by John R. Schneider

One of the most common misconceptions people have when buying a house is that if a house has been remodeled or upgraded, it is a good thing, and enhances a house’s value.  We all think of a kitchen remodel, patio room, ceiling fans, and skylights as a positive upgrade to a home.  The majority of the time, this would be a correct assumption.  The problem is that sometimes remodels or upgrades to a home are not done in a safe manner, and can create liability exposure to the owners.  This is because a homeowner, handyman, or contractor does not perform the work in a code complying manner.  

This fact can clearly be seen from the results of the thousands of property inspection reports that are generated each year when a home is sold.  Most of the action items in these reports involve modifications that did not reflect industry standards for health and safety.  Normally, these conditions would go un-noticed, but because of inspections and disclosure requirements, the industry is becoming more aware of them.

The important lesson here is that the homebuyer must determine whether or not modifications done to a home where done in a code complying manner, and whether or not they present a liability exposure, or will compromise the insurability of the home.  When looking at modifications to a property a buyer needs to ask two questions, “Was the work done by a licensed contractor?”, and “Was the work done to code?”.   By looking beyond the cosmetic appearance of an addition or upgrade, buyers can protect themselves and ensure that they are buying a quality home. 

With regards to the property site, buyers should be aware of new landscaping, drainage systems, and retaining walls over 4 feet tall.  Often new landscaping alters the original drainage around the house, and allows water to pool near the foundation or under the house.  Over time this allows building settlement.  Retaining walls over 4 feet tall require engineering and permits to ensure that they are structurally sound.  Walls that do not have the required drainage behind them often crack, settle and rotate.

When looking at the exterior of the building, check for new roof coverings, skylights, new sliding glass windows or doors, elevated decks, or patio covers.  All of these items usually require the issuance of building permits and municipal inspections.  When people install new bedroom windows, they often change the window type and install windows that do not allow emergency escape.  Doors are often installed so that they swing over a step or they are not provided with a proper landing, both present hazards to foot traffic.  If the new windows and doors were not properly weatherized, they can also allow leakage. 

Elevated decks are often missing proper guardrails, and are not structurally sound.   Patio covers are often built with undersized framing members, or are not stable.  Skylights often require that wood framing members be cut, and many times the cuts actually weaken the roof or ceiling creating a structural weakness.  Under normal conditions, the inherent danger of these modifications is not noticed.  However, if there is an accident, fire, or an earthquake the concern would be clearly visible.

Interior modifications, excluding paint, carpet, cabinets, etc, should also be considered.  Be aware of ceiling fans, track lighting, or can lights in the ceiling.  The most common problems with these installations are associated with the electrical wiring.  Inspectors often find exposed electrical splices, undersized or un-rated wiring being used, exposed wiring, and too many lights on a single circuit.  All of these conditions are fire hazards. 

Bathroom and kitchen remodels can contain code violations, leaks or drainage concerns.  The most common concerns are overloading the electrical circuit wiring, installing drainage lines that leak, or do not drain well, cutting floor joists, ceiling joists or wall studs, weakening the strength of the house.  Free-standing fireplaces or fireplace inserts are often installed with improper clearances to combustible material creating a fire hazard.    Buyers even need to be concerned with the installations of new furnaces or water heaters.  Water heaters are commonly not provided with earthquake straps, and furnaces are not anchored to resist movement and not installed with proper flues.

The last group of modifications that needs to be considered is an addition to a house.  Adding habitable living space requires proper light and ventilation to the interior of the rooms, escape in the event of an emergency, a source of electrical power, and a heat source.  Additions are required to be built in a manner that is code complying, workmanlike, and watertight.  Be aware of patio rooms and carports.  Patio rooms are often built on top of old concrete patios.  These patios are not strong enough to support the weight loading of the room, and often do not have the required waterproof membrane under it to prevent water from seeping into the room.   Carport and other additions are often built too close to the property lines encouraging the spread of fire, and compromising the insurability of the home. 

If homebuyers take the time to confirm that modifications to a building are done in a safe and professional manner, they can make an informed decision about the buying a house, and ultimately limit their future exposure to l

John R. Schneider is a licensed general building contractor and an ICBO certified residential code specialist. He is president of All About Homes, a residential inspection company, and has been performing code and construction consultations since 1985.  Readers may address their comments to John Schneider, 24326 Mission Blvd., Suite 7, Hayward, CA  94544, Fax number: 510-537-8666, or on the web at www.allabouthomes.com .  Schneider will answer questions of general interest in the paper.  He reserves the right to edit the letter for brevity and clarity.  Readers are encouraged to contact a competent contractor or code consultant for specific information regarding questions they may have about their home.

Copyright 2006, John R. Schneider, all rights reserved.