My husband and I bought our first house in 2021, and we were ready to turn it into our home as soon as possible. We had done everything right: asked lots of questions, paid for a good inspection, and put some money aside to begin renovations right away. The biggest problem with the house was that the master bathroom was not functional. The original 1987 porcelain jacuzzi tub had a crack in it, and the water would seep right through that crack into the foundation if you used it…
That’s okay, we thought. We were no strangers to DIY projects, and we had both grown up doing home renovations with our dads. We would gut the bathroom, replace the tub with a shower, replace the fixtures, make it look nice and new and pretty, and call it a day. No need to even need to take off the drywall! Day one rolled around, and we were ready to start demolition. Oscar just bought a big sledge, and he’s swingin’! He breaks up the old jacuzzi tub – no problem. On the next unfortunate backswing, he cracks the toilet behind him.
…le sigh. It’s fine. We’ll just have to replace that earlier than expected. That was the plan anyway, since that thing was older than both of us. We start hauling out the old tub and now the old toilet, too. We take a closer look at the plumbing behind the wall for the tub and at the wall behind the toilet… Wait. Is that black mold? Sh*t.
A simple replacement of fixtures, which would’ve been maybe $3,000-$5,000, just got a hell of a lot more expensive and time-consuming. We ended up creating a master bathroom that was truly spectacular, which we wouldn’t have if we hadn’t needed to take the walls down. For our slightly higher cost, we probably made twice that amount in future resale value. Especially since we can guarantee everything in that bathroom is new and improved.
A quick disclaimer: All of the information here is according to my own experiences, research, and what has worked for me for the past 4 years. Your needs and priorities might be different based on your own situation. And remember, this is a blog to learn about financial and renovation information. I am not your advisor and cannot guarantee any results. There also might be affiliate links on this page, but I will NEVER recommend anything that I do not personally use and love.
Some things are unavoidable, even with the best preparations, BUT some things can be avoided with some attention to detail.
We had known about the crack in the tub, and we had known about the leaking skylight that had been repaired. Those were the sources of the water. We had known about the wallpaper and the latex paint covering it. Those were what trapped the water in place. We even knew that trapped water will almost always turn into mold if it can’t dry out. Unfortunately, 2+2 was written on the wall, and we somehow ignored the 4 screaming out at us.
You, on the other hand, are going to go in prepared with what to look for and what to avoid at all costs.
15 Red Flags that You Can Check for Yourself
Stepped on a Crack and Broke Your Mother’s Back (and your wallet): Foundation Red Flags
House foundations are one of the most expensive renovations you can make. If something is wrong with the foundation, you HAVE TO fix it. Foundational problems, unfortunately, are not something you can push off to later. We’ve all seen those HGTV renovations that were all planned out and budgeted for, UNTIL they did some investigating, and now they have to spend $30,000 fixing the foundation before they can even start the good stuff.
What to Look Out For:
Visible Cracks:
Cracks are more of an orange flag, depending on where you find them. Cracks in the actual foundation (concrete or brick) FOR SURE are a huge red flag. In the walls or ceiling could be more of a sign of drywall problems, depending on what they look like.
Uneven Floors:
Sometimes, floors are so uneven that you can feel it walking from one side of the room to the other. If it’s NOT that obvious, you can use the marble test. Place a marble in the corners of the room and the center and see where it goes. Runaway marbles are what you’re looking for here. It could indicate that the foundation under the low point is starting to become weakened.
Doors and Windows That Stick:
Like the first two, you are looking for movement in the base. If a door is sitting in the frame and it’s hitting any of the four sides, check the hinges and the door itself. Are they old, warped, or crooked? If the hinges and door look good, it means the door frame has shifted. Door frames are tied into the structure of the house, which means these problems are going to be structural no matter what.
The person to call: A structural engineer.
They can look deeper into the structure of the house and tell you if it is going to need major structural or foundational repairs during a renovation. If the home is older than 50 years, you should get a structural engineer’s opinion no matter what, since it’s been such a long time since the house and foundation were built.
Water Woes: Plumbing Red Flags
The house we bought ended up having a lot of plumbing problems, mostly from the original builders cutting corners or not doing the original installations well. We ended up having to completely redo a lot of the plumbing in both bathrooms and some in the attic. While we never had problems with leaks from the plumbing, we had a lot of problems with water pressure, sediment buildup, and drainage. It is also important to note that if you touch or change something during a renovation, you have to bring it all up to modern building code.
What to Look Out For:
Water Stains:
Look for water stains everywhere, but especially around main fixtures. If you see any standing water or stains from previous water damage, make sure you follow up with the house’s seller and a certified plumber. Ask if they have tried to fix it before and get the repair forms to look at.
Low Water Pressure:
When touring a house, make sure to run all of the water fixtures (tub, shower, toilet, sink). Water pressure can be easy to see and feel when you look at all of the fixtures. What you don’t see is that low water pressure can also wreak havoc on all of these fixtures over time (especially larger appliances). Low pressure problems might be fixed by unblocking pipes, but might also require completely replacing all the piping in the house.
Strange Smells:
If you haven’t smelled mold or mildew very often, you might not recognize the smell when you’re walking through a house. However, you can definitely tell when something just smells ‘off.’ Any type of weird smell is a red flag, but especially if there is a general musty or sewage-like smell. If the smell is stronger near a water fixture/ plumbing junction (kitchen/ bathroom sink, dishwasher, washing machine, shower/tub), then there’s almost certainly a leak.
The person to call: A certified plumber.
They know what plumbing problems look like better than normal people do, and they can usually look at the exposed pipes and tell you if something has been installed well or not to begin with. The exposed pipes are usually better than the ones behind the walls. So, if you see obvious signs of problems without even opening a wall, you can bet you’ll find more problems later.
Shocking Discoveries: Electrical Red Flags
Electrical faults were the fourth most common causes of house fires in 2023 (according to the U.S. Fire Administration). Even the most experienced DIYers won’t do their own electrical work because of the potential dangers if it’s done badly. This section of the building code is also updated every 3 years due to safety concerns and updated technology. If you are a normal person and don’t know anything about electrical wiring, the whole system for the house is connected, so you’d have a hard time updating one part and not updating the other parts. This, unfortunately, was another part of our house that ended up having a lot of problems.
What to Look Out For:
Outdated Wiring:
This one is an obvious red flag, but most people don’t know what this looks like. I’ve included pictures because, honestly, that’s the next best way to show you. What you need to know is that the industry standard now is copper wiring due to its ability to withstand heating and cooling without expanding and contracting or corroding. Any other type of wiring is probably going to have to be fully replaced.
Flickering Lights or missing light bulbs:
This was one red flag that I wish I had known about when we were looking for a house. We didn’t have any flickering lights or lights that were slow to turn on/off, but we had a lot of missing light bulbs. At the time, I chalked it up to the seller being a single 30-year-old dude who barely had furniture, let alone six light bulbs for the living room light fixture. After a year of living there, our brand new LEDs started dying one by one. We knew something was up then. Sometimes, this could just be loose wiring that needs to be tightened. But usually, it’s a sign of a deeper problem.
Insufficient Outlets:
Hear me out. This seems so insignificant, I know. HOWEVER, this can be a sign of an old and out-of-code system that might be expensive to change if you need to. Remember when I said your electrical system is all connected? Think of it as a web with your electrical panel in the middle. The further from the panel you get, the more connections are made from individual lights, switches, and outlets. If you are trying to add a lot to the system (like recessed lighting and outlets and fans), you are putting a lot more load on the whole system. Old systems just aren’t made to handle that.
The person to call: A certified electrician.
Just like certified plumbers, certified electricians know their own trade best and the mistakes that bad electricians make. They also, more importantly, have the tools to professionally test important parts of the electrical system. Personally, I recommend a third-party certified electrician inspect any houses you’re considering buying, even new builds. I can’t tell you how many questionable things they find in all types of houses.
To Top It Off: Roofing Red Flags
Roofs are your first line of defense between you, inside the comfort of your own home, and the elements. Because roofs are exposed to the elements, they do have a ‘best-by’ date. Usually, you want to replace a roof every 20 or so years, depending on how well it’s holding up. Some roofs can still be in fairly good condition, even after 20 years. But most roofs will start to show major wear at that point. These signs of wear are really what you’re looking for since replacing a roof is potentially costly (ours was a little over $13,000).
What to Look Out For:
Missing or Damaged Shingles:
The good news is that these are easy to spot! Roofing shingles are like pieces of armor. When you are missing a piece in your armor, it makes you vulnerable to anything trying to get through. Roofs are specifically designed so that there are multiple layers of protection, but each piece missing makes the whole system weaker.
Sagging Roofline:
This is actually a big indication that water damage has already been occurring, and your first couple layers (the actual shingles) are failing to prevent water from getting through. Underneath all the waterproofing of the shingles and underlayment, there’s just plywood. The sagging is this layer getting wet and rotting. It’s a MAJOR problem and will cost thousands more than a normal roof replacement.
Water Stains (Part 2):
Kathleen, why is this on the list twice?? I know, but there are actually two different types of water stains you need to look out for because they mean different things. Check all of the ceilings and crown moulding for water stains in this section. If you find any stains there, it tells you that water might be getting through ALL of the roof’s layers and could be a major problem.
The person to call: A general home inspector.
General home inspectors do a great job of looking at all home systems at a general level. If you don’t see any of the red flags that were in previous sections, all you might need is a general home inspection anyway. If that’s the case, they’ll do a great job inspecting the roof along with everything else. Just make sure they do actually climb onto the roof and into the attic.
Beyond the Obvious: Trust Your Gut
What to Look Out For:
Evidence of Past Flips:
This can be hard to tell if you don’t watch any Home Renovation shows. Look for things that seem to have been done by cutting corners or taking the cheapest possible route. Flippers (unlike renovators) don’t care about the house or the future use of it. They are trying to get as much money as fast as possible. One house we saw had been flipped after a house fire, and the rafters hiding in the attic were still charred completely black!
Seller’s Disclosures:
If you don’t get a seller’s disclosure, you should definitely ask for one. Most of the time, you’ll get one anyway when looking at an older house. Make sure you read through it and ask follow-up questions about anything on there. One thing I wish I had asked is how they repaired the water damage from the skylight leak (spoiler: they didn’t).
Neighborhood Concerns:
The best house in the world is not going to be a good home if the settings are bad. Make sure you research the neighborhood and crime rates. Also, look into school zoning (if necessary). This step is especially important if you are moving to a new city or state. The neighborhood we moved into is a big draw in our town, so whenever we go to sell our renovated house, there’s going to be a guaranteed market!
(Bonus) Your Gut Feeling:
If something feels off, don’t ignore it. It’s okay to walk away! There will be many, many houses that you come across. You might not get the house that you want for the amount of money you want, but it’s much more important to get a house that you can turn into a home at the end of the day.
If you listen to one thing, listen to this:
Invest in professional inspections up front. If you are buying a house with the intention of making it a home through renovations, that means you already know there are things wrong with the house. However, you can avoid getting yourself underwater (through money OR time commitment) by ensuring that what’s wrong with the house is something you can manage.
If you read the previous blog post, you know how much value homeownership can bring to your wealth-building goals. If you haven’t read it, head here next and learn why buying an ‘ugly’ house can revolutionize your journey to financial freedom.
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Do you have any more things that house hunters need to look out for? Help each other out, and make sure to share it below in the comments! We’d love to hear from you!
