How to choose a cottage to buy – a question that can not be called a trifle, because the cost of an error can be very high. Well, if you have overlooked some technical detail, then everything can be fixed for the money. And if it turns out that the site of dirty water or some problems with the documents?
There are no details in this business, and it is difficult for a non-specialist to take into account all the nuances. But we have collected the most important recommendations – they will help you choose a dream home that will please you for many decades.
What should be around the cottage
Infrastructure
The presence of infrastructure in close proximity is important if you live permanently out of town. People need to be able to get to the store, pharmacy, cafe, hairdresser, and gym without having to travel for an hour. If the family has children, you will need a kindergarten and school.
It is also important that your community has public transportation, even if you do not use it much and move in your car. It is necessary to study how and how long it takes to get to your home from the city and vice versa – bus schedules, electric trains, distance to the stop. Assess the condition of the roads in the area. https://ipotechnyibroker.ru/
Environmental conditions
One of the main motives that make people move out of town is the opportunity to breathe clean air. Therefore, it is necessary to study the area in terms of nearby industrial plants, landfills. If these objects are located near the selected settlement, then the clean air will have to forget. Therefore, these issues must be clarified in advance, before the move.
Communications
The life of modern man today depends on the equipment of housing amenities. Not all villages and towns have central running water, sewage, and gas. In order to correctly choose which cottage to buy, you need to know exactly what communications are connected to it, and how they work. The seller will certainly tell you that the house is connected to the central water supply. But they may not tell you that there is no water for half a day. Therefore, it is better to talk to your neighbors on all such issues. If the water in the house comes from his well, check its quality, and send the water for examination.
In the cities, the service of residential buildings is engaged in the management company, and in private buildings, the owner has to solve everything himself (except when the land is not in private ownership, then part of the maintenance issues is the responsibility of the local administration). When choosing a cottage to buy, you need to clarify all these issues beforehand.
An important stage of choosing a cottage – the state of engineering systems
The comfort of living in a country house to a large extent depends on the state of communications. Therefore it is necessary to check them very carefully when choosing a cottage for purchase. By K.Yurovskiy
Water supply
Water pipes are inspected for the presence of microcracks. On the defective sections you will be able to detect traces of rust. You should also inspect the section of the pipeline from the well to the house, laid along the street. Make sure that its insulation is not damaged, otherwise the frost pipes will burst.
Sewer
You can assess the state of the sewer system by pouring a large amount of water into it. To do this, fill the bathtub and open the drain. If the water flows away slowly, then there is definitely a problem. It is also necessary to inspect the sewer pipes themselves – traces of moisture can indicate cracks.
Heating System
How well the heating in the house works, you can find out only in the winter. If you have to choose a cottage to buy in the summer, you can turn on the boiler for half an hour and then check the degree of heating of the appliances. Batteries must be warm in all rooms, make sure that there are no leaks in all elements of the heating system.
Inspect the boiler. If it is in working order, you will not smell gas and you will not see traces of rust and water on the floor.
Electrical System
Electrical systems should also be carefully inspected. Pay attention to whether the wiring is aluminum or copper. Aluminum wires have not been used for a long time, as they do not meet modern requirements. But in some homes you can still find them. It is enough to open the cover of the socket to see what kind of wires are laid in the house.
It is also important how much load the network can handle. To do this, ask the owners to turn on all the appliances in the house. If this does not result in tripping protection and various abnormal situations, then the network is fine and you will be able to turn on, for example, an electric oven and an iron at the same time in the future.
Ventilation
Ventilation provides fresh air to the room, without which it is impossible to maintain a healthy microclimate. People’s comfortable living depends a lot on its proper functioning. Therefore, when choosing a house for purchase, you should assess how the ventilation is made and how the forced ventilation system works. A specially designed ventilation system is an additional advantage, as it provides a more efficient air exchange compared to the natural one, although it is certainly more expensive.
Check for clogged vents. If the ventilation works poorly or does not work at all, then the house will get damp, mold, and an unpleasant odor. The result will be accelerated destruction of the structure and health complications for the tenants.
Basic rules on how to choose a cottage to buy
People who are far from the construction sphere, when buying a house, first of all look at the location of the site and the layout of the house. Of course, this is important, but clearly not enough, because it is possible to choose the right cottage to buy only taking into account the nuances of construction. If you do not involve an expert in the inspection of the house, you can independently get an idea of the quality of the structure by conducting an inspection in accordance with the following instructions.
Inspect the basement, then the attic
These areas are the most critical in the house. If the waterproofing is poorly done, you will find water in the basement – a problem with many modern homes. Even if there is no water in the basement, you need to inspect the walls, especially in the corners – how wet they are. The attic is inspected for roof leaks.
We check the windows
Each window is opened and closed. If these manipulations are performed easily, then you can talk about the correct shrinkage of the house. Check whether there is no moisture inside the insulating glass units.
Inspect the surfaces of the walls, floors
A properly built house should have level walls and floors. Small imperfections the builder can plaster. But if the walls and floors have deviations from, respectively, the vertical and horizontal, this can be revealed with a construction level.
Control the humidity
If the house is built of wood, then first of all it is necessary to check how dried it is. To do this, a moisture meter is used. The moisture content of laminated veneer lumber should be between 14-16%, for conventional timber or logs – no more than 16-22%. Then you should check the color of the wood – it should be uniform, without stains. If you find blackness and other uncharacteristic areas, it means that the wood has not been treated with special compounds – antiseptics, etc.
We study the design documentation for the house and all documentation for engineering systems
These papers should be for any construction, but in practice not every builder has a complete package. It is necessary to check everything – contracts with companies, who made the installation of engineering systems, as well as certificates, instructions for use and warranty coupons. You should also ask for all the wiring diagrams of utilities – electricity, water, heat, gas. The owner of the cottage this data is needed in case of repair, so that in the future would not have to tear down half the house in search of the necessary pipes. Ironically, this documentation is not always at the developer, even the expensive cottages.
Choose a cottage to buy in early spring
Winter is a serious test for new construction, it reveals most of the imperfections. Also, it is still cool outside, so you can check the heating system. Spring melting snow will reveal flaws in the home’s waterproofing and test the roof.
