10 Costly & Overlooked Areas

1. Check out the structural integrity of a home is fundamental to a good home. Sometimes problems can arise over time that will require attention. If left unattended further problems may arise. $300 - Add footing and install post$1,000 - Replace 40 ft. beam
2. Big concern is the foundation & basement areas for most biggers. There could be water & moisture problems or cracked walls. Left unattended the costs can mount. $300 to $500 - Seal vertical crack in poured foundation$600 to $900 - Seal cracks (exterior) to block foundation$1,000 - Add a sump pump and pit$8,000 to $15,000 - Water proof the foundation/basement walls of 3 bedroom bungalow
3. Rotting wood offen occur in many places. Such as: window sashes & frames, door frames & sills, siding, decks, fences, and, trim. It's often difficult to detect this without making an examination and sometimes probing the wood to see this is present especially when the wood has been freshly/recently painted. $400 - Replace a double hung wood window$800 - Replace a 4 ft. by 40 ft. area of wood siding$875 - Replace a 10 ft. by 5 ft. area of pressure treated decking$250 - Replace 10 ft. section of cedar fencing
4. Hiden problem would be the electrical panels which are often missed, or described poorly, as to what type of service is present, that is, the amperage size of the main service. Even if it is marked it may not properly reflect the size of the service. This may confuse purchasers more importantly leave the purchaser with an electrical service that does not meet your needs. $1,200 - Upgrade panel and service to 100 amp$2,000 - Upgrade panel and service to 200 amp$300 - Install ground
5. Common problem is water, moisture, mold, and, mildew in attic spaces which can indicate potential headace with areas such as ventilation, insulation, and vapour barriers. This can lead to the premature wear of the roof covering, structure and building materials as well as increasing the potential for ice damming.
   $2,500 - Remove existing shingles and re-shingle a 3 bedroom bungalow$2,200 - Replace sheathing on half a 3 bedroom bungalow$500 - Add R20 loose fill insulation to 1,000 sq. ft.
6. Masonary work and re-pointing of bricks can add up. Not only can it cause problems with water/moisture penetration into the home but could lead to chimneys toppling over onto roofs, clogging chimney's with fallen bricks, and, some limited support problems for other building materials.
   $500 - Rebuild 5 feet of chimney$250 - Re-point a 5 ft. by 10 ft. area of brick$350 - Parge 3 ft. by 40 ft. side of home
7. Heating and cooling systems can make comfort levels just the way you like them. Some furnaces can still be working but be at the end of their economic life. For example, a forced air gas furnace has a typical life span of 15 to 25 years. They can last longer, however. One of the largest single components in a forced air gas system is a heat exchanger that can crack and emit deadly carbon monoxide into the home. These heat exchangers can not be repaired and must be replaced.
   $2,500 - Mid efficiency gas$3,500 - High efficiency gas$500 - Electric air cleaner$2,000 - Central air conditioning (on forced air gas)$3,500 - Heat pump (air source)$800 to $1,200 - Replace heat exchanger in forced air gas furnace
8. Over fusing or unsafely fusing an electrical circuit can cause fires. This occurs when more amperage is drawn on the circuit that the wire was intended to carry. Protection comes from properly fusing the circuit. Typically, 15 amp circuits are the most common with larger service for a dryer, baseboard heaters, stoves, etc.
   $600 - replace fuse panel with circuit breakers and panel$150 - Add a 110 volt circuit and outlet$75 - Add GFCI receptacle$400 - Add CO/ALR outlets for aluminum wiring
9. Safety is key in any home. Security systems are a good idea but there are several other areas that can increase a home's safety too. For example, proper locks on windows and patio doors, smoke detectors in every bedroom and level of the home, carbon monoxide detectors, and, dead bolts, to mention but a few.
   $200 - Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector$150 - Install two dead bolts$150 - Install 3 to 5 battery operated smoke detectors
10. Call a Home Inspector if you don't feel qualified to inspect a home, or aren't sure, chances are you require the service of a professional certified home inspector. Check them out and the referral if them give you.