Hey everyone, the wife and I have started looking for a new home. One thing I noticed in our search is a lot of homes in our area are built on slab foundations. Not many of the newer ones have crawl spaces or basements. From what I've been told, most all of the plumbing on houses with a slab foundation is encased in concrete? So if a pipe springs a leak it seems like you're a bit screwed and will have a huge pain repairing the issue? Is this true? In your opinion, should houses on slab foundations be avoided entirely? They seem like a really bad idea the more I think about them, but then again if so many homes are built on them (around here at least), I'd think I would have heard a lot more bad things about them than I actually have.
Thanks.
Depends on the age of the home, the newer the better of course.
Slabs have several advantages over wood sub floors, too numerous, and sometimes a lot of it has to do with the soil they built on.
Slabs help regulate the indoor temp, cooler in the summer etc.
I wanted to do slab, but I live on a mountain side made of rock so a raised floor was my only option.
When looking in an area, just top and ask a neighbor if they have had any issues with their homes in the last decade or two.
But whatever you decide, hire a home inspector you can trust.
I'm curious. Where exactly is "around here?"
Conventional slab floors (they're not technically 'foundations') are practical if the ground NEVER freezes, or if it doesn't matter much whether the floor moves around a bit -- as in the case of a detached garage. I prefer a basement with poured concrete walls, m'self.
But you're right about one thing. Whether it's a slab 'foundation' or a concrete basement floor, if the plumbing is screwed up, you've got a serious problem, one that generally involves a jackhammer to get it fixed. I put in much of the plumbing in a house my parents built about 25 years ago, and until the day he died, my father laid the blame on me for not venting the drains "enough." His specific complaint was that when he was relieving himself on the basement toilet, if someone upstairs flushed, nasty air would burp up through the shower drain next to him and stink up the room. No matter how many times I explained it to him, he always blamed poor ventilation.
But when he and my mom were dickering with the foundation contractor about this and that, THAT guy became the one responsible for installing the foundation-level waste pipes. And THAT guy failed to install a simple trap under the basement shower slab. Rather than go and rent a jackhammer and spend a couple days fixing someone else's screwup, I just nodded when Dad pointed out my shortcomings as a plumber.
So yeah, slab foundations -- and any other rigid, concrete-based structure -- can present problems when the pipes don't work right.
Quote from: TboneAgain on October 05, 2013, 10:12:52 AM
I'm curious. Where exactly is "around here?"
Conventional slab floors (they're not technically 'foundations') are practical if the ground NEVER freezes, or if it doesn't matter much whether the floor moves around a bit -- as in the case of a detached garage. I prefer a basement with poured concrete walls, m'self.
But you're right about one thing. Whether it's a slab 'foundation' or a concrete basement floor, if the plumbing is screwed up, you've got a serious problem, one that generally involves a jackhammer to get it fixed. I put in much of the plumbing in a house my parents built about 25 years ago, and until the day he died, my father laid the blame on me for not venting the drains "enough." His specific complaint was that when he was relieving himself on the basement toilet, if someone upstairs flushed, nasty air would burp up through the shower drain next to him and stink up the room. No matter how many times I explained it to him, he always blamed poor ventilation.
But when he and my mom were dickering with the foundation contractor about this and that, THAT guy became the one responsible for installing the foundation-level waste pipes. And THAT guy failed to install a simple trap under the basement shower slab. Rather than go and rent a jackhammer and spend a couple days fixing someone else's screwup, I just nodded when Dad pointed out my shortcomings as a plumber.
So yeah, slab foundations -- and any other rigid, concrete-based structure -- can present problems when the pipes don't work right.
Upstate South Carolina.
Future plumbing issues are my main concern if I go for a slab house. We're going to have the house thoroughly inspected for sure before we buy. I've been hearing both good and bad things about slab foundations, but you'll get that with anything. I'm no scientist, but it seems like with a crawl space you might run into issues with moisture, wouldn't you? One bad thing about having a crawl space I've experienced in my current house is pests. When we first rented the place, every once in a while we'd get a rogue palmetto bug popping in to welcome us to our new home. While I appreciate a warm welcome from the neighbors, I'm not one for surprises and I hate those damn mouse sized sonsofbitches. Turns out that one of the vents wasn't sealed off completely from the crawl space, so that's where they were sneaking in. Sealed it up and no more palmetto bugs. So I suppose having a slab foundation would alleviate a lot of potential pest issues.
I definitely prefer a basement myself as well, but unfortunately they seem to be really rare around here. I did find one house with a basement, but my wife hates older style homes and isn't down with that house at all, so that's probably going to get checked off my list pretty quick. Maybe I can buy it anyway and and pretend it's her birthday present? Man I would love to have a basement.
So your parent's house had the pipes imbedded into concrete as well?
Not quite. The waste lines went through the concrete floor, yes, and from there to a septic/leach system. The main stack was installed by a qualified plumber (not me) before any basement floors or walls had been poured, but that shower drain was wiggled in later and done by a non-plumber (again, not me). Its problem with "burping" is not hard to figure out -- there's no trap on that drain line. That's what traps do -- prevent that "burping" of sewer gas.
Fixing the problem, as I explained many times to Dad, would involve a jackhammer. It can be fixed, but first you have to get at it, and that's where the jackhammer comes in. I can install a trap on any waste line in minutes -- if I can touch it. When it's on the other side of four inches of concrete, it's kinda hard to touch.
In SC, you're not really that involved with frost issues, which explains the existence of slab 'foundations' there. I live in Ohio, and it freezes hard here in the winter. Where I live, the frost line is about 30" down, meaning that anything that passes for a 'foundation' has to be built that deep. There are no 'slab foundations' around here, excepting perhaps detached garages.
Quote from: TboneAgain on October 05, 2013, 10:12:52 AM
I'm curious. Where exactly is "around here?"
Conventional slab floors (they're not technically 'foundations') are practical if the ground NEVER freezes, or if it doesn't matter much whether the floor moves around a bit -- as in the case of a detached garage. I prefer a basement with poured concrete walls, m'self.
But you're right about one thing. Whether it's a slab 'foundation' or a concrete basement floor, if the plumbing is screwed up, you've got a serious problem, one that generally involves a jackhammer to get it fixed. I put in much of the plumbing in a house my parents built about 25 years ago, and until the day he died, my father laid the blame on me for not venting the drains "enough." His specific complaint was that when he was relieving himself on the basement toilet, if someone upstairs flushed, nasty air would burp up through the shower drain next to him and stink up the room. No matter how many times I explained it to him, he always blamed poor ventilation.
But when he and my mom were dickering with the foundation contractor about this and that, THAT guy became the one responsible for installing the foundation-level waste pipes. And THAT guy failed to install a simple trap under the basement shower slab. Rather than go and rent a jackhammer and spend a couple days fixing someone else's screwup, I just nodded when Dad pointed out my shortcomings as a plumber.
So yeah, slab foundations -- and any other rigid, concrete-based structure -- can present problems when the pipes don't work right.
It's not the issue it was just a decade ago, now plumbers have access to horizontal drilling, they literally can dig to any point under a floor with extreme accuracy, saving the need to cut up cement flooring.
Not to nitpick, but a slab floor is the epitome of the term foundation.
I agree though, if there is a problem underneath, you will have a bill on your hands regardless, as opposed to a can of PVC glue and $10.0 worth of parts and 20 minutes of your time.
When I built my house, I used all copper, which has frozen over the years a few times because of a raised sub floor, a slab would have saved me of that headache; so instead of getting dirty I hired a plumber to replace it all with Pex and insulate the Hell out of it.
One other thing I like about a sub floor is that they usually have a creak or two, one that only sounds off when someone walks over it, making it the perfect alarm for when you're in the back with the house open on a nice night.
Mine has a dozen alarm points. :biggrin:
Quote from: Solar on October 05, 2013, 11:30:26 AM
It's not the issue it was just a decade ago, now plumbers have access to horizontal drilling, they literally can dig to any point under a floor with extreme accuracy, saving the need to cut up cement flooring.
Not to nitpick, but a slab floor is the epitome of the term foundation.
I agree though, if there is a problem underneath, you will have a bill on your hands regardless, as opposed to a can of PVC glue and $10.0 worth of parts and 20 minutes of your time.
When I built my house, I used all copper, which has frozen over the years a few times because of a raised sub floor, a slab would have saved me of that headache; so instead of getting dirty I hired a plumber to replace it all with Pex and insulate the Hell out of it.
Nitpick all you want. If you think 4" of concrete poured over whatever will hold up your house, fine. I'll see you maybe after you climb out of the hole.
A slab floor is... um, a slab floor; it is NOT a foundation. Basement slab floors are seldom more than 3-4" thick, and NEVER reinforced with steel. There may be "temperature steel," or "mesh" (sometimes around here called 'mash') in the mat, but that's it. It supports nothing except you and the lovely Toy as you pad across your basement floor. A concrete basement floor is just smooth, carpetable icing on a dirt cake. As long as the roof is tight, the dirt itself is as good a floor.
Oh, and Pex is GOOD. I even like those "shark-bite" connectors that allow me to painlessly mate my old copper with new CPVC.
Quote from: TboneAgain on October 05, 2013, 12:47:55 PM
Nitpick all you want. If you think 4" of concrete poured over whatever will hold up your house, fine. I'll see you maybe after you climb out of the hole.
A slab floor is... um, a slab floor; it is NOT a foundation. Basement slab floors are seldom more than 3-4" thick, and NEVER reinforced with steel. There may be "temperature steel," or "mesh" (sometimes around here called 'mash') in the mat, but that's it. It supports nothing except you and the lovely Toy as you pad across your basement floor. A concrete basement floor is just smooth, carpetable icing on a dirt cake. As long as the roof is tight, the dirt itself is as good a floor.
Oh, and Pex is GOOD. I even like those "shark-bite" connectors that allow me to painlessly mate my old copper with new CPVC.
The slab is part of the external foundation, you can't have a slab floor without it.
I've poured nearly a hundred of these things back in the 70s.
I can only speak of Ca regs, I don't know if the rest of the country requires a cement foundation as part of the slab floor, but that's how it was out here.
Quote from: TboneAgain on October 05, 2013, 12:47:55 PM
Nitpick all you want. If you think 4" of concrete poured over whatever will hold up your house, fine. I'll see you maybe after you climb out of the hole.
A slab floor is... um, a slab floor; it is NOT a foundation. Basement slab floors are seldom more than 3-4" thick, and NEVER reinforced with steel. There may be "temperature steel," or "mesh" (sometimes around here called 'mash') in the mat, but that's it. It supports nothing except you and the lovely Toy as you pad across your basement floor. A concrete basement floor is just smooth, carpetable icing on a dirt cake. As long as the roof is tight, the dirt itself is as good a floor.
Oh, and Pex is GOOD. I even like those "shark-bite" connectors that allow me to painlessly mate my old copper with new CPVC.
I get what you meant by foundation, I was taking it to it's literal meaning, you were referring to structural support, right?
Quote from: JTA on October 05, 2013, 05:48:38 AM
Hey everyone, the wife and I have started looking for a new home. One thing I noticed in our search is a lot of homes in our area are built on slab foundations. Not many of the newer ones have crawl spaces or basements. From what I've been told, most all of the plumbing on houses with a slab foundation is encased in concrete? So if a pipe springs a leak it seems like you're a bit screwed and will have a huge pain repairing the issue? Is this true? In your opinion, should houses on slab foundations be avoided entirely? They seem like a really bad idea the more I think about them, but then again if so many homes are built on them (around here at least), I'd think I would have heard a lot more bad things about them than I actually have.
Thanks.
Hey JTA,
I'm a real estate investor and have purchased a home or two in my day, and one of my main rules is to not buy slabs, unless the deal is just too good to pass up. I stick with crawl-spaces and basements.
Also, regarding plumbing, if you go down the checklist and everything looks good to put an offer in, you really should run a camera snake through the lines to check the plumbing. I can get it done for $75, but the going rate is $300-$500. Don't use any of the big names like Roto-router though. Get someone who really knows his stuff and has been doing it a long time, and who is halfway honest. Tree roots like to just shoot through pipes, and it's at least nice to know you have a $5k repair job waiting on you while you're making the purchase instead of finding it out after you redo the bathroom and poo floods the new tile job and an entire hallway a day before an open house (yes, been there).
Again, save it as a final due-diligence expense, as there is no reason to do that, say, if you find out you have other costs that may prevent you from putting in an offer, but it is important.
I'm in Georgia, btw.
Quote from: taxed on October 06, 2013, 01:47:31 PM
Hey JTA,
I'm a real estate investor and have purchased a home or two in my day, and one of my main rules is to not buy slabs, unless the deal is just too good to pass up. I stick with crawl-spaces and basements.
Also, regarding plumbing, if you go down the checklist and everything looks good to put an offer in, you really should run a camera snake through the lines to check the plumbing. I can get it done for $75, but the going rate is $300-$500. Don't use any of the big names like Roto-router though. Get someone who really knows his stuff and has been doing it a long time, and who is halfway honest. Tree roots like to just shoot through pipes, and it's at least nice to know you have a $5k repair job waiting on you while you're making the purchase instead of finding it out after you redo the bathroom and poo floods the new tile job and an entire hallway a day before an open house (yes, been there).
Again, save it as a final due-diligence expense, as there is no reason to do that, say, if you find out you have other costs that may prevent you from putting in an offer, but it is important.
I'm in Georgia, btw.
Good advice!
Which reminds me of something, a customer of mine built a new home, about two years old at the time with a slab floor, about 3500 sq', she was showing me her plans to water an acre of land, and she wanted solar, while wandering through this rainforest type garden, I noticed a tree planted near the house that looked like it's roots were cracking the walkway.
I asked about it and she said she had it flown in from Brazil or some God awful South American third world pit, anyway, on closer inspection, it was going under the slab as well.
I went back the following summer to check up and see that the solar system was working, and she showed me how that damn tree had grown like a weed and had overtaken her garden, the roots ran 300' in every direction, and sprouted trees every ten feet.
She was having trouble getting rid of it, the original tree was long gone, cut up and dug out, it had busted her slab so bad, that she had a frog invasion, they were after all the other bugs that used the newly made entrance.
So yes, excellent advice on the tree roots.
And JTA, that is something you may want to watch for, trees planted to close to the house, they'll bust up slab and non slab foundations alike.
Quote from: Solar on October 06, 2013, 03:13:58 PM
Good advice!
Which reminds me of something, a customer of mine built a new home, about two years old at the time with a slab floor, about 3500 sq', she was showing me her plans to water an acre of land, and she wanted solar, while wandering through this rainforest type garden, I noticed a tree planted near the house that looked like it's roots were cracking the walkway.
I asked about it and she said she had it flown in from Brazil or some God awful South American third world pit, anyway, on closer inspection, it was going under the slab as well.
I went back the following summer to check up and see that the solar system was working, and she showed me how that damn tree had grown like a weed and had overtaken her garden, the roots ran 300' in every direction, and sprouted trees every ten feet.
She was having trouble getting rid of it, the original tree was long gone, cut up and dug out, it had busted her slab so bad, that she had a frog invasion, they were after all the other bugs that used the newly made entrance.
So yes, excellent advice on the tree roots.
And JTA, that is something you may want to watch for, trees planted to close to the house, they'll bust up slab and non slab foundations alike.
It's unbelievable how strong those roots are...
Quote from: taxed on October 06, 2013, 05:46:27 PM
It's unbelievable how strong those roots are...
They split 10s of thousands of tons of solid rock where I live, they find a tiny fracture that's wet, and they slowly expand over decades till what was nothing but a hairline fracture, becomes a 6" or better split.
I remember replacing my parents old cast iron sewer line 45 years ago, then again decades later, and finally with a poly or or PVC, can't remember which, but it too had issues, the roots actually grew around it and collapsed and squeezed it closed.
Quote from: Solar on October 05, 2013, 12:52:55 PM
The slab is part of the external foundation, you can't have a slab floor without it.
I've poured nearly a hundred of these things back in the 70s.
I can only speak of Ca regs, I don't know if the rest of the country requires a cement foundation as part of the slab floor, but that's how it was out here.
If you've poured that many, you may have noticed those remarkable TRENCHES around the perimeters of these structures that get filled with concrete. Perhaps you heard the word "footer" tossed around. :tounge:
I get the feeling that what you're referring to as "external foundation" is what I'd call a footer. And actually, you can have a slab floor without it. Folks in this part of the world pour slab floors without footers all the time -- especially in pole barns. Practically any sidewalk or driveway, after all, is a "slab floor" without a footer or an "external foundation."
Quote from: TboneAgain on October 06, 2013, 09:35:38 PM
If you've poured that many, you may have noticed those remarkable TRENCHES around the perimeters of these structures that get filled with concrete. Perhaps you heard the word "footer" tossed around. :tounge:
I get the feeling that what you're referring to as "external foundation" is what I'd call a footer. And actually, you can have a slab floor without it. Folks in this part of the world pour slab floors without footers all the time -- especially in pole barns. Practically any sidewalk or driveway, after all, is a "slab floor" without a footer or an "external foundation."
You missed the following post.
Quote from: Solar on October 06, 2013, 05:57:05 PM
They split 10s of thousands of tons of solid rock where I live, they find a tiny fracture that's wet, and they slowly expand over decades till what was nothing but a hairline fracture, becomes a 6" or better split.
I remember replacing my parents old cast iron sewer line 45 years ago, then again decades later, and finally with a poly or or PVC, can't remember which, but it too had issues, the roots actually grew around it and collapsed and squeezed it closed.
Wow! Yeah, you really can't stop those things... and they just know where the water is. It is fascinating how nature is.
Quote from: taxed on October 06, 2013, 01:47:31 PM
Hey JTA,
I'm a real estate investor and have purchased a home or two in my day, and one of my main rules is to not buy slabs, unless the deal is just too good to pass up. I stick with crawl-spaces and basements.
Also, regarding plumbing, if you go down the checklist and everything looks good to put an offer in, you really should run a camera snake through the lines to check the plumbing. I can get it done for $75, but the going rate is $300-$500. Don't use any of the big names like Roto-router though. Get someone who really knows his stuff and has been doing it a long time, and who is halfway honest. Tree roots like to just shoot through pipes, and it's at least nice to know you have a $5k repair job waiting on you while you're making the purchase instead of finding it out after you redo the bathroom and poo floods the new tile job and an entire hallway a day before an open house (yes, been there).
Again, save it as a final due-diligence expense, as there is no reason to do that, say, if you find out you have other costs that may prevent you from putting in an offer, but it is important.
I'm in Georgia, btw.
Thanks Taxed.
We found a home with a slab foundation we're thinking about purchasing that happens to be a real good deal and is exactly what we're looking for. I'm definitely thinking about paying the extra money to get the pipes inspected as well if we do decide to continue with the purchase.
If you don't mind me asking, what makes you avoid slab homes?
Quote from: taxed on October 07, 2013, 11:40:10 AM
Wow! Yeah, you really can't stop those things... and they just know where the water is. It is fascinating how nature is.
:biggrin:
(https://conservativepoliticalforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs.quickmeme.com%2Fimg%2F1b%2F1b5ebaa5df4e5ff5202ec9b41f295605ae68a8eea0309020db1c9ec7f2177570.jpg&hash=d752f27d56ee6851aa39198441689e082eec6c80)
Quote from: JTA on October 07, 2013, 04:41:59 PM
Thanks Taxed.
We found a home with a slab foundation we're thinking about purchasing that happens to be a real good deal and is exactly what we're looking for. I'm definitely thinking about paying the extra money to get the pipes inspected as well if we do decide to continue with the purchase.
If you don't mind me asking, what makes you avoid slab homes?
In general, I reduce probability of headaches. When we do a walk-through, we check around the house for major cracks (there will always be cracks), and we notice where the trees are. Even trees that seem out of distance can still reach our house. Also, the floors are hard on a slab, and it seems to make a difference when a buyer has kids, etc., and like Solar said, if there is a problem under the foundation, you gotta tear it up and that is a pain in the ass.
Most of the slabs I have passed on are probably fine, and yours will be too I'm sure, so don't let me get you paranoid. Your floor will be hard, and colder during the winter, but there are ways to deal with that. That's probably the main thing you'll need to deal with, since you'll be living in it, but there are solutions for that.
Quote from: Solar on October 07, 2013, 05:30:00 PM
:biggrin:
(https://conservativepoliticalforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs.quickmeme.com%2Fimg%2F1b%2F1b5ebaa5df4e5ff5202ec9b41f295605ae68a8eea0309020db1c9ec7f2177570.jpg&hash=d752f27d56ee6851aa39198441689e082eec6c80)
hahahahahaha
Alright guys one last question. This should probably be moved to the financial section, but let me just ask anyway.
When I'm shopping around for a mortgage, what's the be all end all way for me to compare offers and determine which is best? Is the APR the best indicator on how good of a deal I'm getting? Or are there other factors I should look into? I've been asking the lenders to give me an idea of how much my payments would be factoring in taxes, insurance, etc. it seems like there's not a huge difference between lenders even though the APR may differ by +/- .5%. I found some lenders on zillow (home shopping website), but I'm kind of wary of finding lenders online I haven't really heard of despite pretty good reviews. I got in touch with one lender but the APR seems kind of high even though the estimate the guy gave me doesn't differ but like 20 bucks a month from another whose APR is much lower.
Quote from: JTA on October 08, 2013, 03:18:24 PM
Alright guys one last question. This should probably be moved to the financial section, but let me just ask anyway.
When I'm shopping around for a mortgage, what's the be all end all way for me to compare offers and determine which is best? Is the APR the best indicator on how good of a deal I'm getting? Or are there other factors I should look into? I've been asking the lenders to give me an idea of how much my payments would be factoring in taxes, insurance, etc. it seems like there's not a huge difference between lenders even though the APR may differ by +/- .5%. I found some lenders on zillow (home shopping website), but I'm kind of wary of finding lenders online I haven't really heard of despite pretty good reviews. I got in touch with one lender but the APR seems kind of high even though the estimate the guy gave me doesn't differ but like 20 bucks a month from another whose APR is much lower.
Just make sure it's a fixed rate, not an adjustable loan, all in all they're about the same, and most likely your loan will be bundled and sold repeatedly over the years to come.
But to be safe, see a CPA to get the details before you sign.
Quote from: Solar on October 08, 2013, 03:44:12 PM
Just make sure it's a fixed rate, not an adjustable loan, all in all they're about the same, and most likely your loan will be bundled and sold repeatedly over the years to come.
But to be safe, see a CPA to get the details before you sign.
A fixed rate should be the only way to go. Also make sure there no penalty for paying your loan off early.
Quote from: walkstall on October 08, 2013, 05:23:50 PM
A fixed rate should be the only way to go. Also make sure there no penalty for paying your loan off early.
Yep, that's why I suggest a CPA, they are up on all the little details.
Quote from: Solar on October 08, 2013, 07:07:12 PM
Yep, that's why I suggest a CPA, they are up on all the little details.
My younger brother is a CPA :lol: there is things he as saved my butt on more then once.
Slab foundations are also common where water table levels are high. This is probably the number 2 reason (behind lower build costs) for slab foundations.
My wife and I have purchased 2 houses with slabs and 2 with crawl space foundations (we've never had any plumbing issues with slabs that we know of...).
Some of the main drawbacks with either type have been well stated by other members. However another problem with slabs is that lot grade and/or drainage problems can be difficult if not impossible to correct due to cost factors. This, and the absolutely terrible lot grading that's often seen with low-to-mid cost housing built during the boom, can make for an iffy buy (lots with little or no drainage away from the foundation coupled with "soft" land-fills can result in a foundation that's a half a foot or more below grade in just a decade or so).
Anyway, all said and done, my wife and I prefer slabs over crawls for the simple reason that we're used to the feeling of a "solid" floor (my wife doesn't care for HVAC floor registers either).
As for the "mortgage shopping" question; yes, always always go with a fixed rate.
I'd also recommend retaining not only a CPA, but an attorney as well. This may seem kind of "expensive" but it can save you a ton of money in the end. I also strongly recommend that you have 2 separate home inspections from different companies Never, ever trust only the inspector that's recommended by your, or the sellers, R.E. agent/broker (always get a second inspection from your own inspector).
Purchasing a house is usually the biggest single expenditure that we make in your lives and, as such, it's a good idea to seek and retain legal representation before and during the escrow process. With proper inspection(s) and some luck, you'll not have a need for legal rep. after the sale.
Quote from: walkstall on October 08, 2013, 05:23:50 PM
A fixed rate should be the only way to go. Also make sure there no penalty for paying your loan off early.
Yeah I definitely went for a fixed rate loan. Looks like I got locked in at a good time. From what I've been reading, if we default on our obligations mortgage interest rates may spike since they're closely tied to T-Bonds, which will become more risky requiring higher interest rates to entice investors. I feel bad for those with ARM's.
PARTY AT JTA's HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote from: JTA on October 14, 2013, 04:59:48 PM
From what I've been reading, if we default on our obligations mortgage interest rates may spike...
Do not even think about defaulting on you mortgage obligations. If you're not sure you can meet these obligations throughout the term of the loan, then you are not ready to buy a house. And don't think that bankruptcy can "save" you (those days are long gone).
Also remember that defaulting on a home loan can destroy your credit for many years and can also reflect badly on your ability to get a job.
Quote from: Telmark on October 15, 2013, 04:28:46 AM
Do not even think about defaulting on you mortgage obligations. If you're not sure you can meet these obligations throughout the term of the loan, then you are not ready to buy a house. And don't think that bankruptcy can "save" you (those days are long gone).
Also remember that defaulting on a home loan can destroy your credit for many years and can also reflect badly on your ability to get a job.
I say do not get a house that you can not pay for in 15 years. You need to own the house not the house own you. Defaulting should not be an option when thinking about buying a house. But that's just my way of thinking.
Quote from: Telmark on October 15, 2013, 04:28:46 AM
Do not even think about defaulting on you mortgage obligations. If you're not sure you can meet these obligations throughout the term of the loan, then you are not ready to buy a house. And don't think that bankruptcy can "save" you (those days are long gone).
Also remember that defaulting on a home loan can destroy your credit for many years and can also reflect badly on your ability to get a job.
I should've been a little more clear on my last post, when I said "From what I've been reading, if we default on our obligations mortgage interest rates" I meant the US Government, not me personally :).
I'm good to go as far as house payments go and don't expect to be house-poor.
Let me ask you guys this, what percentage of your net income do you pay towards mortgage/insurance/taxes? The max I heard you should pay is 25% of your net income. This seems to be a pretty good number to go by.
Quote from: Telmark on October 14, 2013, 02:49:21 PM
Slab foundations are also common where water table levels are high. This is probably the number 2 reason (behind lower build costs) for slab foundations.
My wife and I have purchased 2 houses with slabs and 2 with crawl space foundations (we've never had any plumbing issues with slabs that we know of...).
Some of the main drawbacks with either type have been well stated by other members. However another problem with slabs is that lot grade and/or drainage problems can be difficult if not impossible to correct due to cost factors. This, and the absolutely terrible lot grading that's often seen with low-to-mid cost housing built during the boom, can make for an iffy buy (lots with little or no drainage away from the foundation coupled with "soft" land-fills can result in a foundation that's a half a foot or more below grade in just a decade or so).
Anyway, all said and done, my wife and I prefer slabs over crawls for the simple reason that we're used to the feeling of a "solid" floor (my wife doesn't care for HVAC floor registers either).
As for the "mortgage shopping" question; yes, always always go with a fixed rate.
I'd also recommend retaining not only a CPA, but an attorney as well. This may seem kind of "expensive" but it can save you a ton of money in the end. I also strongly recommend that you have 2 separate home inspections from different companies Never, ever trust only the inspector that's recommended by your, or the sellers, R.E. agent/broker (always get a second inspection from your own inspector).
Purchasing a house is usually the biggest single expenditure that we make in your lives and, as such, it's a good idea to seek and retain legal representation before and during the escrow process. With proper inspection(s) and some luck, you'll not have a need for legal rep. after the sale.
I lived in slab homes for 25 years in the mid-south where they are very common. If constructed and plumbed properly it should not be a problem. Knowing where you are I don't see any issues, but taxed has a point about tree roots. However, those are an issue with most homes.
Quote from: supsalemgr on October 15, 2013, 02:25:16 PM
I lived in slab homes for 25 years in the mid-south where they are very common. If constructed and plumbed properly it should not be a problem. Knowing where you are I don't see any issues, but taxed has a point about tree roots. However, those are an issue with most homes.
In the West in the desert area that I live in, we only water areas that we need to water. So if your yard (grass area) is lined with trees for wind breaking or for shed almost all the roots grow into your yard for water. Very little grow out the other way as you do not water out there. So there always looking for the water.
Quote from: walkstall on October 15, 2013, 03:22:31 PM
In the West in the desert area that I live in, we only water areas that we need to water. So if your yard (grass area) is lined with trees for wind breaking or for shed almost all the roots grow into your yard for water. Very little grow out the other way as you do not water out there. So there always looking for the water.
Good point, and that's why leaky sewer pipes get invaded by roots.
Quote from: Solar on October 15, 2013, 04:46:18 PM
Good point, and that's why leaky sewer pipes get invaded by roots.
When I lived on the West side of the state in Tumwater Wa. My good wife would plant a tree right over the main sewer line down to the street. I pulled it out twice and she got very unhappy with me. :ohmy: I told her what the roots would do. She said no it would not. So rather being the bad ass with her, I trained her dog (German Shepherd) to tear it up each time she put one in. To this day she does not know about the meat drippings I put on those little tress. After 10 years she gave up. Ten years after that our next door neighbor had to dig up and replace there main sewer ling from roots. At that time she said wow now I see why you did not like me putting them trees in. As they say a picture speaks thousand words.
Quote from: walkstall on October 15, 2013, 05:40:45 PM
When I lived on the West side of the state in Tumwater Wa. My good wife would plant a tree right over the main sewer line down to the street. I pulled it out twice and she got very unhappy with me. :ohmy: I told her what the roots would do. She said no it would not. So rather being the bad ass with her, I trained her dog (German Shepherd) to tear it up each time she put one in. To this day she does not know about the meat drippings I put on those little tress. After 10 years she gave up. Ten years after that our next door neighbor had to dig up and replace there main sewer ling from roots. At that time she said wow now I see why you did not like me putting them trees in. As they say a picture speaks thousand words.
:lol: :lol: :lol: