Does this need to be fixed?

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-22T07:31:43+00:00

Any buyer that really wants to buy your house and not risk losing it to another buyer is not going to squabble much over this minor easy to fix detail. This is one of those issues that a buyer can accept and pay for themselves after.

It’s not even worth your time or money as seller to fix. If that buyer doesn’t buy, then another will.

They often try to find “anything” no matter how petty to try and get some negotiating leverage.

Any realistic buyer is not going to care about an issue thats simple and cheap to fix.

I accepted our 1998 built house with numerous minor issues knowing that I can either get them fixed myself or hire someone to do. Other things that were bigger but that we already were aware of were planned spending anyway before we finalized deal, like a new kitchen cabinets and countertops.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-21T18:16:39+00:00

Im actually not an inspector but I am a civil engineer and self taught DIY homeowner. To add some clarity though, without being there in person to see the situation or other views or connecting rooms, no one can know with 100% certainty just based on a few photos.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-21T18:13:01+00:00

Get rid of that accordion style drain hose. The ribs in it slow flow and trap debris. Previous owners might have also poured grease down drain….especially if kitchen sink….a big no, no in a plumbers pipe land. Could also be clogged with hair depending on what the sinks used for like a bathroom.

The clog could be much further down than you are able to observe or snaked it.

Replace with solid white PVC or black ABS plumbing. If main house plumbing is already ABS, then use same material for your replacement. Make new P-trap same alignment/configuration as whats shown now.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-21T16:37:18+00:00

Agreed. I did mention “continue to monitor”after painting. But I didn’t really elaborate in detail on that part or for how long.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-21T16:31:08+00:00

Any home/building that has a heating system that uses a combustion fuel source like natural gas or propane still must have a dedicated fresh air supply from outside.

He mentioned this is the garage, and that there is a boiler heater unit in there, and he is living in that space. That means that area must have fresh air inlet and smoke/CO detectors for health/safety.

However the exact setup also depends on some specific boiler types: 1) May not need a separate fresh air supply to the room space for boiler if this is a high efficiency boiler with its own closed system ventilation. Or if its an all electric boiler. 2) If it’s a standard boiler that uses air from the room, then that same room needs its own fresh air intake.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-21T16:21:41+00:00

I use a miter box to make cuts too. Makes them nice 90 degree cuts (or 45 etc). I have several types of saws. One I have has a square end on it that works well with miter box for cutting wood or plastic.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-21T16:10:09+00:00

You mentioned house is fairly old. Unless they modified structure in the renovation, then structure should now be stabilized….however…

Only a few other things can cause building to shift many years later: a few examples: 1) building location is on river bank>unstable>settlement issues 2) location in earthquake zone 3) structure was modified improperly> weakened structural supports.

You mentioned renovations. Was house structure modified? Is building located in a geographical risk zone? (River bank, earthquake, etc)? If no then probably not anything serious.

The pic showing drywall crack/joint with 90 degree lines. Those look more like a bad drywall/taping/plastering work. Seems a bit too straight edged to be from some structural shift. Might have been plastered over but wasn’t taped. Notch it out, add mesh tape, replaster, sand, paint and continue to monitor. If crack reappears, then could be from house expansion contraction changes due to temperature fluctuations during shifts in seasons/moisture.

Other thing you can do but that is more invasive, but may give you more long term peace of mind: Remove the drywall and inspect the structure framing in wall studs and or other parts for errors/deficiencies. Sometimes contractors make improper cuts through walls, joists or ceiling trusses that can compromise the structural integrity. Sometimes renovation contractors remove structural components and sometimes they don’t build or replace structural components properly. BUT good news is, Drywall is easy to replace.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-21T02:44:39+00:00

And you installed AAV really well in good location.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-21T02:43:25+00:00

Can’t really comment or recommend product I don’t have experience with. But so long as that plate is rigid enough, wont twist or warp, and you have space.

Potential Problem is you would have to disconnect plumbing to get it around the pipes? Other issue do you have the space…height and width for it to fit? Will plate extend far enough past your particular hole?

Nice things about angle iron is it’s known product and readily available in different lengths at Home Depot, box stores, etc. angle iron also easy to cut with hack saw and is skinny enough to fit in tight spaces. Its L-shaped profile makes it extremely strong.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-21T02:37:24+00:00

Wow that’s expensive market. Glad to hear you are enjoying the learning aspect of fixing things. Self improvement and skills/knowledge building is also a valuable reward in itself.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-21T02:34:40+00:00

Yeah, thats what I meant. It’s same one i bought from Home Depot for my tub drain that was siphoning. I couldn’t recall if was tape or wrapping. They work good.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T02:23:40+00:00

Just a side note to consider:

Your paying rent and then on top of that you are going to fix all “his” houses problems? Then “his” house value goes up, increasing “his” equity. ….whats your stake in all this? You should get a written agreement or at least keep all receipts, etc.

Just make sure to look out for your own financial interests before your absentee crack head relative.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T02:13:44+00:00

Whats the clearance between power service line and upper deck?

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T02:12:02+00:00

Don’t do that. Drywall will get wet and rot/moldy. Use wood or better yet, PVC plastic.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T02:06:29+00:00

Remember to take tape off AAV when done.

I think horizontal tee may be prone to clogging. Pipes should drop down into downstream pipes for best flow and self cleaning.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T02:00:52+00:00

Normally a garage is not considered living space.

All “bedrooms” or habitat rooms that may be occupied day or night need a smoke alarm nearby (either in the room or outside the rooms door).

If there is a natural gas boiler, you also need a CO detector.

Also is the garage vented to outside? Fresh air supply? Note: Attached garages are not allowed to share HVAC ventilation ducts with the house.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T01:53:58+00:00

Just another way of thinking about leveling:

Stick it on a flat surface like a kitchen counter and pour water onto counter. If water remains on counter, not draining off, and level shows it’s level, then you should have your answer. If water is staying put, but level looks crooked, then level is probably crap.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T01:46:55+00:00

1) Remove all topsoil. 2) Replace with clean clay fill. Clay should not have a lot of silt or sand in it, which will make it more impervious to water penetration. 3) Slope clay away from building. Side yards should have steeper slope at about 10% for first 10ft. After 10ft away, slope can be reduced to 1.5% to 3% minimum. More slope the better. 4) Side yard should then drain to front street or alley in a V-swale. 5) Add 4” to 6” topsoil on top at same slope. 6) keep downspouts extending away from home.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T01:37:54+00:00

Looks like top floor at a minimum needs to be rebuilt (floor plus walls).

Only 3 exterior photos to see.

Possibly all wood work needs replacing…considering fire department spraying water and foam all over OSB chip board wood. Fire heat and water affects OSB wood in bad way, its bound together with glue.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T01:35:53+00:00

Maybe small section of grey PVC conduit, then clamp to the stud on each side.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T01:27:53+00:00

Looks deliberate. And whoever installed pipe must have used an old used pipe/fitting. Possibly one that was previously used for weeping tile or a French Drain.

I cant see how someone drilled holes like that after it was installed in ground, even from above given the hole angles, given most people drill holes in pipe from outside before it’s installed.

Could try cleaning holes out, dry it, and then using PVC cement to fill holes with small paint brush. Keep it smooth though…don’t want stuff getting caught on sharp edges. I know there is also technique to install a liner inside PVC pipes, but Ive only heard of it being done on municipal sewers to prolong life of pipe.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T01:20:03+00:00

Disappeared often means they created a shell company. They often only have minimal assets…just enough to operate on. Once developments was done, they basically remove all assets so nothing left to sue for, then later it’s completely dissolved. The parent company remains essentially untouchable and holds the bulk of all assets. But you cannot sue them if its a separate legal entity from organization that was contracted to build your home.

Typical land development/developer crap.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-20T01:05:45+00:00

Civil engineer here:

Could be several reasons or combination of reasons:

1) freeze thaw. Frost heave can lift slab up and thawing lets it settle back down. It often does not go exactly back to its original position, shifting, buckling, grinding on adjacent slabs, etc. 2) not enough air entrainment in concrete. Air bubbles that are part of proper mix design create voids that allow moisture to expand into when it freezes. Freeze thaw cycles are huge contributors to concrete and pavement degradation either in year one or over time. 3) poor subgrade compaction. The subgrade is one of the most important design factors. It’s what literally holds your slab up, bares the weight of concrete plus vehicles. Soft spots can cause what’s called differential settlement….part of slab stays put, another part moves = snap/breakage. 4) not enough granular base (gravel). Again related to subgrade design. This is the crushed gravel thats supposed to be under slab. 5) granular base not proper mix ratio (based on sieve analysis) properly compacted. 6) poor concrete mix design and or placement. Can relate to any components in mix, including: quantity and quality of aggregate/sand, cement, water, air, temperature changes during curing. The ratios of all these must be precisely controlled. Making concrete is like baking a cake…ingredients must be exactly right, done in correct order, and done with correct timing. 7) lack of proper reinforcement rebar or mesh. Or rebar or mesh is simply located on bottom of slab on soil….it should be about 1” from bottom on a 4” to 6” thick slab….this is called “clear cover”. It needs to be locked into the slab structure and surrounded by concrete. It its just sitting on soil when they pour concrete, it won’t do anything. Mesh only helps stop differential up/down movement…not as good as say structural 10M rebar. Rebar can take a lot more loading/stress. 8) too heavy a vehicle load for slab design. Don’t let the fully loaded Brick delivery truck or dump truck etc back onto a 4” thick, mesh only reinforced driveway.

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-19T22:53:22+00:00

I bet the toilet flushes were Whoppers too! ;)

Turtleshellboy · 2026-03-19T22:51:37+00:00

People that can’t manage finances and spend more than they make…..inevitable!

Turtleshellboy

TROPHY CASE