Buying a Home that has Fire Damage

Acquiring a home that has fire damage is a good move if you want to get a place of your own for a more affordable price. But before you invest in this kind of property, you have to carefully take a look at the property and estimate the additional costs that you need to incur in repairing such home. You cannot just agree to buy a home whose foundations may have been damaged by fire. Here are essential tips that will guide you in buying a fire damaged home.

Assess Extent of Smoke Residue and Fire Damage

The extent of smoke residue and fire damage cannot be easily removed by an untrained individual. Sure, the foul smell of burnt wood and furniture can be masked by using home improvement materials like paints and even air fresheners. But the problem is that the burnt smell will surely seep back into the house after a few months or years. Also, sticky smoke residue can be hard to remove. Besides, simply looking at the interior and exterior walls of a home is not enough for you to be able to gauge the structural integrity of the fire damaged property you want to buy.

So, if you do not have any background in construction and engineering, it is very important that you hire a trained professional to help you assess the extent of the damage caused by fire. Asking the help of the local fire department in assessing the damage caused by the fire is a wise idea that you should consider before buying a fire damaged home.

Consider the Cost of Clean Up

Another thing that should be considered when buying a home that has been damaged by fire is the cost of cleaning up the house. More often than not, homes that have fire damage are sold as they are. If you do not factor in the cleaning costs, the total purchase price and incidental costs can easily exceed your budget. You should reconsider if the cost of cleaning up the property is higher than the cost of the house itself.

Check the Plumbing and Electrical Systems

You should check the fuse boxes and pipes of the fire damaged home that you are planning to buy. Aside from burnt light switches or fixtures, you should be on the lookout for short circuit hotspots. Water pipes are also prone to damage caused by fire. Copper pipes become lose or PVC pipes melt due to extreme heat. Plumbing and electrical repairs are costly, so you have to take these into account when determining the total cost of buying home that has fire damage.

Determine the Amount of Water Damage

In order to put off fire and embers, firefighters need to soak the ceilings, floors and roofs with water and other fire-retardant chemicals. Unfortunately, water damage can cause molds and structural problems later on.  You have to determine if there is standing water in the basement. Aside from checking walls and other wood structures for watermarks and damage, you should also check if the water heater and furnace have water problems.