Homeowner Buys A Rat Infested House For Siblings To Live In, Then Finds Water Damage Behind Mirrors, No Waterproofing Behind Shower Tile And Termite Damaged Walls

Most people buy a house and hope the worst surprise is a stiff front door. @dawson.diy bought a house that was infested with rats, and he did it on purpose, so his siblings would have a place to live.

An abandoned, run-down room with open doors and debris.

He says he has spent the last five months renovating it, and the update he shared reads like a checklist of everything a home can hide.

@dawson.diy

The Cat Pee Carpets Had To Go Immediately

The first job was the floors. According to his post, the carpets were soaked with cat urine and had to come out right away, and underneath them was nothing but dirt.

That is the kind of start that tells you how long a house has sat without real care. Rats, pet damage and old carpet usually travel together, and pulling the carpet is often the moment a buyer finds out how deep the problem runs.

A Giant Wall Of Mirrors Was Hiding A Much Bigger Problem

Next came a gigantic wall of mirrors. He says taking them down was harder than pulling the carpet, because they were so heavy and so hard not to drop that he worried about shattering glass everywhere.

It was worth the sweat. Behind those mirrors, he says, they found a ton of water damage.

The cause turned out to be the shower on the other side of the wall, which had definitely been leaking for a long time. Mirrors, paneling and wallpaper are classic cover-ups, because they hide stains and soft spots from anyone walking through.

No Waterproofing Behind The Shower Tile Meant The Whole Bathroom Had To Be Demolished

When he opened up the shower, he discovered there was no waterproofing behind the tiles. On top of that, the skylight was leaking from the ceiling.

His verdict was blunt: the whole bathroom had to be demolished. Tile alone does not keep water out, since grout lines let moisture through, and a proper shower needs a waterproof layer behind the tile to protect the wall.

The Guest Bathroom Was Even Worse, Thanks To A Window In The Shower

He suspected the guest bathroom had the same trouble, and he says he was right. In fact, he thinks it was way worse because of the window sitting inside the shower.

So when he rebuilt that bathroom, he decided to take the window out. That left a giant hole in the side of the house.

You would think that would be the bigger headache, but he says it was not. There were so many holes on the outside of the house that all of the siding had to come off.

Termites Had Chewed Up The 2x4s, So He Rebuilt A Ton Of Walls

Once the siding was off, the crew found a lot of termite damage on the 2×4 framing. That meant rebuilding a ton of walls from the studs out.

It is a sobering sequence, and it shows how one small leak can lead to the next problem. Water gets in, wood gets soft, and insects move in to finish the job.

He says he shared the story for one reason. If it makes you feel better about something going on at your own house, follow along for more updates.

Broken Windows, A Mountain Of Drywall And One Big Tile Question

The project is far from finished. He ordered new windows for the house, but some of them arrived broken, so he is waiting on a couple of replacements while he shifts his focus back inside.

Inside, the water damage, the reframing and the popcorn ceilings have left him with a mountain of drywall work. He says it is so much to do that he thinks he might get help with it.

After the drywall, he plans to renovate the main bathroom. His question for viewers is the one that gives his post its caption: should he go for a creamy tile, or something with a little more color?

What To Check Before You Buy A Fixer Upper

You do not need to buy a rat house to learn from this one. A few habits can save you from the same surprises, and none of them cost much.

Press on walls and floor edges near showers and tubs. Soft or spongy spots often mean water has been getting in for a while.
Look hard at anything that hides a wall, such as large mirrors, paneling or fresh paint over one patch. Ask why it is there.
Check skylights and windows for stains on the ceiling or trim, since they are common leak points.
Look for mud tubes, hollow-sounding wood or crumbling framing, and hire a licensed pest inspector before you close on an older home.
Budget for surprises. When walls come open, repairs often grow, so keep a cushion beyond your first estimate.

It also helps to do the work in order. Stop the water first, then the pests, then rebuild, and only then pick tile. That is exactly the path this homeowner followed, and it is why the fun decisions, like tile color, come last.

Renovations like this are slow, and that is normal. Five months in, he is still deciding between cream and color, and for a house that began with rats and dirt floors, that is a very good problem to have.

Willow and Hearth