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Podcast Shorts

What to Look for When Buying an Old House

In this segment, the team gets into the nitty-gritty of what to look at first when inspecting an old home.

By Patrick McCombe, Rob Wotzak, Matthew Millham

In this podcast short from Episode 149, Patrick, Rob, and Matt respond to this question from listener Nate:

“My wife and I love old houses. Our first home was a single-story, 1915 Craftsman that had already been renovated. We are looking at selling that home and purchasing what appears to be a late-1800, two-story. I’m confident, maybe overly confident, in my renovation abilities, but we’d like your advice. What should I look for when purchasing an old house? The trim profiles are really shallow, so I’m assuming that the plaster was covered with drywall at some point. The floors aren’t level and at one location, the floor drops about one-and-a-half to two inches over about three feet. There is also some rot below a toilet that I can see in the crawlspace.”

Watch or listen to the whole segment to hear what the crew has to say including:

  • Reference to an FHB video series on inspecting old homes
  • Roofs and basements are the best places to start and what to look for
  • Expect problems and put money aside to deal with them as they arise
  • Identify where the cold spots are

RELATED LINKS

  • Kickout Flashing: How to Flash Troublesome Roof-to-Wall Intersections
  • Inspecting Old Houses
  • 12 Restoration Blunders
  • How to Save an Old House
  • Insulating a Wall in an Old House

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