DIYbanter - View Single Post

(Raj) wrote in message news:

Some problems I noticed during my walk through-
- damp and unfinished basement. No floor, just dirt. I was told
dampness is due to gutters not having leaders to divert warer away
from house. They were recently installed.

Dirt-floor cellars are gonna be damp...period. Depending on how tight
the foundation is, you -might- be able to put in a cement floor and
reduce the dampness, but if it's a stone foundation it's just one of
those things you'll have to live with to a degree. How high is the
water table in the area?

- Minor leakage on family room ceiling. Roof on the FR does not have
steep enough slope (me thinks) and with all the snow in NJ during last
2 yrs, it possibly leaked in.

If there's inadequate attic insulation, ice dams will be a problem.
You may want to look into a metal roof (as well as insulation and
venting of the attic).

- Old, original windows in fair to bad shape.

Depending on what you mean by "fair to bad shape" (rotted
frames/sashes?) you may want to go with new windows. Not cheap. If
the frames and sashes are not rotted, just loose they can usually be
made tighter. Depends on the style of window and how much work you
want to do. When I bought my late-1800s-vintage house the windows
were very loose & drafty. Amazing what vinyl sash guides and
re-glazing the windows did. This is partly a matter of personal
taste. I wanted to keep my house as "original" as possible and didn't
really want modern windows if I could avoid it.

- Old dark cedar shake shingle siding. Don't know how old.

I thought you said this was a stone house. How much is stone, vs.
shake siding? Cedar shakes usually last a long time...they do age
over time and become dark (or perhaps they were stained). This sounds
more like personal taste than a "problem" per se.

- No central air.

How is this a "problem"? Nothing's broken/damaged...only a luxury
that you may desire that isn't there. If you want it that badly
install it yourself. I fail to see how this is the seller's
responsibility.

- Some minor work needed on mortar.

Some good things -
- Didn't notice termite damage (doesn't mean it's not there)
- Didn't notice any othere water leaks (didn't get to check the attic
yet)
- House "feels" solid, no spongy floors, etc.

It's not reasonable to buy an old house and not expect to have to do
some work on it. Nothing that you describe sounds extreme. Some of
the things you mentioned (dirt cellar, lack of air conditioning) may
not have been a big deal to previous owners, and really don't affect
the integrity of the house. It's more a matter of personal
preference.