It is often surprising to find that a home has been sold with major Problems which were apparently undisclosed at the time of sale. Unlike in the US or Canada there is no set of rules to govern discloser in the sale of a house here in Mexico. It is common, therefore for folks to sell their problems. I don't know if known problems affect the price of real estate or not. I have to assume that they do but it is difficult to tell.
In the purchase of home it is, therefore, wise to keep a good deal of money in reserve for possible repairs. There are at least three common repairs which could come up for any home in the Lakeside area. One is the roof. A lot of time has been devoted to roof repair in this space. But a leaky roof is something that is going to get your attention and will cost quite a bit to repair properly. A rule of thumb for the house buyer is that if the roof is flat it probably leaks or will leak shortly after you purchase.
The next common problem is the walls. Before you buy a house look carefully at all the walls. It is often possible to see where cracks have been filled. The plaster is usually raised. Quite often wall cracks are nothing more than cracks in the plaster. This is caused by the sand which is available for plastering here. It sometimes has too much dirt in it and therefore won't adhere to the cement or lime very well. However, from time to time there are more ominous cracks in walls. These types of cracks go through the wall from one side to the other. This indicates that the bricks in the wall have broken. For bricks which have been mortared in place to break requires a good deal of stress. This type of wall crack is not a good sign. It usually indicates that the soil under the foundations of the house has moved in some way. To properly repair such damage will cost several thousands of dollars.
It is usually necessary to remove the entire wall and rebuild it. The rebuilding process may also include the necessity of strengthening the footings under the supporting columns. Unlike a frame house you can't really jack a post and beam structure back up to where it is supposed to be. Therefore if you want to have level floors and solid walls they have to be rebuilt. You should be aware that removing damaged walls can cost nearly as much as building one from scratch.
The third common problem is the bathrooms and kitchen. The folks who had the house before you may have been content with the bathrooms and kitchen the way they were. But it is often the case that new owners don't care for the size or layout of these necessary rooms and want to make major changes. This usually includes moving drains and water pipes. It may also include the addition of hot water heaters and new faucets. It often includes dishwashers and new toilets, too. All of these things can cost substantial amounts of money.
It is a good idea to live in a house for a while before you begin any major renovations. You may want to remodel the kitchen and bathrooms but if you find that the roof is leaking and you can only afford to repair on problem at a time the roof might well take precedence over the bathroom/kitchen remodel. If you find that the roof is leaking because the columns holding up a wall have settled an inch or two that roof repair could put a strain on your budget that won't allow the remodel of the kitchen.
There is one other piece of necessary information here. It is better to solve the problem than to put a band aid on it. It is better to buy good faucets than to buy cheap faucets. The good one may cost as much as three times more than the cheap one but will last five times as long. Get the comfortable toilet. Shore up the columns don't just patch the wall. Spend a little more to do it right and you'll spend a lot less over the life time of the house. A well maintained home is worth more than a poorly maintained home. At least it is in theory.
If you have any questions about this column or any other building Issues please drop me an e-mail and I'll try to reply the same day. If you need on site inspection or help I'll try to get by your house the week of your e-mail.
