- Joined
- Apr 21, 2010
- Messages
- 8
I’m in the process of buying a 1970 16plex with my parents in Quebec. I just had it inspected this past Tuesday and the overall condition is good: electrical, plumbing, roof, and the overall construction are good. Cash flow is positive and there is potential to increase the rents. I will receive the complete inspection report by tomorrow.
One thing that worries me though is that the inspector found some mold, mainly in the crawlspace and an outside wall under the roof for a 10-foot long by 1-foot tall section. He recommended to have a mold specialist assess the severity of the mold in both areas and to get a cost estimate on the cleanup.
Since the sale is conditional on a satisfactory inspection, what would you recommend in a situation like this?
The owner declared that the building is mold-free to his knowledge. If the mold is not severe and can be cleaned up, I would like to negotiate to have the owner correct it or reduce the purchase price based on the estimates I get and I hire someone to clean it up.
If the mold issue is too severe and cleaning it up would be too costly, then dropping the deal would be the most prudent thing to do. I don’t know if there are legal ramifications to this but my offer was conditional on an inspection anyway.
Your feedback is very welcome.
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For anyone who can provide feedback on mold issues, here are the details from this building. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Details about the mold in crawlspace:
The crawlspace does not seem to have a concrete slab like other buildings I’ve seen, but instead is filled with sand. The sand was originally covered with a layer of plastic to serve as a vapor barrier but when I went in the crawlspace with the inspector, most of it was punctured and torn for some reason.
The inspector found white mold on the sand just about everywhere and there seemed to be more of it in areas where the ventilation of the crawlspace was inadequate. There was also a large ring of about 1 meter in diameter where more mold was present. He explained that this probably happened because the brick on the outside wall is almost flush with the soil so more humidity would seep in and have built up that way. He didn’t see any signs of water infiltration though. According to him, all this, combined with the punctured vapor barrier and the inadequate ventilation, helped the mold grow in the crawlspace.
Details about the mold under roof:
The mold in this area was slightly visible through the holes on the soffit under the roof but mainly on the wall immediately below it. At first the inspector didn’t know what to make of it. He suspected a fire but after discussing with the owner and trying to find an alternative explanation, he suspects that when the roof was redone about 10 years ago, the fiberglass insulation may have gotten wet and was not replaced before the roof was closed off. Maybe the insulation got wet from a leak in the roof before it was replaced too. Hard to say. Moisture in the insulation may have allowed a potential mold problem to start. The mold in this area is black.
One thing that worries me though is that the inspector found some mold, mainly in the crawlspace and an outside wall under the roof for a 10-foot long by 1-foot tall section. He recommended to have a mold specialist assess the severity of the mold in both areas and to get a cost estimate on the cleanup.
Since the sale is conditional on a satisfactory inspection, what would you recommend in a situation like this?
The owner declared that the building is mold-free to his knowledge. If the mold is not severe and can be cleaned up, I would like to negotiate to have the owner correct it or reduce the purchase price based on the estimates I get and I hire someone to clean it up.
If the mold issue is too severe and cleaning it up would be too costly, then dropping the deal would be the most prudent thing to do. I don’t know if there are legal ramifications to this but my offer was conditional on an inspection anyway.
Your feedback is very welcome.
-------
For anyone who can provide feedback on mold issues, here are the details from this building. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Details about the mold in crawlspace:
The crawlspace does not seem to have a concrete slab like other buildings I’ve seen, but instead is filled with sand. The sand was originally covered with a layer of plastic to serve as a vapor barrier but when I went in the crawlspace with the inspector, most of it was punctured and torn for some reason.
The inspector found white mold on the sand just about everywhere and there seemed to be more of it in areas where the ventilation of the crawlspace was inadequate. There was also a large ring of about 1 meter in diameter where more mold was present. He explained that this probably happened because the brick on the outside wall is almost flush with the soil so more humidity would seep in and have built up that way. He didn’t see any signs of water infiltration though. According to him, all this, combined with the punctured vapor barrier and the inadequate ventilation, helped the mold grow in the crawlspace.
Details about the mold under roof:
The mold in this area was slightly visible through the holes on the soffit under the roof but mainly on the wall immediately below it. At first the inspector didn’t know what to make of it. He suspected a fire but after discussing with the owner and trying to find an alternative explanation, he suspects that when the roof was redone about 10 years ago, the fiberglass insulation may have gotten wet and was not replaced before the roof was closed off. Maybe the insulation got wet from a leak in the roof before it was replaced too. Hard to say. Moisture in the insulation may have allowed a potential mold problem to start. The mold in this area is black.