Rental Property Investor · Champaign, IL · Member since 2016 · 10 posts · 1 vote
Hi everyone, I am in the process of buying my 1st rental property and just finished with home inspection. The only thing that worries me are bulges on the drywall at three different spots cause by leaks. Two spots are near the window and might be cause by a gap between the aluminum trim and window outside. The other might be due to a clogged gutter that cause water to overflow back to the roof and down the wall. According to my contractor, the fix to prevent further damage seem to be simple, seal the gap between the trim and window, clean the gutter, and replace the drywall on those areas if needed. But I don't know how much damage the leak has done , such as possibility of mold (but I didn't notice any musty smell). The property is sold as is. Below is a snapshot from the inspection report.
So how worry should I be? Anyone encounter a similar problem before? How much did it cost you? Thank you so much for your feedbacks!
There’s must have been a leak at the window at some point. Have your agent ask, they’re required to tell you that information and when/if it was repaired.
At the end of the day it’s still a simple fix and I wouldn’t lose a deal over that. I’d find out when/if it was fixed and then get a quote to repair the window and drywall and ask for a credit towards your closing.
Seems like a simple fix but not sure what will be behind the wall. If something is behind the wall it seems to be a small area that would need remediation. It appears to of dried out causing the bulge. If the house is not that old your contractor is probably correct on fixing the issue.
There’s must have been a leak at the window at some point. Have your agent ask, they’re required to tell you that information and when/if it was repaired.
At the end of the day it’s still a simple fix and I wouldn’t lose a deal over that. I’d find out when/if it was fixed and then get a quote to repair the window and drywall and ask for a credit towards your closing.
Do you have a picture of the outside of that window? Preventing further damage is easy and the good news is that even if that damage is extensive, it still isn't expensive. Worst case the exterior sheathing, insulation, studs and maybe joist and sill are rotted. If it is just the sheathing, framing, insulations and pull and reinstall the window it would be a couple grand. If it went to the floor it would be another grand or so max. So worst case is probably $3k. More than likely it will be about $1500 if you can find a decent handyman instead of a contractor.
I did let my agent ask the seller about the leak, still waiting for their response. Since I agree to buy as is condition, can I still ask for a credit toward closing? Thank you so much for your help!
well. It all depends how good the deal is , and how bad do u want it. It is a small issue honestly. A handy man can fix it in no time. Worse case is 2-3k repairs
If it's a good deal don't let it scare you. It sounds like the contractor can stop the leak. Then have a handyman open up the Sheetrock and spray a bacteria killer inside the wall followed by running fans in the room for a few days to dry it out. Then have him or her seal the inside studs with a primer like bin 123. If it's rotted bad studs can always be sistered on before covering it back up as well.