Inspection Dejection

It apparently takes a village to do a house inspection.

When we arrived at the house, the sellers' realtor was already there, along with the inspector, and his assistant/son .  Shortly thereafter our Realtor arrived along with the Septic Expert from Pete's.  (Note his personalized license plate.)

It was an almost 3 hour process.  The inside items had already been fairly thoroughly checked:  electrical outlets, toilets, faucets, drains, heating vents and the like.  The inspector and DH then began their outside walk around.  The first thing the inspector found was unexpected wear on the roof.  The buyers said they had a 30 year roof, but most of the "stuff" on the shingles had already disappeared.  Apparently we'd be lucky if there were 10 MORE years left on the roof even though the house is only 9 years old

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DH thought there were problems with the vinyl siding junctions around some of the doors and where angled pieces joined together.  The inspector said it was sloppy workmanship, but not really a problem

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I didn't join them on their trek to the basement.  They found some dampness, but nothing especially worrisome.

Amazingly, though, there is a crawlspace under the "three-season room."  Who could get through the vent into the crawlspace seemed a pertinent question.  But the inspector managed to get at least part way in and he found some dead ants and some "black stuff" that he thought was probably mold.  Not good. 

  

It was agreed that the exit (bulkhead) from the basement needed to be painted.

I took a lot more photos of the interior, hoping that the structural issues were resolvable and challenging myself with the puzzle of where all our stuff would go... or more accurately, whether it would fit.

The realtor thought the 3 season room would make a nice studio.  The good news is that it does have vinyl tile.  The bad news (at least for a studio) is that it is the main way from the garage into the house.  If there's one thing that was important to me about my studio is was that I controlled who got to see my work in progress, or that the people who did knew better than to comment.  I'm not sure that would happen here!  (The owners offered to leave the wreath.. but I'm thinking "no.")

 

There is a waist high wall that separates the  entry way from the living room.  We like the view out front, even if it IS the septic field!  (The grass was very green.

DH thinks this space was originally intended as a dining area (there is a significant ceiling fixture).  With the little hall table, lamp, sconces and painting it seems like a big walkway.  I'm wondering if the baby grand piano will fit here.  Pianos are safest away from direct light, windows, and heat sources.  It would be sort of an obstacle here, but I don't see it fitting anyplace else, either.

 

The inspector's son entered all the findings into their laptop.  He is a sophomore at U Mass.  

I think the layout of the kitchen makes this look like the "command center" of the home. If we can find out how to fit in our plates, pots and pans, I think It will be fun to cook here.  Pot roast simmering on the stove?  Cornbread baking?

 

I wonder if I should hold a contest about what to do with the "Green Wall. There isn't anything else that is this deep green.  Even a shiny black would "go" better with the refrigerator and other appliances.  Or paneling the same color as the floor might help the command center be less commanding.  Suggestions welcome!

This is the first bedroom.  Definitely a good candidate for DH's "cave.

This is the second bedroom.  A likely location for  my "cave," but probably not large enough to be office AND art studio.  Do I want to paint in the basement with all artificial light?  Or in the "mud room"?  Or try to twist hubby's arm to add art space in his workshop?  

 Or convert the lawnmower shed to a studio?  WITH heat?

 

I had forgotten that the residents had even this much furniture in their bedroom. Naturally, ours are a different configuration, and I don't know how that will work.

 I don't see room for two 6 foot bookcases full of yarn like there was in the old master bedroom, do you?

  The master bath's "red" counter tops weren't quite so upsetting on second look, but I' thinking "vanilla custard" would be lighter, brighter and cleaner looking... although matching the tub color might be more unifying.  I like that there's a seat in the tub... but might need a grab bar.

 I'm not sure whether we're in hot water or not.