M
mcboss
Guest
I bought a single family ranch style house in Colorado in 1998. I recently had three general contractors look at the house for an estimate on new work I want done. All three contractors expressed concern over the prior work done in my basement. They all claimed it was not up to code and probably was done without a permit. They were all hesitant to do the new work I wanted done. They fear the city may require the basement be brought up to code when they submit a new permit for their work. This would be a significant additional cost.
The four issues in question are:
First, two bedrooms in the basement are too small to be considered bedrooms and the house should not have been sold as a four bedroom house.
Second, is that there aren't enough recessed windows to provide escape incase of fire.
Third, the bathroom does not have ventalation.
Fourth, the floor is not a floating floor which in the future may cause structural damage.
Based on the severity of some of the issues, whose responsibility was it to disclose this information? I beleive I should have been made aware that the basement was finished without a permit and possibly not to code prior to my purchase. It certainly would have made a difference to me. I beleive the inspector should have reconized these issues when he did his inspection? Also, the seller or their realator should be liable to disclose this type of inforamtion?
I will obviously have to bring the basement up to code now or when I decide to sell. What are my options now for financial assistance to bring the basement up to code?
The four issues in question are:
First, two bedrooms in the basement are too small to be considered bedrooms and the house should not have been sold as a four bedroom house.
Second, is that there aren't enough recessed windows to provide escape incase of fire.
Third, the bathroom does not have ventalation.
Fourth, the floor is not a floating floor which in the future may cause structural damage.
Based on the severity of some of the issues, whose responsibility was it to disclose this information? I beleive I should have been made aware that the basement was finished without a permit and possibly not to code prior to my purchase. It certainly would have made a difference to me. I beleive the inspector should have reconized these issues when he did his inspection? Also, the seller or their realator should be liable to disclose this type of inforamtion?
I will obviously have to bring the basement up to code now or when I decide to sell. What are my options now for financial assistance to bring the basement up to code?