Hey Guys,
I have a place under contract and did a walkthrough inspection. When I got to the attic, I found that there had been a fire. Some rafters appeared to be pretty well charred, but everything is standing and has been for a long time. I don’t have records for when the place burned, but the interior has been totally redone years ago and the metal roof has been there a while too. There was a minor indication of charring in the basement. I didn’t notice any indication of movement at the walls.
I want this place. Is there anything that I should consider beyond the obvious? I may need to have some rafters reinforced and the like. My concern is that I may be missing something. Any input is appreciated.
A call to your insurance would be in order. Whether they find out now or later when you file a claim for another incident, you may find out you have “NO COVERAGE”! Better to find out now, before you waste your money on a “money pit”!
Thanks for that advice. That is exactly what I was looking for. Insurance coverage hadn’t even crossed my mind as an issue. I reached out to the ins people.
It is also my opinion that the visible wood members that show “alligatoring” needs replaced. I often see new lumber ‘sistered’ to these members, unfortunately, the fasteners used to accomplish this have no solid bearing in these compromised/damaged boards, making the sistering useless!
BTW… a call or visit to the local FD will usually provide the information regarding when and how severe the fire was. Not always, but usually.
The attic should also be sealed to stop the release of fire-related odors.
3 Likes
rcloyd
(Russell Cloyd, KY LIC #166164, IN LIC#HI02300068)
8
Hi Josh,
Any wood members charred over an 1/8 inch deep should be replaced. You can use an awl to test for the depth of the char. Once all the deeply charred members are replaced, I would seal the entire area with an appropriate sealer to help reduce the char odor.
So many components can be damaged from the fire and the water to put it out. Electrical and plumbing can also take a hit. Ceiling is covered with insulation but you can bet it is damaged if it had not been replaced. On the sistering issue, I would go from load point to load point or replace.
It does not appear to have been remediated by any modern standard, giant question marks here.
Charring looks deep in some areas. At a minimum your looking at sistering a lot of members or replacing part of the roof. Looks like 2x4 framing I typically see in 100+ year old houses.
Considering today’s Real Estate market with the lack of inspections being performed, these type’s of properties are prime for hitting the market. Likely the only chance of them being sold for any real money.
I would also bet donuts to dollars there is nothing in the Disclosure Statement about this issue either.
I wouldn’t rule out replacing the entire roofing structure with a new truss system. May be the best overall alternative, considering the potential cost of labor to rehab. I’ll take another 75-100 years over a “maybe” 25 years any day!
While you’re at it , remove that utility chimney to eliminate roof penetrations, and replace that cast iron soil stack too. Plan it out and be done with all of it in one fell swoop!
If you notice charring in the basement along with the condition that is visible in the Attic there’s a very good possibility there was fire all the way through this home, with much of the damage concealed.
I’ve bought and restored a lot of hundred-year-old homes as this appears to be.
If I were you I would stand back a minute and get over your first impression and excitement and think twice about purchasing this home.
