Would you buy this kind of HOUSE? (Any investment / building experts?)

Discussion in 'Investment Strategy' started by henry_ip, 17th Oct, 2020.

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  1. henry_ip

    henry_ip Well-Known Member

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    Came across a house on a sloped block of land, with some posts supporting the house (Please see photo I took)

    Is this a red flag? Better to avoid? Since the some weight and gravity are shifted onto those supporting posts, and this would likely incur heavy maintenance costs? such as risk of uneven settlement crack or the need of underpinning?

    Of course we could need a building inspector to assess the risk. But is this easy to detect? or possible to overlook the problem of ground movement, or posts eroded from inside due to moisture and rust.

    This is a novice's question..totally new to this, thank you in advance for any thoughts and ideas.
     

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    henry_ip, 17th Oct, 2020
    #1
  2. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    Depends on discounted price vs how much to rectify
     
    MTR, 17th Oct, 2020
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  3. henry_ip

    henry_ip Well-Known Member

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    Rectify? It is something that usually needs rectification?
     
    henry_ip, 18th Oct, 2020
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  4. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    no idea, dependent on report from builder/engineer
     
    MTR, 18th Oct, 2020
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  5. Optimus

    Optimus Well-Known Member Business Member

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    Where is the property?

    It looks like it's on steel stumps already, as long as the water is kept off the base of the stumps (usually done via having the concrete mounded up in a dome like fashion, minimum 100mm off ground level) they 'should' last forever... which the slope of that block will help that.

    Like every house on stumps if you get any movement, it can be easily rectified back into place for not alot of money.

    Btw underpinning is done on a brick wall/concrete foundation.

    Restumping/reblocking is the term for houses on stumps
     
    Optimus, 18th Oct, 2020
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  6. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Looks fine to me. Many houses are on stumps like this. Pole houses have even more stumps, but the fact much of this sits on the ground means less bracing required for the exposed stumps. (I'm not a builder.)

    Our Queenslanders are totally on steel stumps like this and braced where required (all engineered and certified). This would have been certified (if a recent build) or would have been standing for years.

    I think you are worrying about something that doesn't need to be worried about.

    Get a building inspection and listen to the builder. Don't just read the report, because they all sound terrible.
     
    wylie, 18th Oct, 2020
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  7. The Y-man

    The Y-man Moderator Staff Member

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    I simply avoid buying on hugely sloped land simply because IMHO they have potential to move more.....

    The Y-man
     
    The Y-man, 18th Oct, 2020
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  8. Shogun

    Shogun Well-Known Member

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    If it is correctly Engineered why is it a problem?
     
    Shogun, 18th Oct, 2020
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  9. henry_ip

    henry_ip Well-Known Member

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    Do you think this house is on a hugely sloped land? Or acceptable?
     
    henry_ip, 18th Oct, 2020
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  10. henry_ip

    henry_ip Well-Known Member

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    The house was built 10 years before. I suppose its a recent build with less to worry about?

    Are most building inspectors usually able to tell if the steel stumps are fine?
     
    henry_ip, 18th Oct, 2020
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  11. henry_ip

    henry_ip Well-Known Member

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    May I ask how a buyer could know if it is correctly engineered? Hire an engineer in addition to a building inspector?

    Or, a building inspector would be enough?
     
    henry_ip, 18th Oct, 2020
    #11
  12. Optimus

    Optimus Well-Known Member Business Member

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    Read the plans if it's only 10 years old (council should have them)

    It all comes down to depth of the holes and the bracing...

    Since you didn't answer where the property was we can't help you with what the standards are.
     
    Optimus, 18th Oct, 2020
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  13. willair

    willair Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    It could come back to so many issues ,but like everyone has said above try looking at the plans..

    I'm not a Engineer but looking at that section your worried about i would have thought that the section would have had cross bracing at the front middle and back but go and ask for a copy of the plans for that section..imho..
    https://www.unipier.com.au/files/Uni-Brace-Brochure.pdf
     
    willair, 18th Oct, 2020
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  14. Shogun

    Shogun Well-Known Member

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    If the builder had built a cheap retaining wall and a cut and fill would you be worried? The wall could look good but be substandard.

    In WA engineers can sign off on thinner concrete house pads on stable ground. How many measure pad thickness then ask to see enginneeering report?
     
    Shogun, 18th Oct, 2020
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  15. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Ignore your 3rd attachment, it's a framed & clad house not masonry So that doesn't apply.

    Is the house showing any issues? Eg cornices/skirtings popping off walls/ceiling, doors or windows sticking, unlevel floors or other major issues?
     
    Scott No Mates, 18th Oct, 2020
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  16. Trainee

    Trainee Well-Known Member

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    Be honest op, you dont understand what the potential issues are, and you wont learn enough to stop yourself from losing sleep over this.

    move on and find a more standard property. Did you do a course where they said look for ‘twists’? That only works if you know what to do with it.
     
    Trainee, 18th Oct, 2020
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  17. Marg4000

    Marg4000 Well-Known Member

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    Quite normal in Qld.

    The 3rd pic is irrelevant, it is a masonry house build on cut and fill. An entirely different scenario.
     
    Marg4000, 18th Oct, 2020
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  18. The Y-man

    The Y-man Moderator Staff Member

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    Looks super steep to me....
    The Y-man
     
    The Y-man, 18th Oct, 2020
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  19. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    The whole house is not sitting on those metal stumps. Two thirds of it sits on (or is cut into) the higher part of the sloping block on a different sort of foundation. That one room is wide is resting on what should be a properly engineered foundation.

    I'd be more concerned that the yard is too steep to make a good play space for kids.
     
    wylie, 18th Oct, 2020
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  20. The Y-man

    The Y-man Moderator Staff Member

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    Yeah, imagine all the footballs, soccer balls, basket balls, tennis balls and anything with wheels down the bottom of the garden!! :D:D:D

    The Y-man
     
    The Y-man, 18th Oct, 2020
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