The Big Five
What is the “Big Five”? Those are what most will consider to be the five costliest repairs you make to a house. Roof, foundation, air conditioning system, windows, and electrical system replacement.
Roofs in Texas take a beating. No getting around that. We’ve heard it said that most Texas roofs last seven to ten years. If a roof has been on a house longer than that it’s either well past time of replacement, or you’ve got a REALLY good roof! Mother Nature loves to beat on roofs in Texas so that’s a big concern for most buyers.
Foundation repairs can be costly. “We have two types of houses in Texas, ones that have moved and ones that will!”. A lot of homes we inspect have foundation repairs because soil in this part of Texas has a lot of expansive clay in the soil. When the weather dries out the ground shrinks. When it rains the ground swells. This constant up and down has a tendency to shift a house and crack the exterior and interior walls. In extreme situations it’s not uncommon to crack or completely shift the foundation.
Replacing an air conditioning system can run anywhere from a few thousand dollars for a smaller system, to tens of thousands of dollars for multiple, high efficiency units. Making sure you take care of your system with regular maintenance after moving in will help reduce your chance of needing a new system anytime soon, but mechanical equipment can fail at any time so preparing is always the best option.
Windows make a huge difference in not only the appearance of your home, but also the cost efficiency of heating and cooling your home. Being comfortable in your own home is very important and keeping your heating and cooling bills down goes without saying. Newer windows offer many benefits to both look and function, so knowing what you have on a perspective buy could help you decide to buy, renegotiate, or walk away.
Older electrical systems are still in place and being used all over the country. We come across them all the time and make recommendations to have them repaired or replaced depending on what’s currently in place and what condition it is in. There is a lot that goes into safe electricity for your home so make sure it has been properly inspected and you are aware of any deficiencies prior to closing on your next home.