I came across a listing for a nine-year-old house priced around half a million dollars, and I'm seriously concerned about its structural integrity. After taking a closer look, I noticed there's no structural beam and several pieces of wood in the wall appear to be bowing. I've never seen anything like this before! What are your thoughts on how much it would realistically cost to fix these issues? I've got more pictures for context here: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/461-Riverbend-Dr_Bluffton_OH_45817_M47444-09449?from=srp-list-card
3 Answers
Honestly, compared to repairs I’ve seen elsewhere, this seems like an easy fix. Just make sure you have a qualified structural engineer check it out, especially if you want peace of mind before making any big investments.
It’s hard to say for sure without a full inspection, but from what I'm seeing, it looks like those bowing studs might not be load-bearing. You could get away with replacing the studs or adding some blocking to straighten them out. If you tackle it yourself, it could be a couple hundred bucks at most.
That’s pretty doable; just make sure the studs aren’t wiggle-able, or you might have a bigger issue.
From the design, it looks like they cheaped out on putting in that needed beam. Bowing studs could suggest they're taking on some load, so you definitely want to confirm everything with a structural engineer. They can help verify the original specs and give you a better idea of what needs to be done.
Yeah, those bowing studs look stiff. Could be a sign that there's more going on.
Yeah, for a house at that price, you’d expect more solid construction!