Beam above garage is sagging...

[Pen & Wrench]

I agree, you should be able to get out of the contract if you want to, based on that undisclosed (even if they say they didn't know) structural problem. How bad do you want to buy the home? Is the seller willing to fix it to a spec that really solves the problem? Or do want to negotiate a reduced price and fix it yourself? If there's financing involved, the lender may only agree to a certain way. You sure don't need to pay for that problem yourself.

 

[yeldogt]

You will not have enough room for two doors -- those garages were narrow to begin with.

Do yourself a favor if this is a house you are going to live in --- price the cost of repairs (done correctly) into the purchase price. When you go and sell, the next guy will. If you do try and fix incorrectly -- you wasted your money .... you will not get any value out of it when you go to sell.

I wanted good rent and top dollar when I eventually sold - I fixed them. When a house needs work to its bones many will not even look ... unless this house is all about the location you have to price the problems into the asking price.

Do you know a contractor? I have paid contractors to come with me to look over a house to give me rough estimates. Doing things correctly is expensive .. until you look at the long term cost of doing it incorrectly.

Given the correct purchase price this is not a huge problem -- it does look like a strange lot .. and the concrete on the drive is all broken -- did the ground shift?

 

[JACDes]

16' less 1' for post and framing = 15' / 2 = 7.5'

You CAN get custom width doors. if you need an extra 6" to pull straight into a stall you must be a terrible driver.

My garage is 4 car the doors are 15' wide, originally they were 14' !

 

[JACDes]

unless you are trying to park a trailer in there. most any car, SUV, or pick up truck will fit thru a 90" wide opening.

 

[JACDes]

otherwise if a post is a problem and you really need the garage door width then you have to shore the floor above, remove the old header and replace it with new LVL beam or a steel beam. THAT SHOULD BE SIZED BY AN ARCHITECT OR ENGINEER. don't leave this up to a contractor to figure out...80% of the time they will get it wrong..

 

[JACDes]

regardless of the solution this is not a deal breaker if you want the home... use it to negotiate the price. otherwise use it to back out of your deal.

 

[CNGsaves]

^ ^ ^ No one would want to jerry rig a pole in middle of 16 ft garage door to make it easier on Seller of house to get off the hook, and improvise with 2 crappy narrow garage doors !!

Do it once, Do it Right !! OP needs to pound DOWN the price by $10K or whatever is the highest quote he can get for repairing the sagging header.

There WILL be other hidden problems in that house . . . I can guarantee it !!

 

[FordTruckWench]

There WILL be other hidden problems in that house . . . I can guarantee it !!

Speaking of other problems, has anyone else noticed the handi-box without a cover in the seventh picture?

 

[Bubbles]

Look at your eave.. It's chopped up for the stove instead of extending it out.

What is on your garage door spring?

 

[Bubbles]

Also the flashing inside over your window?

 

[Blue]

Also the flashing inside over your window?

Look at your eave.. It's chopped up for the stove instead of extending it out.

What is on your garage door spring?

Speaking of other problems, has anyone else noticed the handi-box without a cover in the seventh picture?

Chimney flue needs tie-downs as it's unsupported. Only should need one Dish !!

Good thing that house had been owned by someone who really knew how to fix things!! Thankfully it wasn't owned by one of those young whipper-snappers who didn't know how to fix anything!

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=274488&highlight=tinker&showall=1

 

[Elginz]

Just from those few pictures it looks like the home inspector is going to have a lot to say.

 

[Showkey]

So................What happened ?

Any UPDATES ??????????

 

[Platonic Solid]

Could also be structural termite damage. Especially difficult to deal with in houses with cinder block foundations.

 

[Gojeremy]

With the sag, landscape, and even the driveway looks to be in rough condition, i would walk.

 

[kbs2244]

I second big bad dad's opinion.
And I would keep shopping.
You would be buying both a headache and a heartache.

 

[lewis26]

OP's not coming back.

Last Activity: 02-24-2015 06:20 PM

 

[NathanDetroit]

OP's not coming back.

Last Activity: 02-24-2015 06:20 PM

He went back for the inspection.

House collapsed on him.

 

[34 Ply]

Builder for 40 years, don't buy it

 

[OzarkMan]

The OP must have passed on this house. There was nothing good about the situation and I'm sure the seller wasn't going to deal with fixing it either.

 

[6768rogues]

I was in the contracting business for many years. I have seen that situation so many times that it is almost safe to say that from that era, they all sag. Even the ones with only a roof and no second floor above sag. It might sag a little more over the next 30 years, but will probably never fail unless it has damage from insects or rot. Dimensional lumber is not stiff, it flexes. To reduce sag, the lumber needs to be big or be an engineered piece.
I would jack it up, put a wall under it, make a Man Cave inside and park outdoors until a separate garage can be built.

 

[tymbo]

I see a lot of those same models in my area. They all sag, but never saw one collapse!

 

[JACDes]

^ ^ ^ No one would want to jerry rig a pole in middle of 16 ft garage door to make it easier on Seller of house to get off the hook, and improvise with 2 crappy narrow garage doors !!

Do it once, Do it Right !!

I'm sorry, I did not know your solution was the only and best one, when I need your approval I will be sure to ask for it.

 

[JACDes]

I see a lot of those same models in my area. They all sag, but never saw one collapse!

give it another 50 years, by then the rest of the house will be shot.

or just have a hoarder move in and load up that bedroom for a dramatic effect.

 

[bczygan]

Just a note.

The right term is deflect. An old woman's ***** sag.

All materials deflect under load, even just the load of their own weight.

What is seen here is deflection that is over an acceptable limit, because the builder did not properly design the beam.

 

[JACDes]

Just a note.

The right term is deflect. An old woman's ***** sag.

All materials deflect under load, even just the load of their own weight.

What is seen here is deflection that is over an acceptable limit, because the builder did not properly design the beam.

yes, the moment capacity has exceeded the acceptable deflection limit for this beam, because the beam is undersized for the span & the loads imposed on it.

the only 2 viable solutions are 1) reduce the span of the existing beam or
2) replace the beam with one designed for the intended loads and span.

 

[yeldogt]

IMO -- the problem with the house was the wall out front ... and the chimney on the right.

The garage is an easy fix -- not the bad lot. With that wall its even bad for a rental property.