When Home Inspectors Find a Renovation Gone Wrong

CandysDirt.com is a place where you can find the best that North Texas has to offer in homes that have been renovated by expert architects, builders, and designers. Normally. Today we’re going to look at the opposite end of the spectrum, the side that home inspectors are here to protect you from — a renovation gone wrong. It might be a contractor doing sub-par work, a flipper who only did the bare minimum, or a DIY who should have PAP (paid a pro).

After an unexpected six-day weekend in which some of us spent WAY more time at home than we might have liked, some of y’all might be more apt to impulse-renovate. So it seems like a good time to warn homeowners against jumping into renovation projects without the proper planning and expertise.

Here are some examples of renovation projects gone wrong:

Plumbing is Paramount

This is a perfect example of a beautiful renovation gone wrong. Somebody put in a gorgeous new shower, but it seems like they left out something kind of important in the installation.

@greenscenehome

When they forget something kind of important with the shower install. #homeinspectionfinds #askahomeinspector #realestatehumor #dallashomeinspection

♬ original sound – Green Scene Home Inspections

Attachment Disorder

“What this house needs is a gorgeous front porch.”

Great idea, but when building something as complicated as a porch addition, it’s really best to use a licensed contractor. It’s evident from the construction and the materials that this is a renovation gone wrong from the get-go. Stucco, in particular, is a difficult material to work with, and you really need to know what you’re doing.

@greenscenehome

Porch addition is literally coming apart at the seams. #homeinspectionfinds #askahomeinspector #renovationfail #dallasrealestate #stucco

♬ original sound – Green Scene Home Inspections – Green Scene Home Inspections

Bathroom Surprises

Don’t get me wrong, I like busting out a sledgehammer and knocking down walls as much as the next guy, and I’m all for making a bathroom bigger but, if you’re going to take down a wall and merge two smaller bathrooms, maybe …

It’s hard to understand what the ultimate goal is here. Watch for the doors in the background.

@greenscenehome

Another weird renovation – dual toilets! Looks like a knocked out wall and an unfinished bathroom expansion. #homeinspectionfinds #askahomeinspector #renovation

♬ original sound – Green Scene Home Inspections

Masking Tape to The Rescue

Again with the tape. This is supposed to be a roof DWV pipe or a part of a drain-waste-vent. That is basically a pipe vent that connects to the plumbing in your bathroom. It’s job is to feed air into the system to keep the wastewater moving. Here, the pipes have been removed during renovation, and some clever so-and-so covered up that hole with masking tape. You know, to keep out water and critters and such.

The moral of the story? A tasteful, thoughtful renovation can add value and enjoyment to your home, but when you get it wrong, you pay for it. If you’re purchasing a recently renovated or flipped home, make sure you have a home inspection. If you’re concerned about a renovation, you can ask a home inspector to check it out.