Old houses reward their owners, but they also keep secrets. The trick is knowing which of those secrets matter.
I spent fifteen years as a preservation architect before joining the practice. These are the things I look at first when I walk through a period house with a buyer.
The roof, the foundations and the water
Start at the top and the bottom. Slate and copper can last a century; asphalt over old boards may not. A dry basement is worth more than a new kitchen. Look for stains, efflorescence (a white, powdery bloom on masonry) and the smell of damp.
Walk around the outside after rain if you can. Gutters that overflow and downpipes that empty against the wall are the cause of most of the damp we find.
“A dry, sound house with an ugly kitchen is a good buy. A beautiful kitchen in a wet house is not.”
What has been done before
Next, look at past work. Good repairs are a sign of owners who cared. Replacement windows, blocked fireplaces and hidden plumbing are not deal-breakers, but they tell you where to look more closely.
Ask the sellers for any records they have. Receipts for a roof, a boiler or a chimney liner are worth more than any verbal assurance.
Cosmetic or structural?
Separate the cosmetic from the structural. Peeling paint and tired floors are easy. Rot in a sill beam, a sagging ridge or cracked masonry above a window are not, and need a specialist's eye.
Questions for your inspector
Ask specifically about the sill beams, the chimney flues, the electrical panel and any knob-and-tube wiring, and whether there is lead paint or asbestos to plan around. A good inspector will welcome the questions.
Your inspector can help, and so can we. We are always happy to walk through a house with you before you make an offer.
