FHA Crawl Space Requirements 9519-A Form

[FeeSimple]

I inspected an 1896 one story with partial basement/partial crawl space house.


The requirements for the crawl space to meet FHA standards are here:
"http://www.HUD.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/ref/sfhp1-25.cfm"

The main level of the house is about 912 sq ft, the basement is about 300 square feet, with the remaining below grade area being crawl space. This crawl space is poorly accessible and a 9 x 25 section of it is only about 12" deep. Not meeting the recommended 18" by FHA, and the remaining crawl space area is only accessible through a 12" x 20" hole (this appears to have been because years ago someone took some rock and mortar and bridged in area of the crawlspace to help support the foundation.


Now, this house has extensive remodeling, and is now being resold, FHA requires two appraisals OR, the lender has chosen to have an FHA fee inspector come out and inspect the property, prior to me doing my appraisal.

The fee inspector mentioned nothing about the crawl space.

**The fee inspector provided them with a completed form 9519-A. A one page 33 question property inspection form from HUD, which doesn't even mention crawl spaces, in fact, question 5 on the form is "Is the lawn cut?".

I will disclose my findings of the house within my report and mention that under these circumstances it may not meet FHA requirements and cite my sources and let the underwriter decide what to do with it. It just seems stupid that something this blatant isnt on an FHA form..

 

[Mr Rex]

The 18" clearance is only a recommendation. There has to be adequate access for maintanance, so what is located in this area of the crawlspace that requires maintenace? There is a local termite guy that can access a house through a foundation vent (roughly 8 x 16). I've seen him do it.

 

[CANative]

Keep in mind that ML2005-48 included a revised valuation protocol which changes some requirements in the 4150.2. Like crawl spaces.

Crawl Space
• Mark this box if any part of the foundation system has crawl space.
• Access to the space should be clear. Examine the crawl space for inadequate access (minimum entry of the head and shoulders).
• Check the distance from the bottom of floor joists to ground. Space should be adequate for maintenance and repair. A minimum distance of 18 inches from the ground to the bottom of the joists is highly recommended but not mandated.

 

[FeeSimple]

Not mandated.. sounds like a good thing to get called on from a review appraiser.

 

[Mr Rex]

A quick review of that ML reveals that debris in the crawl space is no longer an issue. I would imagine the crawl space depth is still required, it makes sense to me. I see no information otherwise (thats why I'm here, hah).

Thanks for the reply though...

Did you miss this: highly recommended but not mandated. Its from the revised Appendix D, it sounds like a FHA refresher is in order.

 

[CANative]

Rex... are you talking to yourself (again) or did you make up that quote?

 

[Couch Potato]

What? No posts with snarky comments from licensed appraisers? Maybe they have finally calmed down.

These days FHA is not uptight about the properties on which they lend. Unless something about the house makes you fear for your life during the inspection, FHA will pretty much let it go. I'm not saying that is how it should be, just how it is.