Buying A House? Beware

Are you looking to buy a house? Even if you find your dream house, you must always get an engineer's report done before going to the Closing. There are many reasons to spend $500 plus for this type of report. For example, unbeknownst to you, there can be a silent threat lurking in the attic. Wouldn't you take swift corrective action once you learned of that threat?

Yet, that is the Rub without an engineer's report on the house, you may never know of the problems. So, year after year, the issue(s) will cost you more and more money.

Our example with the attic is a common issue regarding the insulation and if the job was done correctly. At times, the errors with attic insulation made by professional contractors, handymen, or fly-by-night individuals, is almost an epidemic.

Below is just another TRUE story that proves we must always live by the adage: Buyer Beware

I was contacted by an attorney for a couple looking to buy a house. Their engineer's report came back stating that the insulation in the attic was installed upside down. The foil Vapor Barrier had to be on the floor of the attic or in other words, at the bottom of the insulation. When the Vapor Barrier is on the top of the insulation, moisture will be trapped in the insulation, thus sacrificing the integrity of the product. Mold and mildew will accumulate to the point that after so many years, the insulation has to be removed and replaced.

The couple's lawyer, who is familiar with my work at ET Weekly and GoingTrueGreen.com, queried me on the response he was given by the current home owner's representative.
Our conversation went like this:

"So Bill, he told me that the insulation was installed correctly and to code at the time the work was done so many years ago."

I replied by saying, "I never heard of the Vapor Barrier being approved in a different position no matter what year the insulation was installed. They are telling you a lie, hoping that you would accept what they are saying and that you would take no more action."

Many times we find it hard to believe what kind of world we live in. Rest assured, this world is still God's Green Earth. So help with taking care of our world by getting an engineer's report on the house Before you buy. Also, if you want GoingTrueGreen to do an environmental and energy report, we are just an email away. Best wishes to all the new house buyers.