Buying a house with work that wasn't permitted

<p>Actually coralbrook, I fear this house will end up in my lap at some point, whether I want it or not. No permits ever, most of the work done 40-50 years ago. The basement was dug… I helped. It was very painstaking workmanship, but still…</p>

<p>Sometimes there are the strangest things over the years.
We have an attic that is not living space, never has been.
But last year a pipe running through the attic, froze and burst. Making a bit of a mess.
Apparently the pipe ran water that was heated at one time by the wood stove in the kitchen.
When that was removed, the pipe was capped at one end, but left there.
After it froze, H removed it. Funny though that we had lived here 30 years and that was the first problem with it.</p>