10-Step Checklist When Buying a 50 or 100-year-old House

You may have been considering some of the newer homes on the market. There are also many reasons why a family chooses to consider buying a 50 or 100-year-old home. Maybe you choose one that is even older than that. It’s why you need a checklist to know some of the issues you could run into.

When you’re buying such an old place, there are also many things you’ll need to be looking out for. They could otherwise turn out to be an unfortunate surprise at a later point. It is why we have made this checklist for you.

We do not want to discourage you from buying an older place when the right one comes on the market. It may mean that it has a bunch of lead paint, which can be safe if the paint is still in good condition.

Checklist When Buying a 50 or 100-year-old House

The most important thing to put on your checklist when buying a 50 or 100-year-old house is checking the foundation

There’s no denying that older homes tend to have more problems than newer ones do. It is a result of a bunch of wear on the house and the fact that various technologies have been improving over the last couple of centuries. It’s especially over the last couple of decades.

You don’t have to go further back than 1978 to get to the year when the inclusion of lead in residential paint was banned. It’s the reason buying a 50-year-old home means that it is something that you may very well want to consider.

An inspection is done to assess and find potential issues. You want to understand better the things you might have to deal with when you’re buying one of these older beauties.

House seen from the outside in the winter

1. The first thing to mention here is the foundation.

The foundation is an important part of the house that will get exposed to a bit of everything throughout a home’s lifespan. It is also one of the things that can be extremely costly to have to prepare.

Various foundation issues are more cosmetic than anything. Others pose very significant risks to the people living in the house.

Smaller settlement cracks aren’t uncommon in older homes. In contrast, damaged support footings are a much larger issue. It will set you back a lot of money if it’s something you will have to address.

There might be a reason why it ended up on the market at that low price you’re seeing. Foundation issues are surely not something to overlook.

Doors that won’t latch, uneven floors, problems opening windows, and wall cracks are things you have to look out for. In the same way, we’d recommend you get a pro to do it when you need lead testing. Ensure a reputable inspector can assess the costs involved in remedying the foundation issues. The home may be so unfortunate to suffer from, and it may cost you a pretty penny to fix.

2. A roof that is in bad shape

Roofs will have an expected amount of time that you can expect for them to last, with some types of materials significantly outlasting others. A deteriorating roof is surely a common thing you may find with an older home.

Weather, maintenance, material, and installation quality are all factors that will affect how long you can expect to keep having a functioning roof. Your inspector should give you a pretty good understanding of when that time comes up for you.

A poorly maintained roof is the fastest way for you to have to replace those expensive slabs prematurely. Maybe the type of roof that was originally installed required painting every couple of years. That wasn’t a thing that was done. You would also see the roof deteriorating at a much faster pace.

Before you put a new roof on an old home, consider whether you should be getting a material you think looks the best. It might be another option that will still get the job done while doing it in a way that gives you a lot less maintenance. The choice is up to you.

You will want to look for bowing gutters, roof leaks, and missing shingles being the most obvious signs for these old homes.

3. Dangerous building materials

Dangerous building materials are one of the things that we think is the most important for you to be looking out for. It’s because we help contractors get the necessary supplies for testing for lead. However, asbestos is another big thing previously used when building homes.

Great news. If you’re building a low-budget 3-bedroom home, you won’t have to be concerned about some of the worries associated with an old one.

If it was built before 1978, there’s a good chance that it has lead in parts of it. You’ll be required to test when you want to update it.

It is not a safety issue to live in a home where lead paint is in good condition. It is becoming rarer to find homes where that is the case. It has been more than 40 years since the material was banned in residential paint, and paint deterioration over time. It also leaks into the soil outside if used in the exterior paint and starts deteriorating.

There’s a time and a place to buy these. Many buyers may make contingent offers to assess the extent of the problem properly. They subsequently reduce their offer if they find many things need to be addressed. A lead paint clause is a common clause when buying something this old.

new england style house

4. Checking the air quality

While deteriorating lead paint is just one of the things that may affect the air quality, radon and carbon monoxide are two other things.

A professional can help mitigate the situation if large amounts of radon are found. It’s a good idea to monitor the air quality continuously should you choose to buy the home. You can expect that radon mitigation will cost you somewhere between $900-1,000 when you’re buying an old home like this. It is a reasonable thing to include in your negotiation with the seller.

5. Issues with the electrical wiring

While diamonds may last forever, your electrical system won’t necessarily. There comes a time and a place when it will need to be replaced.

Rather than having to move in and address it as you’re living in the home, it is very common for people to replace the electrical system before moving in. The electrical system is not something that you can replace yourself. You’d risk very serious consequences if you’re not entirely sure what it is that you’re doing. Hiring licensed contractors are the way to do it. It ensures that the book, including legally do everything. Most buyers will ask for price reductions when issues are found with how the electrical system was installed back in the day.

Updating the electrical system helps add functionality if you hope to have more outlets installed. It was common only to have a few outlets when the house was built. It is also important in mitigating potential fires since the exposed wire is a fire hazard.

A more modern lifestyle includes having ready access to electricity. The number of outlets present may not provide for the needs of that stubborn teenager that you will have living with you.

If the wiring was installed before 1960, you should expect it to last about 70 years. However, this is not professional advice as you will need to have an assessment done before you move in.

part of New Orleans

5 next things to look for

  • Plumbing
  • Energy efficiency
  • Replacement of mechanical equipment
  • Outdated features
  • Additional concerns

6. Plumbing issues

Lead in the paint was the most common place to find heavy metal. There was also a period when it was common for the plumbing to be made out of lead.

It was common for cups to be made out of lead long ago. To minimize the potential risk of lead pipes, some things can be done. It includes letting the water run a little bit before you pour yourself a glass of water. Older pipes are more likely to contain this material. As these pipes age, fragments of lead enter the water. It’s the reason you might be tempted to let the water run before pouring. It’s also the reason you could also very well have to replace part of the piping.

7. Energy efficiency issues

Suppose you are among the people focused on driving down your energy demands and lowering your carbon emissions. In that case, it will probably not be from the fact that you’re considering moving into an old home.

They’re notorious for suffering from energy efficiency issues, given that they were made when the standard of insulation wasn’t as high as it is today. You’ll also be more likely to experience single-pane windows when you’re moving into an old home.

Suppose you’re living in a part of the country that requires either heating or cooling year-round. Make sure that you have budgeted for the implications of moving into an old home. Given its poor insulation, it might seem practically impossible to keep at the right temperature. The finishes of an old home also drive many people to choose to live in them. There surely are ways of making them more energy-efficient.

If you’re feeling a draft as the windows are closed, that’s a good indication that there is too little insulation. Condensation on the glass is another thing to look out for, especially between the different layers.

8. Needing to replace mechanical equipment

The AC unit in any house will only survive for a certain amount of time before you have to replace it. It is the case with the furnace and the water heater.

Ensure to check or have the inspector check on the condition of the various mechanical equipment in the house. Suppose they’ve been replaced as per the recommendation of pros. It is a good sign that you may also otherwise buy from people who have put pride in keeping their possession maintained.

9. Are there any outdated features you want to address?

This may be less about the invisible condition of the home you’re buying. It’s important to know that a certain price may be associated with bringing the various features up to the standard you’re hoping to have it at.

This can include various things like removing that 50s look that the kitchen has from when it was originally installed. However, it can also be a matter of finishing up the basement and making it a more usable space than what it currently is.

We will be happy to hear your thoughts

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