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BUYING A HOUSE
Buying a house is far more complex, not to mention more expensive, than buying ~ car, but even though most people have some knowledge of what to look for in a car, few have much idea of what to look for in a house other than the obvious‑the number of rooms and the price. Whether you are going to buy a new house in a development or an older house in an established neighborhood, there are many areas you can check out yourself to determine the quality of construction and whether or not you are getting a good buy for the money.
One of the most important aspects in buying an existing house is to determine in advance just what is included in the house. There are, for example, certain items that are known in the real estate profession as "fixtures." These are items of personal property that may be part of the house but not permanently affixed to it. For example, a free‑standing range is a fixture because it can be removed without damage to the house structure, but a built‑in range is not a fixture because it cannot be removed without leaving a large hole in the wall. A window air conditioner is a fixture, but if the same unit was set in a hole in the wall under the window, it would not be a fixture. The point is that unless you
have a written agreement with the owner as to which fixtures are included in the deal, he can take them all with him and you have no grounds for legal action. The smart thing to do is to go over with the seller every item in the house which might be considered a fixture and have him put in writing those items that will go with the house. Among the items to look for are kitchen appliances, such as the range, refrigerator, freezer, washing machine, and dryer; built‑in bookcases: drapery hardware; door mirrors; TV antenna; window air conditioners, storm windows, and screens; and above‑ground swimming pools.
THE NEW HOUSE
When you go shopping for a new house in a development, and this is where the vast majority of new houses are built today, you will naturally want to consider, if you have children, the quality of the local schools. You'll also want to look for convenient shopping areas and recreational areas, and to find out how long it will take you to get to work and how much it will cost. The wise home buyer will also take the time to talk to some of the people in the development, asking them how they like living there and also if they have any particular peeves.
If the development is just getting under way and there are few if any completed houses, and, the streets are still unpaved, you will have to do a little more digging to find out what sort of development it will be when completed. The reputation of the developer is a very important item. If he has been responsible for other developments in the area, you can inspect them to see what sort of job he does. You should also look over the master plan in the sales office, since this will contain valuable information. Look for curved or winding streets, rather than a grid pattern. The grid pattern * of straight streets is the most economical for the developer, but the curved streets produce a better‑looking development and also slow down car traffic. Look for underground utilities such as electric and telephone lines. These usually indicate a quality development. Look for house lots of varying sizes and designs because this will produce a more interesting community than one where all the lots are the same size and shape. The developer should also be able to show you a commitment from the local township indicating that when the roads are completed they will be taken over by the town, so that you will not be assessed for their maintenance and repair.
Inspecting the House
Most houses in a development are sold from a model. When you inspect a model, keep in mind that the builder or developer has done everything he can to make that model house just as attractive as he can. He will see that the land around it is well landscaped with trees, shrubs, flowers, and so on. The outside of the house will be bright and pleasing to the eye. This is called "curb appeal" making the house just as ‑attractive as possible from the street to attract potential home buyers.
When you go into the average model, you'll find it completely furnished and decorated. Very often the developer will use furniture that is smaller in scale than standard pieces, to make the rooms in the house look larger than they actually are. Again, this is fine as long as you know what's going on. He will also load the model with a good deal of optional, features that are not included in the basic price of the house‑air conditioning, a fireplace, a finished game room, and so, forth.
I Some developers will have a sign in each room indicating the optional features and what they will cost if you want them included in your house. In other cases you will have to ask one of the salesmen to point out all the optional features. In any, event, find out exactly what you get in the basic house and what it will cost. And this information is what you want to use to evaluate the house. Forget about the landscaping, the furniture, the fancy decorating, and the optional features, and just concentrate on the basic house and its cost.
When you buy a house you are buying living space and, assuming the essential quality is there, the builder that gives you the most living space for the money is the one that is giving you the best buy. Living space is figured on the cost per square foot. You can easily figure out how much a square foot of living space costs by taking the floor plan of the house and adding up the total areas in square feet. When you have a total, divide it into the base price of the house and you'll get a cost per square foot. For example, if the house contains 1,200 square feet of living space and the total cost of the basic house is $24,000, then the square foot cost is $20.00. When you inspect other model houses, figure out the cost per square foot of each and then compare them. You can see right away which developer is giving you the most house for the money.
Judging Quality. Of course, the cost per square foot is not the only element that goes into judging a house. You are also interested in the quality of construction. Most houses you will inspect will have been approved by the FHA and/or VA. These agencies set forth minimum standards of design and construction which are of value in helping to determine quality, but you should not rely on them entirely.
There are ' many ways that you can judge the quality of construction of a house. One thing to look for is brand name materials and equipment. These will usually cost the developer or builder more than off‑brand products, but as they are often superior, the fact that he uses them indicates an interest in quality. Look for brand names in roofing materials, windows and doors, insulation, heating and air‑conditioning equipment, plumbing fixtures, flooring, kitchen appliances, and so forth.
If the house has a basement, it is better if the basement walls are made of poured concrete rather than concrete blocks. If the walls are made of concrete block, find out if waterproofing is applied to the outside during construction. If this step is omitted, you may have trouble with water leaking through the block wall if there is not good natural or man‑made drainage around the house. In a newly built house, you can expect to find that the basement will be somewhat damp, especially if the walls are made of poured concrete, because this contains a good deal of water when it is fresh, and some weeks or even months are required for the water to completely evaporate.
If the basement is designed to be converted into a game or recreation room, look for a type of construction having a minimum number of posts running from floor to ceiling, because these can interfere with the arrangement of the space for living purposes. In quality construction, you will find that a steel girder is used to provide support for the floor above, eliminating the need for the posts or at least reducing the number to a minimum.
Equipment normally found in the basement‑heating and air‑conditioning plant, hot‑water heater, laundry equipment, and so forth‑ should all be grouped in , one general area so as to leave the rest of the space free for other uses.
While inspecting the basement, you can take a look at the exposed floor framing, but in the case of a model house you can't learn very much about quality of materials or workmanship because obviously if the builder is trying to make the best impression, he isn't going to allow poor workmanship to show where it can be seen by everyone who visits the‑basement.
Heating Systems. Houses today are heated either by forced warm air, circulating hot water, or electric resistance heaters. All three of these systems are good when properly installed. Forced warm air is the type that lends itself most readily to the addition of air conditioning, which may be important if you wish to have or to add air conditioning at some future date. For forced warm air and circulating hot water, the energy is supplied by either gas or oil. Again, both of these fuels are excellent and the choice is really only what fuel is locally available at the lowest cost.
The House Structure. One important aspect of construction today is insulation. If a house is to be heated in winter or cooled in summer at the lowest cost, it must be adequately insulated. Good‑quality construction will include 6" of insulation at the roof or ceiling of the house, 4" in the walls, and 3" in the floor if the area below the floor is unheated.
Siding is another clue to quality, not so much because one kind of siding will give better protection than another, but with regard to maintenance. If the house has wood siding that is painted, you will have to figure on having to repaint every 5 or 6 years, and this is rather costly and time‑consuming. If the wood siding has been stained or treated with a sealer, maintenance is reduced considerably, because no paint is required and it is a simple matter to renew the stain or sealer when required. Aluminum and vinyl siding have a good record as far as maintenance goes, as do some of the composition materials.
Interior walls and ceilings are usually made of gypsum wallboard. Only in relatively few areas will you find plaster. If the walls are of gypsum, look for quality in the thickness of the wallboard used. In low‑quality construction the thickness may be only 3/8". In better‑quality work, 1/2" or 5/8" boards will be used. In top‑quality construction, you will find walls covered with two layers of 3/8” or 1/2" material, which produces a superior job.
Doors and Windows. The best‑quality doors are the solid‑core flush type. These are used for exterior doors and in high quality construction for interior doors as well. Panel and hollow‑core flush doors are adequate for interior use but do not have much soundproofing quality. Probably the best‑quality window available today is a wood type with a plastic coating which eliminates the need for painting and other maintenance. Ordinary wood windows are adequate if they have been pressure treated , with a preservative. Bronze‑coated aluminum windows are good. All windows, as well as sliding glass doors, should come with insect screening and storm sashes, which can be a help in reducing the cost of air conditioning in summer as well as heating the house in winter., The ~best‑quality sliding glass doors as well as windows come with insulating glass that eliminates the need for storm windows in winter. In warm areas, the glass should be heat‑absorbing to reduce heat gain.
Roof. Most roofs today are covered with asphalt shingles; these should be the 250‑pound seal‑down type rather than the lightweight 210‑pound shingles. Wood shingles are considerably more expensive than the asphalt type and indicate, when they are used, that the builder is not pinching pennies.
Flooring. The best‑quality floors for the main living area will be of hardwood vinyl, or linoleum. Many houses are sold with wall‑to‑wall carpeting, and this is good if there is a finished floor underneath. If there is not, when and if carpeting is removed a new finished floor will have to be put down at the owner's expense. Tile, of course, is good in the bathrooms.
Wiring. Aside from seeing that there are a sufficient number of outlets in the various rooms, ask about the capacity of the service entrance. Good‑quality construction will include a 200‑amp service entrance. If it is only 100 or 150, you may have difficulty using all your electric appliances.
Plumbing. As far as sewage goes, the ideal is to have a house that is connected into a city sewer main or, in the case of many developments, into a centrally located sewage‑treatment plant. If the house is to have its own septic treatment plant, ask to see a percolation test report for the site where your house is to be located. This report will state the capacity of the soil to absorb liquid waste.
Also find out about the quality of the water supply. In many areas the water contains such a high percentage of minerals that water‑treatment equipment will be required to make the water fit to drink and use for household purposes.
1st phase -> foundation forms in place ready to pour the concrete.
Typical Items of a Foundation Inspection. Not all apply to all properties.
| SOILS • Soil Types • Bearing Capacity of Soils • Soil Pressure on Foundations • Soil Drainage • Evaluating Soils On Site • Compacting Soil SITEWORK • Site Preparation • Excavating Slab Foundations • Excavating Foundation Holes • Excavating Hillsides • Excavation Safety • Shoring • Practical Erosion Control DRIVES AND ROADWAYS • Driveway Layout • Driveway Subgrade • Subgrade Drainage • Gravel Drives • Asphalt Drives • Concrete Driveways CONCRETE • Specifying Ready-Mix • Admixtures • Placing Concrete • Finishing Concrete • Curing Concrete • Weather Conditions FOOTINGS • Footing Layout • Stepped Footings • Jump Footings • Footing Problems REBAR • How Rebar Works • Rebar Sizes • Rebar Grades • Size and Spacing in Walls • Placing Rebar in Walls ANCHORS • Code Requirements • Placing Anchor Bolts • Seismic Anchors • Retrofit Foundation Anchors POURED CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS • Concrete Wall Dimensions • Reinforcing Concrete Walls • Stepped Foundation Walls • Structural Bracing for Foundation Walls • Control Joints |
CONCRETE
BLOCK FOUNDATIONS • Block Types • Mortar • Footings for Block Foundations • Setting Block • Grouting Block Foundations • Block Construction Details • Reinforcing Block Foundations • Control Joints WATERPROOFING AND DAMPPROOFING • Dampproofing • Waterproofing DRAINAGE • Perimeter Foundation Drains • Surface Drainage BACKFILL • Bracing Before Backfill • Placing Backfill SLABS • Site Layout for Slab Foundations • Subgrade and Subbase • Concrete for Structural Slabs • Structural Reinforcement for Slabs • Steel Reinforcing for Slabs • Control Joints for Slabs PIER FOUNDATIONS • Simple Pier Foundations • Engineered Pier Foundations • Pier Foundation Details INSULATION • Insulating Foundation Walls • Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations • Frost-Protected Shallow Garage Foundations • Insulation for Walkout Basements • Insulation for Piers PERMANENT WOOD FOUNDATIONS • Approved Pressure-Treated Wood • Critical Installation Details RETAINING WALLS • Forces in a Retaining Wall • Reinforcing Retaining Walls • Poured Concrete and Masonry Retaining Walls • Timber Retaining Walls • Interlocking Block Retaining Walls • Radon Abatement • Critical Construction Details |
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Click here for some photos related to the foundation pour. It relates to first month of construction.
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| ESTIMATING
MATERIALS • Converting Linear Feet to Board-Feet • Floors and Ceilings • Walls • Roofs SELECTING LUMBER • Selecting Dimensional Lumber • Selecting Sheathing and Subfloor Panels • Selecting Engineered Lumber NAILS • Holding Power of Nails • Pneumatic Nails • Galvanized Nails • Aluminum and Stainless-Steel Nails • Nailing Rules of Thumb FRAMING CONNECTORS • Hangers for Solid Wood Joists • Wood I-Joist Hangers FLOORS: DIMENSIONAL LUMBER • Joist Depth • Design Loads for Floor Joists • Joist Spacing • Joist Span Tables • Framing Details • Load Paths • Floor Openings • Cantilevered Floors FLOORS: SUBFLOORING • Subfloor Spans • Fastening Subfloor Panels FLOORS: WOOD I-JOISTS • Boring and Notching I-Joists • I-Joist Bearing • Temporary Bracing for I-Joists • I-Joist Load Paths • Floor Openings • Cantilevered I-Joists FLOORS: TRUSSES • Truss Types • Handling Trusses • Installing Floor Trusses • Bracing Floor Trusses • Fire-Stopping for Floor Trusses |
WALLS • Stud Spacing • Top Plates • Maximum Stud Lengths • Notching and Boring Studs and Plates • Corner Studs • Wall Bracing • Headers • Fire-Stopping Details for Walls ROOFS: DIMENSIONAL LUMBER • Rafter Loads • Common Rafter Spans • Hip and Valley Rafters • Rafter Bearing • Structural Bracing • Raised Rafter Plates • Blocking for End Restraint • Overhangs • Roof Openings • Shed Dormers ROOFS: WOOD I-BEAMS • Structural Ridge Required • Eaves Connections • I-Beam Overhangs • Temporary Bracing for I-Beams ROOFS: TRUSSES • Truss Types • Handling and Storing Trusses • Bracing Roof Trusses • Piggyback Trusses SEISMIC AND WIND BRACING • Shear Walls • Anchoring to Foundations • Stacked Wall Connections • Roof Connections ENERGY-TIGHT DETAILS • Sealing the Rim Joist • Partition Channels • Sealing Knee Walls • Sealing Cantilevers • Sealing Balloon-Framed Walls • Sealing Framing Projections • Cathedral Ceiling Options STEEL IN WOOD FRAMES • Structural Steel Headers • Steel-to-Steel Connections • Steel-to-Concrete Connections • Steel-to-Wood Connections • Flitchplates SPAN TABLES • Joist Spans • Header Spans • Rafter Spans |
Typical Items of a Roofing Inspection. Not all apply to all properties.
| ROOFING
MATERIALS • Slope and Pitch • Calculating Roof Area • Material Quantity ASPHALT SHINGLES • Selecting Asphalt Shingles2 • Underlayment for Asphalt Shingles • Fasteners for Asphalt Shingles • Shingle Installation • Reroofing • Asphalt Over Asphalt • Nesting Procedure for Reroofing WOOD SHINGLES AND SHAKES • Grades and Types • Exposures and Slope • Fire Retardants • Underlayment • Sheathing Options for Shingles • Sheathing Options for Shakes • Interlayment for Shake Roofs • Fasteners for Shingles and Shakes • Installing Shingles and Shakes • Maintenance and Repair • Minor Repairs • Reroofing CLAY AND CONCRETE TILE • Clay Tile • Concrete Tile • Sheathing and Underlayment • Anchoring Systems • Fasteners for High-Wind Regions • Loading the Roof With Tile • Cutting Tile • Installation Details for Tile • Tile Maintenance and Repairs • Tile Reroofing METAL PANELS • Flat-Lock Metal Roofs • Traditional Standing Seam • Pre-Fab Metal Panels • Thermal Response of Metal • Fasteners for Metal Roofs • Ordering Metal Roof Panels • Metal Panel Coatings • Paints for Metal Roofing • Metal Panel Sealing Details • Reroofing With Metal |
SLATE • Working on Slate • Inspecting Slates • Slate Repair Checklist • Cutting Slate LOW-SLOPE AND FLAT ROOFS • Roll Roofing • EPDM Rubber • Fully-Adhered EPDM • Self-Adhering EPDM • EPDM Edge Details • Built-Up Roofs • Patching a Built-Up Roof FLASHING • Asphalt-Based Eaves Flashing • Flashing Metals • Valley Flashing Details • Roof-to-Wall Flashing • Counterflashing • Flashing Gable Dormers • Flashing Shed Dormers • Flashing Chimneys • Flashing Skylights • Flashing Vent Pipe Penetrations GUTTERS • Gutter Installation ROOF VENTILATION • Sizing Vents • Vent Types and Location • Ice Dams • The Cold Roof |
Typical Items of a Siding Inspection. Not all apply to all properties.
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SIDING MATERIALS • Calculating Wall Area • Estimating Sheathing Wrap • Estimating Shingle and Shake Coverage • Estimating Hardboard Siding Coverage • Estimating Vinyl Siding Coverage • Estimating Stucco • Estimating Brick Veneer SHEATHING WRAP AND FLASHING • Sheathing Wrap Materials • Installing Sheathing Wrap • Flexible Flashing Materials • Drainage Planes • Flashing Details SIDING NAILS • Galvanized Nail Coatings • Selecting Galvanized Nails • Extractive Bleeding WOOD TRIM • Wood Selection • Design Principles • Exterior Casing • Corner Boards • Wood Cornices • Gable-End Transitions • Tudor Trim Details BOARD SIDING • Siding Grades • Moisture Content • Board Siding Patterns • Drainage Plane • Installing Horizontal Siding • Installing Vertical Siding • Nailing Board Siding • Board Siding Over Foam • Wood Shingles and Shakes • Shingle and Shake Grades • Corner Treatments • Weather Exposure • Double-Coursing • Single-Coursing • Nailing Checklist • Shingle and Shake Layout • Cleaning Shingles and Shakes VINYL SIDING • Vinyl Siding Types • Drainage Plane • Trim for Vinyl Siding • Vinyl Siding Layout • Nailing Checklist • Cutting Vinyl Siding • Cleaning Vinyl Siding |
FIBER-CEMENT SIDING • Fiber-Cement Types • Handling Fiber-Cement • Trim for Fiber-Cement • Layout for Fiber-Cement Siding • Nailing Checklist • Cutting Fiber-Cement HARDBOARD SIDING • Hardboard Grades • Hardboard Siding Patterns • Drainage Plane • Installing Hardboard Siding STUCCO • Stucco Types • Drainage Plane • Weep Screeds and Control Joints • Metal Lath • Three-Coat Stucco • Mixing Stucco • Curing Stucco • Finish Textures • One-Coat Stucco • EIFS • Repairing Stucco BRICK VENEER • Brick Types and Grades • Mortar Types • Mortar Joints • Drainage Plane • Structural Support • Flashing Details • Brick Ties • Expansion Joints • Repointing Brick EXTERIOR CAULKS AND SEALANTS • Selecting Caulk • Joint Design • Backer Rod • Applying Caulk EXTERIOR FINISHES • Paint Bonding Characteristics • Paint vs. Primer • Oil-Based vs. Latex Paints • Glossy vs. Flat • Solid-Color Stains • Clear Exterior Finishes • Semi-Transparent Stains • Landscape Protection • Surface Prep • Applying Exterior Finishes • Preserving a Natural Wood Finish • Finishes for Shingles and Shakes • Painting Stucco • Painting Fiber-Cement • Painting Asbestos Siding |
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One advantage to buying new construction is that you can customize many things such as color schemes, flooring, kitchen cabinets, appliances, TV and phone wiring, speaker wiring, etc. The builder generally will not let you put in your our TV, phone and speaker wiring, due to inspections and code regulations. But having this done by the builder to your specifications, will saving you a lot of time and effort later. |
Search out a reputable builder. One of the keys to purchasing a new construction home is finding a reputable builder. Ask friends, relatives or co-workers for recommendations. Ask people already in the development about their experience with the builder. Also, check out previous construction done by this builder. Check with the Better Business Bureau. The builder's reputation is everything. A disreputable builder can ruin the entire new home buying experience. Just because you are buying a high priced home does not mean that you are getting high quality construction. For example, some builders may use polybutylene pipe instead of copper for plumbing. This type of practice does not only happen in low end houses! Builders will cut cost wherever possible. If there are already houses under construction you should check out the quality of workmanship and materials being used in the early stages such as the foundation and plumbing. |
Once you have found a builder that you feel comfortable with, it's time to research the neighborhood. Check out any vacant land in the surrounding area. Find out what that land is zoned for and what plans have been submitted for development. A good source of information is the local town or city zoning board. Nice vacant fields will not stay vacant for long. Will it become high end houses that will increase the value of your new home or will it become yet another strip mall that will trash the value of your home. Don't believe everything that the sales droid tells you. They will most likely be long gone before your house is completed. Before purchasing a home several years ago when I was in high school, my parents were told by the sales jerk that 1/2 of the homes in the development were being sold to families with children living there. Well, guess what, it was more like a retirement community with 2 or 3 families other that ours. If you have or plan to have children make sure to research the local schools. If you are buying a home in a suburban area pay attention to the proximity of major highways. |
Make sure to wait for a good rain storm before you sign any contract. You want to see how the area drains in a heavy storm. |
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Diligent
Inspection Services