Inspecting A Historic Home

When purchasing a home, it is always encouraged and expected that an inspection be done to protect your investment.  Without an inspection, you are making this home purchase with blindfolds on, not knowing exactly what you are getting into.  Granted, on an old home, this would be a bit different.  You still want to know of any unforeseen issues the home might have but, with an old home it is expected that there will be some issues and even some that can’t simply be fixed because they have to be repaired/replaced under the compliances of what will not take away from the value of the home.  It is always of great importance to make sure you are aware and educated as to the correct way of doing this to protect the history and the value of the home.

With that said, there is also the possibility that when purchasing a historic home, that it is a “landmarked” home. Landmarked homes may be privately owned or may belong to a jurisdiction.  A home may be designated an official landmark by a city, county or state, or by the federal government.  Generally, landmark status makes the owner of the property eligible for low-cost loans or grants that can be used to repair, stabilize, or improve the landmarked structure.  In return, the owner agrees that changes to the structure or other work performed on it will comply with certain requirements.  Most of these requirements have to do with maintaining the historical appearance of the structure.

The requirements can vary according to the authority of having jurisdiction (AHJ), and the amount of control each landmark committee sees as appropriate.  Some committees are demanding and insistent in requiring applicants to adhere closely to committee-approved designs.  While some other committees are less involved.  Policies may be highly developed at the federal level and increasingly vague toward the city level. 

An inspector conducting an inspection in a landmarked home as an ancillary service, is not required to advise your client on the limitations connected to the landmark designation.  If the inspector knows that the home is landmarked, they should mention that fact in the report.  They should also include a narrative that advises them to determine any limitations which might affect their future plans for the home.

Now, how is inspecting a historical home different than a standard home inspection?  When you inspect a historic home, whether it’s been landmarked or not, you’ll be inspecting it in the context of the time period in which it was built, balanced against contemporary, acceptable building practices, and the general quality of the home.

An inspector of a historic home should have the experience for evaluating older structures.  It counts to have this knowledge because they need to know the building practices and codes used for building the home.  The more old homes that the inspector inspects, the better understanding they will gain of what was considered acceptable at the time the home was built.  The laws of physics are the same, however, so many things that make a building safe or unsafe haven’t changed either.  Older buildings, especially those that have been poorly maintained, present good opportunities to study the failures and successes of the various home materials and systems.  The elements that cause deterioration of different home components have had longer to work on older homes.  So you will want the inspector to look especially close and careful at parts of the home that are exposed to the elements, such as the foundation, wall coverings and roof.

Foundation
The foundation is probably the main priority, since it’s the component that bears the load of the entire home.  Foundation failure or repairs can be especially expensive, and parts of it may be hidden.  So, when the inspector is looking at the foundation, that is a time for them to do their best.

Wall Coverings
The wall coverings often provide clues to any foundation movement.  Soil or foundation movement typically shows up as diagonal cracks emanating from the corners of doors and windows.  You may also see stepped cracking in masonry walls, especially neat exterior corners or below windows.

Roof
The roofs of older homes are typically wood shakes or shingles.  Some jurisdictions no longer allow the installation of wood roofs.  This may create a conflict with a landmark committee.  If the roof will need replacement soon, the owner may be facing not just removal of existing layers, but installation of solid roof sheathing over the original spaced sheathing that was typically installed with wood roofs.  The inspector should make you (the client) aware of the potential extra cost.

Structure
Older homes may have undergone work by someone not familiar with acceptable building practices.  Although it’s often difficult to see floor and wall framing, the inspector should watch for problems such as the structure being out of plumb, out of level, or not flat.  They may see work done that employed methods quite different from modern methods.  They should also check for failure before calling something a defect, just because it looks different it doesn’t necessarily mean it is a defect.

Exterior

An inspector may want to recommend a lead test of the soil of the home’s perimeter.  When lead was used as an ingredient in the manufacture of paint, the exterior paint coating would eventually oxidize, and a lead powder would form on the surface, ultimately washing into the soil around the home’s exterior by the rain.  Over time, lead can accumulate in the soil to a level at which it represents a health risk to children and pets.

Windows
It’s often difficult to tell whether a window is original, and it’s a question that’s often asked.  The concern as an inspector is to describe the window’s condition.  They will be looking for failure of the finish coating and decay on wood-frame windows, especially in the corners of the sill.  They will be checking for hardware condition, and proper operation of the hardware and window itself.  Single panes are not a defect.

Electrical Systems
In inspecting an older home, the inspector may find that the electrical system is original, that it’s new, or that it has had work done on it over the years.  It’s not unusual to find electrical components from multiple eras in one home.  They may all be energized, or they may be partially energized.  Most inspectors, when they’re confronted with these older systems, they recommend a specialist inspection by a qualified electrical contractor.  The liability connected with electrical systems is high, since these can burn down the home or cause serious or fatal injury.  It’s better for the inspector to pass on this liability unless they feel very confident in their own expertise.

Plumbing Systems
The inspector will be looking for evidence of plumbing leaks, as usual.  There are still a few homes around with galvanized supply pipes, so the inspector will check for functional flow at fixtures.  Also, they should mention any unsafe conditions, such as missing or obsolete traps.  In the past, lead distribution pipes have been a problem, but very few currently exist.

Heating Systems
Serious problems can develop from poorly understood venting of furnaces, boilers and water heaters.  Condensation is one problem.  Water is a solvent and will deteriorate many materials.  Where heating equipment has been vented through older brick chimneys, the inspector will look for damage to the brick at the exterior, at the interior, and to the lining.  The inspector should check for a proper cleanout, and check to see that the chimney has a lining.

Toxic Materials
The inspector may encounter toxic materials when inspecting older homes.  They will look out for asbestos-like material on heating system exhaust ducts.  Asbestos was also used in vinyl products, such as flooring, and in the process of manufacturing roofing tiles.  The amount of asbestos in thermal insulation has been exaggerated, but most thermal insulation releases particulates into the air when it’s disturbed, so they should wear a respirator in attics and crawlspaces where you may encounter exposure.

The inspection report for a historic home will be similar to a typical home inspection report.  The inspector will need to be careful to include in the report a disclaimer emphasizing that the inspection does not include comments on a building being appropriate for its intended use.  They will most likely want to pass on the liability for discovering limits imposed by the landmark status to your client.  Also, they will be sure to include a disclaimer explaining that the visual inspection is limited to inspection of only those items you can see.

As you can see, the inspection process is different than to those conducted to a standard home.  Make sure when picking the inspector that they have the experience and knowledge of theses important details for it will make a world of difference on whether you move forward on the purchase and also on avoiding any unforeseen issues.

If you are looking to buy, sell, or have any questions regarding Miami Historic Homes, call 305-986-7041 or fill out the contact form. We would love to connect with you regarding your interest in Historic homes and we specialize in renovating, researching, purchasing or selling Historic Homes in South Florida.