If inaccessible areas exist under the structure of the home, these areas were not traversed or inspected during your home inspection. Problems and hazards should be expected to exist that I could not see or report on today. Wood rot, insect damages and structural defects are some of the more common problems found in crawl spaces. Many times inaccessible crawl spaces are an indication the required municipal permits, inspections, approvals and real estate tax updates were not obtained. Make sure you obtain them prior to expiration of your inspection contingency. The usual concern is that damages have been occurring for years to the structure that can not be seen without causing extensive damages. While the owner may not be happy the lack of access was found out and reported to you, you will be even more unhappy if someone falls through your living room floor or provides you with an estimate of tens of thousands of dollars to cure the problem. For instance New Jersey N.J.A.C.13:40-15.16 does not require inspectors to enter any area which does not have at least 24" of unobstructed vertical clearance. All areas under the structure of the home must be made accessible so they can be traversed and professionally inspected prior to the expiration of your inspection contingency or you must agree to accept open-ended risks! Areas under dwellings that are not ventilated present special risks. Installation of adequate and proper ventilation is recommended in order to help avoid further problems and hazards. |
