Deviating odor test hole

[Norlino]

Hello!
We are buying a house. We have now found a house we are very interested in but need help interpreting the inspection.

It states that test holes were taken at the lower edge of the inner wall sill and the moisture content was 14%, but an unusual smell was noted from the test hole. Does this mean that there is most likely mold in the house? How could this be remedied if so?

Test holes in the floor showed values just below critical level, with a floating floor construction. In what way is this construction a risk regarding moisture and mold?

How would you proceed? Hire your own inspector? More detailed inspection? Place a bid or just forget about the house?

Grateful for help!

 

[SågspånPappspikEternit]

Have you been in the house? Do you have sensitive noses so you can determine if it smells weird in the house? Did any strange smell cling to your clothes?

If it were me, I would bring in an inspector (or even better, a knowledgeable carpenter) who could determine how serious the problem is. If it's too bad, just let the house go. You don't need to buy yourself troubles imho.

 

[Håbbe01]

Hello, Many houses were built with slab-on-grade foundations during 1965-1985, but at that time there was a lack of knowledge about how mold develops. In this case, insulation was placed on top of the concrete slab along with wooden joists and then the subfloor. In almost all cases, there was also no vapor barrier. This means there is a large area in the house where moisture migration occurs to varying degrees depending on soil conditions into the house, which shows on walls and windows and especially in the subfloor as mold. This, combined with natural ventilation and insufficient heating, makes the situation even worse.

This risk construction is so well-known that it cannot be claimed as a hidden defect; as a buyer, one must be aware of this. It sounds harsh, but that's how the legal world views it.

But if it's a house you want, I would probably calculate tearing up all the flooring and doing it better. But this may not apply to your property, but I just want to inform a little about the issue.

 

[Norlino]

Have you been in the house? Do you have sensitive noses that can determine if there is an odd smell in the house? Did any strange odor cling to your clothes?

If it were me, I would bring in an inspector (or preferably a skilled carpenter) who could determine how serious the problem is. If it's too bad, just let the house go. No need to buy yourself trouble imho.

We didn't smell mold, and since we've been to many viewings (including where there was a clear smell of mold), I think we would have noticed such a smell...

Thanks for the tips. We'll make sure to consider if it's worth bidding, and if so, demand our own inspection!

 

[Norlino]

Hello, Many houses were built with concrete slabs on the ground during 1965-1985, but there was a lack of knowledge about how mold forms at that time. In these cases, insulation was placed on top of the concrete slab along with wooden frames and then the subfloor. In almost all cases, this was done without a vapor barrier. This means that there is a large area in the house where moisture migration occurs to varying degrees depending on the ground conditions into the house, affecting walls and windows and especially the subfloor, resulting in mold. This, combined with natural ventilation and insufficient heating, makes the situation even worse.

This at-risk construction is so well-known that one cannot claim it as a hidden defect, and as a buyer, one must be aware of this; it sounds harsh, but that's the reasoning in the legal world.

But if it's a house you want, I would probably calculate on tearing up all the flooring and improving it.
This might not be applicable to your property, but I just wanted to provide some insight on the matter.

How extensive would the floor removal be, do you have any kind of estimate cost-wise? A single-story villa of 120 sqm. Is a leveling floor what's needed then?