Old house issues

[old fashioned]

We as a family love scouting out old houses, but have noticed that several of them having 'sloping' floors.....usually from the center of the house toward the outter walls. Is this the foundation giving way or what?

 

[k0xxx]

Depends. We did look at one that definitely had structural problems that caused the floor to slope, but one was just because the guy that built it was a lousy carpenter. I'd certainly get one assessed by a professional before making any offers.

 

[old fashioned]

Hah, we aren't buying....unless of course we win the lotto or something. On a family outting a few weeks ago, we did find an old house that was empty and for sale. A 1904 farmhouse on 7.5 acres and if the super cheap asking price is any indication, it probably is a foundation/structural problem and would cost a fortune to fix

 

[sunsaver]

I live in a 100 year old house, and if you go walking around while drunk, you WILL fall down. Every floor slopes in a different direction. The back of the house was a porch, that was later turned into a "lean too" . It was sloped away from the house to shed rain-water, but definitely gives added meaning to the name "lean-too". Trip, trip, trip, tripping!

 

[old fashioned]

I remember my drinking days & I could/would 'fall down' even on solid ground.

But seriously....is it safe? I'd be afraid the place would fall down

 

[garden pixy]

All the floors in my house slope in different directions, the dining room goes uphill from the kitchen and back downhill toward the front of the house, because there is a ridge in the dining room we had to get rid of our pedestal table we moved in with because it wobbled. Almost all our dressers have 1" lifts on the front to keep them flush with the walls. The place has been standing since 1819 and has no structural issues, just many years of settling. We did have the foundation inspected before purchasing though.

 

[sunsaver]

Have a carpenter inspect the house for structural flaws and termite damage. Many of the so called "home inspectors" are clueless morons who get paid too much to spot the obvious but superficial damage. Find a guy like me who knows how to build houses from the ground up and get his opinion, not some high-priced dork in a suit. Maybe a friend or family friend is a homebuilder or knows a former homebuilder (most of us are out of business since '08). Offer him a six-pack of beer and some BBQ ribs to come inspect the place. Being ss means learning to make do with less. Often the results are better and cheaper than the norm.

 

[animalfarm]

I live a 100 yr. old house as well. Double brick construction with 16" wide stone rubble foundations. It was also built in 3 sections. The floor in the original portion of the house is reminiscent of an ocean wave. Structurally the house is sound but there is only one log supporting the floor joists between the foundations so when the foundations stayed put, the floor between the foundations and the single log supporting the floor joists bowed downwards. We put in more support beams and levelled the floor from the topside before installing new flooring. Wasn't too bad for dyi ers.

When the addition was added, I think they had more money or common sense because they placed 24 inch trees 16 inches apart for floor joists and that floor is a dream. Then came a stone addition with plank on packed dirt and mmmmmm.... what were they thinking. Good news though is that it was just a matter of pouring a pad in there.

Don't buy any house new or old without a real inspector such as a structural engineer; not one of those guys the real estate agents scrape up. Engineers cost a boatload more, but are cheap compared to getting stuck with a money pit.

We also like looking at old houses for interest sake.

 

[hoosier]

. . . Many of the so called "home inspectors" are clueless morons who get paid too much to spot the obvious but superficial damage. . . .

so true

 

[Marianne]

. . . Many of the so called "home inspectors" are clueless morons who get paid too much to spot the obvious but superficial damage. . . .

so true

Also not so true. Must depend on the area you live in. Here, there's quite a bit of training involved, testing, licensing. And if they think you don't know your stuff, you don't get called.

I have friends that are stone masons by trade, they got licensed to do home inspections for early retirement jobs. They have been in the building trade for years, did extensive remodel jobs, building their own home now, etc. I'd feel comfortable recommending them to anyone.