VA drainage problem

[Lycabull]

I always call experts "qualified experts" and let the lender sort them out.

Excellent advice Proactive. I guess I might refer to an exterior ground drainage expert as a "licensed landscaper." I'm pretty sure Whaw-jur from This Old House would know what to do.

To the OP, the MPRs are usually the deciding factor on whether or not to require an inspection or correction. Yes, any negative drainage has to be corrected.

How old is the house? It looks pretty new in the pictures. If it has been around a few years and the brown stains are from water being against the foundation, one would think there might be some signs of deferred maintenance to the interior? Maybe a tell-tale hairline crack in the foundation somewhere? It has been my experience that over time, water ALWAYS wins the war with concrete unless diligent maintenance prevents it.

I guess if all else fails, I would do the KISS test. Pour a bucket of water next to the house and see if it puddles against the foundation while it soaks into the ground or does it move away from the foundation? If the water puddles next to the house, the MPRs from the VA Lender's Handbook already give you your answer as well as providing any needed cover for requiring the inspection and/or correction. If it moves away from the house, disclose what you saw (the stains) and move on. Unless water is puddling next to the foundation, I'd just recommend they hire an expert if they want more precise info about the cause of the stains.

It could be something as simple as iron content in the water.

Like someone used to tell me: "if appraising was easy, everyone would be doing it."

 

[Eli]

Built 2004.

 

[Eli]

An appraiser should recommend an inspection by an expert...not require it. Looks like there could be some simple fixes such as compacting the soil or adding something to the down spouts to move the water away from the foundation.

I am not sure I can go "as is" with a good conscience and just recommend an inspection by an expert and assume there are no problems. What do you think? The ground slope as well as the stains indicate a problem to me that seems like an MPR based on VA guidelines. The property has a few other deficiencies that I know are MPR items. I had a landscape expert do some bedding for me many years ago and he said the area where you plant shrubs up against the house should be higher than the gound outside the bed to prevent pooling of water against the house. Which way would you go? "as is" or "subject to gound slope repair" and inspection by an expert?

 

[Eli]

I'm not sure if I should word it "recommend an inspection". There are instances where you can perform subject to an inspection. I did a house that had water stains on the ceiling under a heating unit in the attic and they told me to do it subject to an hvac certification.

 

[Jim Onderisin]

I've made several appraisals subject to site drainage inspections by qualified parties. In two cases, it looked like there was negative drainage and the basement showed signs of prior seepage. In one case, there was no sign of interior moisture but it looked like there was negative drainage and there were partially-buried foundation sand bags.

The VA says negative drainage must be corrected. I state that in my report. Since I can't usually determine there is negative drainage with certainty and I don't know the best and most cost-effective ways to correct drainage, I make appraisal's subject to inspection under the extraordinary assumption the negative drainage does not warrant correction.

 

[Eli]

I've made several appraisals subject to site drainage inspections by qualified parties. In two cases, it looked like there was negative drainage and the basement showed signs of prior seepage. In one case, there was no sign of interior moisture but it looked like there was negative drainage and there were partially-buried foundation sand bags.

The VA says negative drainage must be corrected. I state that in my report. Since I can't usually determine there is negative drainage with certainty and I don't know the best and most cost-effective ways to correct drainage, I make appraisal's subject to inspection under the extraordinary assumption the negative drainage does not warrant correction.

Thanks Jim. That seems like the cleanest approach because I sure don't know much about drainage and therefore need to be careful about subject to any specific repairs. Do you think you could have done your assignments and "recommended an inspection" versus "subject to an inspection"? Sounds like you had more evidence pointing to a problem than I do. My assignment seems like one of those fine lines where I might be better off recommending versus a straight "subject to an inspection" but I am not sure. I know with VA, it matters which way you go depending on the circumstances. But the ground on that corner in the pictures does slope toward the foundation. Thats about all I know other than the stains, which I don't know much about either. "Recommend" or "straight subject to inspection"? that is the question?

 

[Jim Onderisin]

The VA REQUIRES negative drainage correction. They don't recommend it. If I notice what looks like negative drainage, I'm going to require, not recommend, an inspection. That's the reason I make the appraisal subject to that inspection.

In one case, the lender wanted me to do a compliance inspection for the negative drainage correction. Since I wasn't positive there was a problem in the first place, I wasn't about to inspect for compliance. I asked them to either obtain a certification letter from the qualified party who initially inspected. I did not change or add to the appraisal.

 

[Eli]

Jim, sounds like the right approach to me.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

You, as the appraiser, can recommend an inspection by someone qualified to do it. You can not require it. You can also require positive drainage away from the structure as a condition of your appraisal.

 

[Eli]

The VA REQUIRES negative drainage correction. They don't recommend it. If I notice what looks like negative drainage, I'm going to require, not recommend, an inspection. That's the reason I make the appraisal subject to that inspection.

In one case, the lender wanted me to do a compliance inspection for the negative drainage correction. Since I wasn't positive there was a problem in the first place, I wasn't about to inspect for compliance. I asked them to either obtain a certification letter from the qualified party who initially inspected. I did not change or add to the appraisal.

Jim, followed your protocol and NOV issued. Hopefully I'll get a final inspection for some other minor mpr's and be done. Thanks.:new_multi: