Buying a partially renovated 50s house - What to watch out for?

Hello,

since we want to build or possibly buy a house, I have been a member here for some time and have been diligently reading about your experiences. Building a house first requires a plot of land, of course.

We have experienced that there are not really many nice plots of land for sale in the Nuremberg area. Therefore, we are considering possibly buying an existing house in a suitable location. We liked one quite well, but we still have some doubts.

The house was built as a typical settlement house in the late 1950s and was largely renovated at the end of the 1980s. It received new insulated glass windows, external wall insulation with 8 cm mineral wool (on 24 cm bricks), and insulation of the floor and roof in the first floor with also presumably about 8 cm thickness. The roof rafters were doubled for this, and the old "Biberschwanz" (beaver tail) roof tiles were reused. In the still unused attic, there is only an underlay membrane and then the battens and tiles. Furthermore, a relatively new gas heating system with underfloor heating on the ground floor is installed. The electrical installation was also renewed.

According to the energy report, the house needs about 270 kWh/m²/a. This was determined from the annual gas bills. Since there is a Swedish stove in the living room, the actual consumption could be somewhat higher. Despite the insulation measures, the energy consumption is still quite high. If we were to build new, we would certainly get below 100 kWh/m²/a. Now we wonder what could still be achieved with reasonable effort. We would certainly convert and insulate the attic as additional living space. The basement is basically original and uninsulated.

There is an expert report on the basement. Apparently, there are some damp spots at the bottom, which the expert sees as caused by rising dampness in the interior plaster. However, this should be unproblematic for a usage planned by us as storage space and workshop.

We would still go through the house with an independent expert before buying. Can anyone recommend one to us by chance?

What else should we pay attention to?

Thank you very much,
Michael

Hello Michael,

You mean by "typical settlement house" a terraced house?

There is an expert report about the basement. Apparently, there are some damp spots down there, which the expert sees as caused by rising dampness through the interior plaster. However, this should be unproblematic for a use planned by us as storage space and workshop.

Only for the basement?

The moisture must have its origin somewhere. It is good to know how the moisture rises – even better would be to know the cause and the approximate costs of the renovation. I actually don’t know any appraisal where the required approximate costs of renovation measures are not listed. And – personally – I would not voluntarily want to call permanently damp masonry "my own." Storage items eventually develop a musty smell; tools with wooden handles slowly mold away on you.

Before buying, we would still walk through the house with an independent expert... What else should we pay attention to?

Through my valuations, I roughly know the price difference in Nuremberg; so I assume that the settlement house – measured against the average price in Franconia – is being offered cheaply. Although I always recommend it, I want to strongly urge you – don’t just tour the house with an expert/appraiser; spend several hundred euros and commission an appraisal report before you sign the notarized contract.

From this appraisal – such an inspection takes about 2.5–3 hours – you can read which defects exist, which measures must be taken to renovate the house and bring it into an energetically/economically sensible condition, and above all: you will then know where the water in the basement comes from and what capital expenditure for the renovation is necessary. It can be fixed with simple patching, but there may also be a cause other than missing waterproofing.

What bothers me less is probably the high energy consumption, rather the moisture in the basement. From my point of view, it makes no sense to be able to buy a single-family house cheaply but accept an uncertain outcome. In this way, "cheap" often quickly becomes "quite expensive."

Rhenish greetings

Hello Building Expert,

thank you for your comments!

Hello Michael,

Do you mean by "typical settlement house" a terraced house?

No. It is a detached single-family house on a nice, large plot in a good location.

Only for the basement?

Yes, the report is only for the basement. According to the broker, it was commissioned by the owner because a potential buyer had already asked about moisture in the basement. The report is intended as a placebo for buyers. But it didn’t work for me. Only a few measurements were taken with a Gann hydrometer with capacitive electrode. I am aware of its limitations from the manual. Therefore, it is clear to me that the values measured in the report are not really meaningful.

The moisture must have its origin somewhere. It is good to know how the moisture rises – even better would be to know the cause and approximate costs of the renovation.

Absolutely. Without that, we would not buy.

I actually don’t know any valuation report in which the necessary approximate costs for renovation measures are not listed. And – personally – I would not want to call permanently damp masonry “my own” voluntarily. Even stored goods get musty eventually; wooden-handled tools slowly mold away.

The basement absolutely does not smell musty. My wife has a VERY sensitive nose and thought everything was okay. After the first viewing, I initially had few concerns. But I asked about the scope of the renovation measures in 1988 because I wanted to know if a perimeter insulation (?, around the basement wall) had been installed. That’s when I was given the report.

Through my appraisals, I roughly know the price gradient in Nuremberg; so I assume the settlement house is offered at a reasonable price compared to the average price in Franconia. Although I always recommend it, I would urgently advise you – don’t just walk through the house with an expert/appraiser; invest a few hundred euros and commission a valuation report before you sign the notarized contract.

We will definitely do that. That’s why I asked for recommendations for appraisers/experts. I would not want to ask the person who made the report, he is biased. I found some others on the internet. Unfortunately, I cannot assess who is really good.

I consider the house reasonably priced if there is no cost-intensive problem lurking in the basement. Otherwise, despite the great plot, it’s not worth the price. It is far too expensive to demolish and rebuild in a worst-case scenario.

From such a valuation report – a walkthrough like this takes about 2.5-3 hours – you can read which defects are present, which measures must be taken to renovate the house and bring it into an energetically/economically reasonable condition and above all: You then know where the water in the basement comes from and what capital investment is necessary for the renovation. It can be done with simple chiseling out, but there can also be another cause than missing sealing.

I’m less bothered by probably high energy consumption than by moisture in the basement. From my point of view, it makes no sense to be able to purchase a single-family house cheaply but accept an uncertain outcome. This way, “inexpensive” often quickly becomes “pretty expensive”.

Rhenish regards

Thanks again. You are probably too far away to act as an appraiser there? Could you give a first report from the documents (exposé, description of services for the 1988 renovation, basement report, some drawings)? Of course against appropriate remuneration.

Best regards,
Michael

Hello Michael,

Thanks again. You are probably too far away to be active as an expert witness there? Could you provide an initial report based on the documents (exposé, construction service description of the 1988 renovation, basement report, a few drawings)? Of course for a corresponding fee.

Thank you for your trust!

But I am not an expert witness, just someone who has been working in the housing industry as a consultant for a long time. I only create evaluations within the preliminary time frame of new constructions; also support/advice up until signing the contract for work. Usually, it does not matter where my client is located; afterwards she/he is wiser.

Although I now recognize many causes, it would not be right to compile them for you, since I am currently not an expert. You need an expert report where the author belongs to exactly that profession—there are expert witnesses for different building components/causes—who inspects daily; continuously educates themselves; you can hold them liable in the worst case. And above all—they must inspect the property on site!

Take a look at the website of the Federal Association of Independent Experts e.V.; through the expert search you will surely find someone regionally. Talk first to up to three favorites and follow your gut feeling regarding qualifications and pricing; then decide.

Good luck and Rhine greetings

Hello Michael,
I think I can help you with your problem.
Kind regards to Franconia