Jeffrey -
When business gets slow (only 3 jobs last week) I get bored, SO …
Both these buildings are Commercial. The one on the right is a duplex; the one on the left is a 8-plex. Although rehabbed both are 100-110 years old.
Looking at photo #1 - The brick building seen at the rear between these 2 buildings is a battery manufacturer. Looking at photo #2 - The white block building about 9’ to the side of the duplex is an old gas station and tire store. Think Phase 1 AND wonder if that had anything to do with why the owner was financing it himself.
Looking at photo #2 - You see the overhead electrical line coming from the pole to the duplex. Someone has added a rather large 2nd floor deck to the duplex and the meter is on the side of the duplex at the base of the deck. IF the overhead wire was run straight it would go across the center of the deck at a height of about 4’-5’ above the deck floor.
THEREFORE they have ingeniously wrapped the overhead power lines around the large tree trunk / anchored them to the white block walls of the gas station / then run them on to the duplex wall and down to the meter.
This was a small town about 45 miles outside KC. I was to do both buildings for an out of state investor from Alaska. He had never seen the buildings except on the internet. The seller was financing everything. The buildings have been rehabbed AND like the seller (a doctor) said, the small town had VERY stringent codes and these had recently passed all CODE inspections, etc.
I had inspected the outside of the duplex; the buildings attic; the top duplex; then went to the cellar, basement, crawlspace. Once we found the Termite damage, etc the investor had me go look at the basement, crawlspace on the 8-plex. SAME deal ….
Probably most extensive case of termite damage I’ve seen in 20 years BECAUSE it wasn’t just random (here or there). It was every other joist; the sub-floor; the rim joists; the sills in the newer addition; the girders; the support posts; etc, etc. To repair this right you would have needed to just about rebuild or replace the entire support structure - Then you wonder about what you can’t see behind finishes.
The buyer had me stop the inspection at the basement. We didn’t do the bottom of the duplex, its MAIN mechanicals, etc OR anything other than the support system in the 8-plex.
Turned out to be a much shorter day on site than I had planned.