House in Disrepair in Alexandria, Va- Finn’s Story

by | Apr 15, 2022 | Blog

Houses can need repairs for any number of reasons. Storms, wind, and other acts of nature can damage a house in ways that you might not see until it is too late. High winds can pull the shingles off your roof. If not replaced immediately, a storm can cause the unprotected roof to leak. This can lead to very expensive water damage and the need for a new roof entirely.

Large storms that produce flooding can cause foundational damage to your home. If your water heater is under your house and then it floods, the possibility of a fire increases. The floodwaters can cause the valves and controls on the water heater to flashback or explode. It is better to replace a flooded water heater than to try and repair it.

If you have water-damaged wood in or around your home, certain types of termites can become a problem. Dampwood and subterranean termites thrive in moisture and water-damaged wood. It can take about 3-5 years for termite damage to become visible. Some ways you might discover termite damage are jammed doors or windows, your baseboards easily crumbling, and faint lines on the drywall. If you notice a sign of termite damage, call a professional to assess the damage. Termite damage, if left unattended can damage the structural integrity of your home and cause in extreme cases, your ceiling or floors to collapse.

Finn’s Story

Finn is a 39-year-old software engineer living in Alexandria, Virginia. He has lived in his home for about 10 years. Recently, Finn noticed a small leak in his roof when he was up in his attic. The last couple of years the winters had been brutal with heavy snow. The snow this past winter had put a lot of stress in a few places on Finn’s roof. This and the recent round of Spring rains had caused the leak in the roof.

Finn started to look around the attic in case there were other signs of damage. He noticed that there were a few places on the floor of the attic that seemed soft. Finn crawled down to look at the ceiling below the attic space. He realized that the ceiling was starting to sag in a few places. This was concerning, after all the recent rain, Finn wondered what other damage there might be around his house.

He decided to take a look outside around the foundation and in the crawl space. The crawl space was damp and smelled of mildew. Finn noticed that there were mud tubes on the foundation walls and pieces of rotted wood on the ground.

After doing some research, he called in a termite specialist and a contractor to see what needed to be done to start repairs.

The Inspection

The termite inspector came to the house first. After his initial inspection, he told Finn that termites were still present and the house needed to be professionally treated before anything else could be done. The treatment to get rid of the termites would cost Finn around $1419.

After the termites were taken care of, Finn was able to call a contractor to assess the damages. The crawl space would need to be cleaned out and sealed properly. Inside the house, the parts of the ceiling that drooped would need to be fixed. The contractor also found a little bit of water damage where the roof had been leaking.

In the attic, wooden beams that had been damaged by the termites would need to be replaced. The leak in the roof would need to be patched too. Upon further inspection, the contractor found that due to the amount of damage to the roof from the recent weather and the age of the roof, it would be better to replace it entirely.

Finn’s Solution

Finn decided to contact his homeowner’s insurance and see if any of the repairs were covered under his policy. He learned that any damage from termites would not be covered. The policy did cover some of the repairs to the roof but would not cover the total cost.

Finn decided to research his options and costs online. The expense started to add up quickly. The crawl space clearing and sealing would cost around $7900. The price of a new roof was going to cost upwards of $13,000 and the ceiling repair could be up to $2,500. This on top of the already costly termite removal was starting to add up financially for Finn.

Since the homeowner’s insurance did not cover the bulk of the repairs, Finn would have to come up with the money out of pocket and a place to stay while they were going on.

Finn decided to do more research online to see what solutions he could find for his situation. While researching, Finn came across Akin Developers. He saw that Akin offers a no-cost, no-obligation offer for homes in almost any condition. Finn decided to reach out to us and see if Akin could help him. After his initial phone conversation, we set up a meeting to take a look at his home. We met with Finn and after inspecting his home, we offered a fair price for the home in its current condition, which he accepted. Finn’s house closed in about 15 days. He was able to take the money from the sale of his home and buy a newer home that better fit his needs.

Conclusion

Unless you are inspecting the wooden areas of your home frequently it can be hard to notice a termite infestation. It can take 3-5 years for termite damage to be apparent. This is why it is very important to regularly check the wooden areas of your home like window frames, attics, and flooring. Check your foundation for mud tubes and make sure your crawl space is sealed from moisture. If you see any signs of a termite infestation, call an expert and get it taken care of as soon as possible. Many homeowner policies will not cover termite removal or damage.

Should you find yourself in Finn’s situation and need to sell your home quickly for cash-whether with structural damage, electrical issues, distress, or in perfect condition-contact us here at Akin Developers and see what we can do for you too.

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