<p>How does one even come up with numbers for re-negotiating after the home inspection reveals that the heating system has not been maintained, has corrosion and leaks etc. This is an apartment in a 100 year old building, and each apartment has its own hot water system inside of a closet off the kitchen. The unit provides hot water as well as baseboard heat. It was off before inspection, and upon turning it on, a small drip started onto the floor. The unit is definitely over 20 years old.</p>
<p>Also, the fact that it resides inside a small concrete walled closet with no exterior air source for combustion air—is this a potential carbon monoxide hazard?</p>
<p>How does one even come up with remedial action and costs. Better to negotiate a credit or a repair?</p>
<p>How about either asking for the system to be repaired or getting bids and agreeing on a price adjustment for the repairs?</p>
<p>If you let the owner do the repairs your risk is that they take the lowest bid cut some corners which do not show on the subsequent inspection. If you do the repairs you have the hassle of getting multiple contractors in for a bid plus the risk that once they begin the work they discover new repairs to add to the list. You have to choose the issue you feel more comfortable dealing with.</p>
<p>If you still want the unit, and your purchase contract was subject to inspection, I’d find out how much it would cost to repair any and ALL defective pieces of equipment, and reduce your offering price by that amount, before signing off. And you should require the seller to buy a transferable 3 year maintenance insurance policy for the property. The fact that the Hot H2O system leaked when turned on suggests that there are likely to be other problems.</p>
<p>Well it was a full home inspection, but in a 108 year old building, who knows? The seller did a quick kitchen remodel and put in all new windows, but the workmanship is not quality, obviously.
Several outlets in the kitchen are not GFCI
Other older outlets are not grounded
The thermostat buttons don’t work consistently
The dishwasher discharge hose is not properly installed
Windows are improperly caulked on the outside, also they are not “shimmed” right
Inspector also recommends exterior air source for combustion air around heater. How on earth does one do that when the unit is inside of a tiny internal closet off the kitchen…
ugh</p>
<p>That list would send me looking for something else. If this was reasonably priced…you now know why.</p>
<p>Is this a coop or condo? If so, you should be given records on the general building maintenance and health of the condo association’s finances. </p>
<p>I’m surprised one unit owner was allowed to replace windows.</p>
<p>Well there is something colloquially called “fan in a can” for your heater issue. You’ll have to run a duct somewhere - if it’s adjacent to the kitchen maybe in soffits above your kitchen cabinets. Best bet is to get a contractor to give you a quote so you know how much the repairs will cost.</p>
<p>Agree that there are a lot of red flags here. Perhaps rather than renegotiate the price and find that you are living in the money pit (or that your lender wont approve the loan with all these risk factors) why dont you just put it on the seller to fix all these identified issues and then have it reinspected afterwards?</p>