Frozen pipes in property I have a contract on

[RedlineBrett]

Hi guys,

I have a conditional offer accepted on a property and when we went in yesterday the thing was an icebox... It`s a 1997 townhouse with one of those `light switches` that controls the furnance.. well someone shut off the furnace by accident and the owners have been out of there for months.

So I go in yesterday to do my property inspection and the thing is frozen solid... frozen toilets, bottles of wine broken, faucets frozen solid etc.

So the seller`s agent instructs us to shut off the water main and the valve for the infloor heating. We get the furnace going and let the place warm up.

We go over to check it out today and I count three broken toilets, one shower that seems screwed up, two small valves in the basement as well as the pump for the infloor heating are shot. Seller`s agent is very well known in town and the sellers are two doctors and have promised to fix everything and make it right.

My question is - how do I discern the extent of the damage? We are waiting for a plumber to come by and open the main valve and pressure test the system... but I`ve never been through this before and want to make sure that there aren`t any comprimised valves behind the drywall or under the floorboards that have gone bad...

in the utility room it seems like the piping is that grey PVC/hose style but it does have copper fittings. Infloor heating is an orange hose style which the inspector said is the good kind and is frost resistant.

Anyone been through this and have some advice to share?

This is a bit more personal as it`s a property my GF and I are trying to buy to move in together... if it were an investment property I`d say `see ya` and find something else but this is a pretty good deal for us.

Thanks guys!

 

[GarthChapman]

Yikes Brett,
Suggest that you at least have it inspected by a really good inspector. I use a very experienced guy by the name of Dave Hutchinson of Habitat Home Inspections 278-1004. He has experience as a Home Builder, Pipe Fitter, Realtor, Appraiser, Inspector and maybe more.

I would think you should be able to get the Seller to pay for this inspection so you are satified as to what needs to be done (by the way the in-floor heating should have been filled with an antifreeze solution and so should be no problem).

I am also thinking you should have your guy inspect it after all the work is done.

And of course, this is a good opportunity to get a reduction on the price - you could even take it way down and look after the rep[airs yourself, although that one involves some risk. But it could be a huge reduction.

Just be careful that if the repairs are handled by the Seller`s insurance adjuster that no corners are cut by them.

Good luck on this!

 

[GregGillespie]

Hi Brett,

I agree with Garth that you will want to have some "post-work" inspection done. You may want to consider a hold back sufficient to cover any further remediation.

Best of luck,

Greg

 

[RedlineBrett]

QUOTE (GregGillespie @ Jan 31 2008, 11:48 AM) Hi Brett,

I agree with Garth that you will want to have some "post-work" inspection done. You may want to consider a hold back sufficient to cover any further remediation.

Best of luck,

Greg

UPDATE - I chose to walk from this one... did my best to try and make this deal work but I think there would be just too many hassles.

Lesson here though guys! If you have a vacant property (between tenants or something you`re trying to sell) make SURE you check up on it when it gets cold!

This was a beautiful townhouse.. 1350ft^2 end unit with a fully developed walkout basement, infloor heating, 3 full baths double attached garage and only ten years old.. now it will never be the same because the owners didn`t take care of it! Gonna cost em big $$ to fix too