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violet5
LIF Infant
Member since 7/11 54 total posts
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uneven floors
we are house-hunting and one house had a floor that seemed uneven. is this something easily fixed? is it usually a sign of a bigger problem? would you rule out the house? my college apartment had a very uneven floor and beer pong balls would always roll to one spot, but we were renting so we didn't really care.
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Posted 2/17/12 9:35 AM  |
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Long Island Weddings
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource | Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate |
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Re: uneven floors
It's hard to say - it could be a lot of things (from the way the floor was laid to settling to major problems with the foundation). Is the house an older home? Is it in an area down by the water? Where is the floor unlevel (upstairs, downstairs, limited to one area)? Is it wood floors? slab? carpeted?
A home inspector could tell you more (construction is definitely not my area of expertise!), but they will usually suggest you bring in an expert to get a definitive opinion. You may want a structural engineer to look at it.
I had a customer who walked away from a home that had uneven floors on the second floor of a high ranch (down in south Bellmore, right near the water). It turned out, the owners had opened up the floor plan on the first floor, but had removed some key structural supports for the second floor, which caused the floor to dip. The inspector also said the house itself may be "sinking" (which is not that uncommon for houses built by the water).
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| Posted 2/17/12 10:00 AM |
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violet5
LIF Infant
Member since 7/11 54 total posts
Name:
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Re: uneven floors
Thank you for that response. The house wasn't very old but wasn't new construction. 50s or 60s if I remember correctly. It was the den which had carpet. Is this the kind of thing an inspector would be able to give more information on at the house inspection? Do owners ever give a credit for something like that or is the house usually as-is? I didn't even notice that it was uneven, my husband did, but I'm worried that there is something wrong with the house or that it isn't something we would be able to fix if we decide it bothers us down the road.
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| Posted 2/17/12 10:45 AM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: uneven floors
Is it uneven, as one side is lower than the other, or are there bumps or ridges in the floor? If it's just not smooth, it's possible there was some water damage at one time, and the plywood is warped. That's easy to fix. If the floor is slanted, that's usually a bigger issue.
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| Posted 2/17/12 10:59 AM |
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violet5
LIF Infant
Member since 7/11 54 total posts
Name:
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Re: uneven floors
It slanted to the left. We liked the house initially but are now having second thoughts
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| Posted 2/17/12 3:06 PM |
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Re: uneven floors
Posted by DAS82411
Thank you for that response. The house wasn't very old but wasn't new construction. 50s or 60s if I remember correctly. It was the den which had carpet. Is this the kind of thing an inspector would be able to give more information on at the house inspection? Do owners ever give a credit for something like that or is the house usually as-is? I didn't even notice that it was uneven, my husband did, but I'm worried that there is something wrong with the house or that it isn't something we would be able to fix if we decide it bothers us down the road.
I would definitely get more info before you move forward with the house. Is the den original to the house, or is it an add-on/extension?
In my experience, home inspectors are generalists. They will point out a potential problem/area of concern, and recommend that you consult with an expert to have it further evaluated/repaired if necessary. So I doubt a home inspector would be able to give you a definitive diagnosis on what the issue is, but he could probably shed some more light and point you in the right direction.
As far as getting a credit back... I doubt it. Usually, you are buying a house as is, but if something is broken or if a there is a problem with a major system of the house, you can ask the sellers to address it/fix it. If there is a major structural issue with the house, the seller will probably need to fix it in order to sell, or drastically reduce the price. In the example I gave above, where there were key structural supports removed that caused the floor on the second level of the house to sag, the sellers offered to fix the problem (add supports, etc.). But by then, my buyers were turned off to the house and had moved on.
If there's nothing wrong with the house structurally and the floor slanting is just a cosmetic issue, then you are probably not going to get anything from the seller; you are buying it as is. But you could obviously factor that into any offer you make!
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| Posted 2/18/12 11:43 AM |
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Re: uneven floors
I would consult an engineer rather than a home inspector for this specific issue
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| Posted 2/18/12 6:51 PM |
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