moneys worth. They also will be hesitant to mess with an old furnace, for instance, because of he breaks something, he is liable for what he breaks. Lots of CYA wording in the contract you sign. Most good inspectors will refer you to individual system inspectors or contractors to look at the furnace, a/c if present, appliances, well pump, etc., and will include this in the final report.

BTW, get rid of that Federal box, they are Bad News Bears.