Home Inspection Nightmare!!

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Hello, This is my first post after being a LONGTIME lurker. Really love this site because of all the different opinions and views on the various topics. Wanted to see if I could get some objective views on my house inspection..as obvioiusly myself being the owner, maybe I am biased. Here's the condensed version. Had relo look at the house for a possible purchase. Inspector looked at it last week and got the report a few days ago. House was built in 1994 and he wrote up so much stuff I was/am shocked. Driveway has two cracks about 3/8" wide and about 20 feet long. also has some concrete spalling from the harsh salt treatments in the winter dripping off the cars when parked. Replace driveway $$$ Both central ac units in upstairs and downstairs blowing TOO COLD they are high eff. Tranes..replace both units $$$. No weep holes in the bricks on front of house, other three sides are siding, Replace bricks with ones with weep holes $$$$$$. Main support beam in basement which is 4 2x12's sandwiched together not properly installed. Remove and properly install $$$$$. These are just a few of the things in over six pages of write ups. This a good solid house, it's basically move in ready...I would have no problem selling it to anyone, family, friends etc. The deal with relo is that whatever the inspector says is GOSPEL to them. Everything the inspector writes up must be corrected!! They seem very unwilling to budge. Has anyone dealt with this before?? I basically feel that they hold all the cards and I have no recourse. Any advice or suggestions. This is very upsetting and stressful to my wife and I as we want t move and get on with our lives. Tom
 
Who is relo? How are you financing this? Is this some kind of gov't 1st time buyer program etc?

I didn't go thru this with my bank when initially purchasing. 1st refi was a drive by appraisal, 2nd was thorough.. had septic leaking, drywall peeling near a skylight, and my basement is a disaster... they just came up with a liquidation value and I was good to go!
 
Geez, what a over-reaction from the inspector. Sounds like he's either in a nasty mood or he's on the payroll of local contractors. No way all that needs to be done. Call another inspector and tell him of the report. Has the current one already submitted his report to the lender? What is 'relo'? I would get a second inspection from a different inspector and present the finding to the lender as a grounds for re-determination.
I've honestly NEVER heard of an inspector saying the driveway needs replacement...even with cracks in it. It has nothing to do with the structural integrity of the house. As for the weep holes....I would think an alternative exists that DOES NOT involve tearing out the bricks. The one that really stumps me is the 'too cold' air conditioners.
Don't blame you for being upset. This guy is messing around with your life and seems to be on a power trip.
 
Relo is short for relocation. Since my wife is a federal employee and is being transferred, relo will buy your house from you if you are having trouble selling it (we are).
 
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Can you request another inspector to look at your house ?


Since relo is offering to buy your house they have THEIR paid inspector do the inspection.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
are you the original owners? were any of these problems present when you moved in?


We are the second owners and NONE of these items were mentioned when we got the house inspected four years ago.
 
Oh, that explains quite a bit. I would have to imagine they're under some mandate to not be the "next sucker" who would, for example, own half of Detroit's brownstones or NO's 9th ward.

Be interesting to see the arrangement the inspector has with relo. Like if they can sue him for anything he missed. He likely has a MASSIVE checklist that goes beyond local building codes.

Maybe try renting the house for your mortgage payment for a year or so until the market returns?
 
The inspector was doing his job, inspecting the property and pointing out issues. If he ignored those issues he would not be giving the potential buyer and honest report.
If I were you I'd pay a general contractor and HVAC contractor to come in and give an estimate and opinion on the repairs. The inspector is only an inspector, looking in from the outside. Having a professional come in and look will give a real credible opinion on the inspector's findings.

IMHO structural repairs aren't arguable if they are deficient. Cosmetic stuff like concrete cracks are debatable.

EDIT: If you do get a contractor to come look make sure they are not affiliated with any of the other parties. You need an impartial report on your side.
 
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My son had something like that happen to him and he hired an independant inspector. The report that came back was more favorable to him. He took his into the lender and they looked both over and accepted the one he brought in. This does not always happen but it may be worth a try. The inspector he had for his house here just said reported if the items worked or not and if the house is structurally sound. I hope this can be worked out in your favor.
 
Thanks for all the quick replies so far. In my opinion there are no structure issues...this is the way the house was BUILT from the blueprints. Nothing has been changed, altered, modified, rotted etc.
 
Originally Posted By: ravenchris
Talk to a lawyer who does residential closings in or around your area.

Don't know if that would help. Since they are buying your home, whatever their inspector says is wrong with your home, is what is wrong, and must be corrected before they will make you an offer
 
Blowing too cold? hmm.......most of the stuff sounds cheeze.

The only one that bugs me is the beam. What's "not properly installed"? Maybe get a "real opinion" from a structural engineer. If he says "OK", then you should be clean.
 
The inspector is working for the buyer. It is his job to find things wrong with the house, and up to the buyer to decide if they want to make an offer based on the inspectors findings or walk away from the deal.

Also a lot of home inspections come with a clause that if the inspector didn't notice a flaw and it becomes a problem within a certain time period the inspection company has to pay for the repairs. With that in mind they find a lot of problems, some valid, some not. When I lived in NY and worked in construction with my dad, it was not uncommon for inspectors to ruin a lot of Real Estate deals.

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Blowing too cold? hmm.......most of the stuff sounds cheeze.

Ya I know..I have a friend who lives out in Phoenix. He says I should disconnect them and ship them out there....he says people would be fighting to buy a ac that blows too cold.
 
I went thru this, but not as severe as you, when I relocated with General Motors. If GM was to buy my house (if I couldn't or didn't want to sell it) then I had to get the things fixed or they would deduct the cost to fix from my payment. I actually made out and sold the house to people that saw the report for what it was - junk and they're happy as can be. And on the other side- the house I bought in the new location, also was written up crazy by the inspector. The sellers were happy that I didn't want everything fixed.
 
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wow I wish I had this inspector when I bought my houses.
anyway the inspector has valid points.
driveway: moot point
weeping bricks: retro fit holesdrill em out
structural issues: how the heck this pass bleeping code,

overall correct coverup issues, like top coating driveway after crack filling etc is what most house flipper would do and not ethical.
u could could take legal action agst the seller of the house
 
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