Before the Finishes

Prioritize electrical systems over heating and plumbing, and update panels and breakers to ground fault circuits. Look for fault panels that are commonly in need of replacement, such as Zinsco, Sylvania, and Federal Pacific panels. “Older electrical systems need to be updated for safety reasons. It’s very cut and dry. Heating and plumbing, on the other hand, need to be updated less often. Depending on your standard of living, you can make heating and plumbing systems ideal, or just make them work.”

Pay attention to building codes, and don’t ignore problems simply because they’ve been grandfathered in. Deck railings now must have an opening of just under four inches, which has to do with the amount of space a child’s head can fit through. “Just because it is ‘grandfathered’ does not mean it is safe for the occupants—older deck railings easily let a child fall through, but they are ‘grandfathered’ in!”

Make sure decks are properly anchored with bolts rather than nails. “I advised a lawyer to replace his deck. He ignored me, and right after he moved in, he threw a big party and down went the deck. Everyone had broken arms.”

Cracks in the basement walls are not necessarily a problem. If they are below a quarter inch in width, you don’t need to replace the foundation. “Cracking should be parallel and even. If the cracks are angling into each other or offset, then the problem is fairly substantial. Horizontal cracking is perhaps the most substantial problem—it indicates that you have hydrostatic pressure from moisture buildup in your foundation.”