Property Manager Says The House Is Newly Renovated So The Inspection Should Be Quick But The Inspector Finds Rot, A Loose Gas Line And Bare Wiring

The house is all newly renovated, so the inspection should be pretty quick. That is what the property manager told home inspector Frank on arrival. Frank’s answer was simply “We’ll see.” The inspection went on to turn up a hole in a door sill, rot in the garage, an open junction box with wires sticking out and a gas line that was just hanging loose.

Renovated house inspection video cover beside a stock photo of exposed wall framing with loose wiring.

The inspection was posted on the YouTube channel Home Inspection Nightmares, in a video titled “WORST Home Inspection I Have EVER Done – Shocking Defects FOUND!” Frank walks around the outside first, then heads into the garage and the crawl space, commenting on each problem as it appears.

Problems Outside a “Newly Renovated” House

Before even going inside, Frank spots a hole in the door sill. The siding in the corner does not look properly sealed. The air conditioner is just loose. The supports under the foundation have all shifted, and the exhaust pipes are not sealed up.

The grading is level all around, so the ground is soft and mushy. The plumbing vent is not sealed properly either. The shingles are not interwoven with the boot at the bottom of the vent, which means water can get underneath it.

The downspout extensions are not long enough. They should reach 4 feet away from the house, and Frank finds that more than once. One downspout dumps water right beside the garage.

Where the Snow Goes

Here is a detail that homeowners in cold climates will appreciate. The siding runs right down to the bottom, so snow piles up against it. When that snow starts to melt, the question is where it goes. In Frank’s view, it is going to melt right under the siding and into the garage. “I guarantee it,” Frank says.

It is a good example of how a house can look fresh on the surface and still have flaws that only show up over a season or two. A coat of paint does not move water away from a foundation.

Rot, Wires and a Loose Gas Line

Inside the garage, the suspicions turn out to be right. It is all moisture. The wood is rotting, and Frank points out holes down there where everything has rotted out. There is an open junction box with wires sticking out, and the plugs have no covers. The automatic opener is unplugged, so it cannot be tested. The garage is also full of junk, which raises the obvious question of how anyone is supposed to inspect it.

Then Frank gets to the gas line. “Who secured the gas line?” the inspector asks, looking at a line that is just loose.

In the crawl space entrance, there is a really smelly pit that reeks. Frank guesses it is some kind of holding tank for water. There is a drain nearby, a French drain type of thing. There is also a wire that looks like a live wire, with a light sitting on the ground at the entrance. Frank’s welcome to the crawl space comes with a wry promise: “This is going to be fun.”

Why “Newly Renovated” Is Not the Same as “Done Right”

The word “renovated” tells you that someone spent money and did some work. It tells you little about who did the work, whether permits were involved or whether the problems underneath were ever fixed. Cosmetic updates can hide a lot, and some of what Frank found, like rot, a loose gas line and wires sticking out of a box, are the kinds of things a fresh coat of paint will not solve.

If you are shopping for a recently renovated house, here are some sensible steps.

Hire your own inspector. Do not rely on a property manager’s or seller’s summary.
Ask what was actually renovated. Find out what work was done, who did it and whether there are receipts or records.
Look outside as well as in. Grading, downspouts, siding and vents are where water problems often start.
Take gas and electrical issues seriously. A loose gas line or open junction box is not a small item. Have a licensed professional look at both.
Clear the way. If you are the seller, an inspector who cannot reach the garage, furnace or crawl space cannot do a full job, and that can make a buyer nervous.

Simple Things Homeowners Can Do

You do not need to be an inspector to learn from this one. A few quick checks around your own place can head off costly trouble.

Walk the outside after a rainstorm and see where the water goes. Downspouts should carry it away from the house.
Look for places where siding or soil sits too close together, where snow or water can collect.
Check that outlets and junction boxes have their covers in place.
If you ever smell gas, leave the house and call your gas company or emergency services from outside.

Frank’s video is a good reminder that a house can look brand new and still have rot, a loose gas line and wires sticking out behind the scenes. A good inspection costs a small fraction of what those problems can cost to fix, and it is the best way to find them before they become yours.

Willow and Hearth