Should I buy this apartment? (flood issue?)

I would not rely on a seller’s statement that they have the wrong check valve in place.  Why haven’t they fixed the problem yet?  Maybe they have been chasing an answer to solve the water problem for some time and have not found a solution.  Do you want to be doing the same thing?

JohnGromkoski

in Plumbers and Plumbing 13 years and 4 months ago

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jnjnjnjn | 13 years and 4 months ago

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Hi–I am considering an apartment which is perfect for us in every way, except that it has undergone flooding after heavy rains 4 times in past 6 years. It is slightly below grade (similar to a garden apartment). There is a drain just outside the entry door. The owners say they have learned they haven’t got the correct check valve in place, and will replace it before the sale. Is this enough assurance, or should I pass? (My history includes a giant flood from the Gowanus years ago in a ground floor rental–awful experience, and I am sensitive to flood issues.) Obviously I’d get an engineer before finalizing a sale, but don’t want to spend time and money moving ahead if I have a clear “no” already. What do you think? Thanks for your wisdom on this, brownstoners.

ejalbk | 13 years and 4 months ago

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It is possible the flooding problem can be fixed, but do not assume that a new check valve will solve the problem. At the very least, the sellers should replace the check valve immediately and you should go there during the next tortrential rain and see what is happening. The fact that they haven’t done this already seems suspicious to me. Also, has the place been tested for mold/mildew?

greenmountain | 13 years and 4 months ago

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The price has to be right and you have to understand exacly why it floods and if the seller’s solution is realistic, what else can be done, etc.  After Irene, I was called to a lot of houses with miner flood and exterior wall/roof leaks.  Home owners were surpised.  Many properties have living spaces never intended when originally built.  It appears likely climate change will continue to increase extreme weather in our area.

jnjnjnjn | 13 years and 4 months ago

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OP here. You both make good points, thanks. It is clearly NOT moldy/mildewy; I’m a good judge of that–though I’d defer to an engineer before a sale. They have put in new flooring, which makes me wonder what the old flooring looked like. I guess I am getting a caveat emptor feeling here. Thanks for your comments.

slopemope | 13 years and 4 months ago

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yes, i would never take a sellers word for what they think is happening.  previous owner to our place thought they had taken care of water issues, and even spent a pretty penny doing work (not to mention replacing floors down there a few times).  But nope – they didn’t get it.  You’ve got to see what is happening real time and that won’t be possible until you live there a few years and have to be at home watching while it happens.     BTW – a check valve isn’t necessarily going to do anything for the hundreds of gallons (or thousands in a deluge) of water gushing into your main drain (from your roof gutters / backyard drains) while the check valve is closed due to city street sewer being overwhelmed. In fact, its quite convenient to say its a check valve intil you think about the whole situation.  there is still massive water coming into your house from the gutters / backyard drain!  How does your house deal with that incoming overflow – and is that even possible if you get 2000 gallons in 30 minutes (it happens).  It is not legal to divert or pump that rainwater to the backyard but people do it – so you would want to see if people in your backyard are doing this because the ground couldn’t necessarily handle all that water either.     Water is not an easy issue, so beware if that’s your only apt and not some floor you can vacate while you troubleshoot it for a few years.  Caveat emptor indeed.

Augustiner | 13 years and 4 months ago

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No, unless it is 80.000 off the comparable price, which you will need to fix the problem. Whatever a seller says he is going to do is irrelevant. You will not be able to find out if it works. If it was easy to resolve he would have done it before putting it on the market. Water in the basement is hardly a temporary issue