Structural damage to your home can be caused by a number of factors. Leaking pipes under your crawl space, settling of your home, water damage from gutters, or roof leaks. Animals that get into your crawl space can cause damage to your pipes and flooring.
You need to take into consideration the age of your home too. Pipes that were installed 40 years ago, are likely not up to code anymore and need to be replaced. The same for wiring. If your house still has the knob and tube wiring, it’s recommended to have an electrician come and advise on upgrading.
There is always something to look for or maintain to keep your home in working order. Doing seasonal inspections can help you identify any structural damage. This can help with stopping a huge repair from developing.
Ira’s Story
Ira is a 55-year-old environmental engineer in the Beltsville, MD area. He has lived in his home for over 20 years. Recently, he has decided to start making a list of needed upgrades and repairs.
One weekend, Ira decided to take his notebook outside and inspect his home. Starting in the carport, he looked and noticed that the beams holding up the sunroom had not been sunk into the foundation. He checked every beam and they were all the same. Ira also noticed that the wood on the carport ceiling appeared to have some water damage. It looked like the hot tub on the floor above had leaked. He would need to check the flooring under the hot tub and assess for damage and replace any water warped boards.
After the outside, the entryway inside the house was next. The walls had large cracks at the top of the staircase that seemed larger than just the house settling. When all the other rooms on the first floor were checked, Ira went to check around the hot tub in the sunroom.
While he couldn’t see any damage directly around the hot tub, that didn’t mean that it wasn’t coming from underneath it. That was going to require a professional to come out.
Next, he headed up to check the 3rd floor. The bedrooms had a few minor issues. The landing needed to have the railing replaced and upgraded but otherwise seemed fine.
Finally, he went to inspect the roof and gutters. Having never personally cleaned the gutters himself, he knew it probably needed to be done. When it rained, instead of water flowing out it appeared to flow over the side instead. The gutters would need to be cleaned and a new cover put over them to help keep out the debris.
As he walked around the house, he didn’t notice any damage or holes in the roof. In the yard, however, there were lots of holes and pits where animals had appeared to be digging in the yard. Ira started to research who should have come out to his home to inspect the damages.
The Inspection
First, the contractor came out to inspect the support beams and ceiling of the carport. There are 5 support beams that would need to be sunk in concrete to stabilize them. Next, he inspected the ceiling of the carport. The water damage was more extensive than originally believed. The hot tub had been leaking for a while and the flooring underneath had started to rot through to the carport.
An electrician would need to be called in to inspect the wiring around the hot tub to make sure it was not affected by the water leak. Next came the inspection of the gutters. Due to the build-up of debris in the gutters, they had started to tilt back towards the house. This had led to parts of the gutter needing to be replaced and now a portion of the roof as well from water damage.
Ira was going to need to replace the entire structural foundation of his carport and the flooring above where the hot tub is located. The hot tub would need to be fixed or replaced, at the very least the hot tub would have to be drained, removed, and disposed of if Ira decided not to fix it. The beams coupled with the repairs to the outside of the house where the gutter leaked, were starting to add up to a lot of money in repairs
Ira’s Solution
Ira started to research online options for his situation. While researching, he came across Akin Developers and decided to give them a call to see if they could help. After
speaking with Ira on the phone, we set up an appointment to meet with him and look at his home. After viewing and inspecting his home, we offered him a fair price that Ira accepted.
Ira’s home closed in about 10 days. He was now free to take the money from the sale of his home to look for a newer home that better fit his needs
Conclusion
Structural damage left unattended can become an expensive and dangerous repair. Moisture in your walls can lead to fires. If you notice moisture spots, softening of your floors, consistently blowing fuses, or rotted wood get it checked out immediately. Fixing the structural damage quickly can save you money on repairs and save you from a possible house fire or collapsing floor.
Should you find yourself in Ira’s situation and need to sell your home quickly for cash-whether with water damage, electrical issues, structural damage, distress, or in perfect condition-contact us here at Akin Developers and see what we can do for you too.
