Before buying a house: how to inspect the sill on an 80s house?

[nizzehult]

I have looked at a Myresjöhus built in 1987 with a slab on the ground. Basically, nothing has been done since the house was built except that the facade was repainted a few years ago. Even the appliances are original!
Since the housing market is quite overhyped in the city and both the location and indeed the price are quite attractive, it means not pondering for too long.
At the same time, when talking to people more versed in house constructions, they say this: if the slab is not insulated, it is only a matter of time before moisture starts to seep into the sill, which at that time could well consist of pressure-treated wood placed directly on the slab without a diffusion barrier. Replacing the sill then becomes both expensive and complicated, which is fully understandable.
I asked the realtor if the slab was insulated but she didn't know and the people who built the house are no longer alive. The realtor said this: most slabs were uninsulated before the 90s, but somewhere along the line they must have changed.

For obvious reasons, the sill is not directly visible and I didn't think it smelled strange, but I'm wondering how you can check this before buying? If you request a house inspection: does the inspector automatically do it, especially since they are well aware of the problem, or is it an extra service? I have a USB-connected so-called endoscope camera myself. Can one use that?

I have emailed the house manufacturer but received no response, and as mentioned: here you can't wait a few weeks and ponder for too long because then the house will be sold, so I appreciate a quick response.

 

[tgr_se]

Have you requested all the drawings etc. from the municipality? There might be information about the slab and sill.

 

[falkn]

Have you requested all the drawings, etc., from the municipality? There may be information about the slab and sill.

Start with this.

If you don't find anything there, my advice is to buy the house, inspect it, and make sure to check it during the inspection. You'll probably have to make a hole behind a baseboard to check. If there are problems, you either back out or try to negotiate an appropriate amount to address the issue.

 

[nizzehult]

Well, when you go to a house viewing and it's swarming with other prospects who are almost immediately ready to buy the house, requesting house plans from the municipality might not be the first thing you think of. I can imagine it could take a few weeks before they act on such a request.

Buying the house first and then checking it out? That's not how it works. The biggest transaction of my life, and I'm supposed to buy it first and then try to negotiate if I find faults? As a buyer, you have a duty to investigate, and they can't deny that you need to look beneath the surface, so to speak, to do this, but then you also have to restore any exploratory work afterward. They have no reason or obligation to refund any money if you find faults after the purchase, only before. But if there are damages and sill replacement is necessary, I'm not even interested.

 

[Brynolf8]

When I requested building permit drawings for someone else's house from the municipality, I had them in my email within 2 hours.

 

[useless]

Buy the house and then check it out? That's not how it works.

That's exactly how it usually works. Each potential buyer doesn't bring their own inspector to conduct a two-hour inspection during the viewing, but rather a contract with an inspection clause is signed after winning the bidding. Then you (usually) have two weeks to inspect and make any counteroffers or withdraw without it costing anything.

 

[stf01]

A tip is to request everything available from the municipality, the land registry, and perhaps someone else directly when one becomes "interested" after seeing it on Hemnet. Then you hopefully have the information long before the viewing!

 

[nizzehult]

That's exactly how it usually goes. Each prospective buyer doesn't bring their own inspector to conduct a two-hour inspection during the viewing; instead, you sign a contract with an inspection clause after a successful bid. Then you usually have two weeks to inspect and come with any counter offers or withdraw without it costing anything.

Yes, I know you're not bound to your bid before it is correctly inspected. Then you might wonder why this isn't done by the seller before the property is listed, as everyone would benefit from this. It would be much simpler if you knew the facts before starting anything. You also have to pay for the inspection yourself even if you withdraw from the purchase.

I also think the role of real estate agents is quite dull; they take no risks, only find out the facts they absolutely have to, refer you elsewhere if you have questions, and then pressure all buyers to make bids to even have a chance at buying the property. I think, for instance, that my question about the sill should have been answered by the agent.

In this case, it doesn't even mention anything about bidding or that the indicated price is the "starting price," so you almost expect them to accept the price they're asking for, but the agent still says that if someone places this bid, then the bidding is on... In Denmark, all bids are secret, and it should be the same here.

 

[tergo]

looked at my daughter's house plans, myrsjö from 1981 sill insulation under the sill (not treated)

if the appliances are really original then they are 33 years old

 

[Argastesnickaren]

looked at my daughter's house plans, myrsjö from 1981 sill insulation under the sill (not pressed)

are the appliances really original then they are 33 years old

Even a little more, I got it to 39 years which is really impressive if that's the case

 

[nizzehult]

Got a response from the manufacturer, and yes, they say these houses had 70mm insulation on the concrete slab and 18mm chipboard. A sealant was applied on the concrete slab followed by a 21x95mm sill.
This almost matches the municipality's building plans, which state 60mm insulation.
So it seems to be done correctly without moisture risk.

I asked the real estate agent about the appliances, and she said it was so, but was there really a ceramic cooktop in 1987?

 

[tergo]

1987 Microwave ovens are in most demand. Ceramic glass cooktops are on the rise. Waste sorting. Carpentry/front on refrigerator and freezer. Larger spaces for wine bottles in the kitchen. Stove and workbench in the middle of the kitchen.

https://www.viivilla.se/kok/koksinspiration/en-svensk-kokshistoria/

 

[hscn]

Got a response from the manufacturer and yes, they say these houses had 70mm insulation on the concrete slab and 18mm chipboard. On the concrete slab, a seal was placed and a sill 21x95mm.
This almost matches the municipality's construction drawings, which state 60mm insulation.
So it seems to be done correctly without moisture risk.

I asked the real estate agent about the appliances and she said that was the case but was there really a ceramic hob in 1987?

If you put 70 mm insulation on the concrete slab, it is a risk construction. Insulation under the concrete slab is much safer.

 

[tergo]

If you place 70 mm insulation on the concrete slab, it is a risk construction. Insulation under the concrete slab is much safer.

I have that version built in 1980-81, plastic + 70 styrofoam + chipboard, but I redid the kitchen + hall floor due to creaking in the floor about 10-12 years ago and it looked fine underneath, no problems. The neighbor built in 1982 and they placed the styrofoam under the concrete (same house manufacturer Nordisk Trähus)

 

[hscn]

I have that version built in 1980-81 plastic+70 polystyrene+chipboard but I redid the kitchen+hall floor because of creaking in the floor about 10-12 years ago and it looked fine underneath, no problems
the neighbor built in 1982 and they put the polystyrene under the concrete (same house manufacturer Nordisk Trähus)

Can naturally work but the risk of damage is higher, therefore risk construction.