I am looking at purchasing my first home and I have to say it can be a daunting task.

I finally found the home I thought was going to work out; that is until I went into the cellar.

Essentially the cellar is low about 5 feet and since it was built around the 1900s it is stone and concrete (mortar?). My concern is, as you can see in the pictures, there are spots on the floor that seem to have a little moisture. My dad said I should be very leary of purchasing a house like this because there could be a significant mold exposure later on. Should I have an engineer check it or? Do people run into problems with a floor that is dirt and not concrete?

I'm curious if anyone knows if there might be a way to "fix" the walls or if this is not quite a smart investment given the basement. Other than that, the house was completely gutted and redone which makes it very annoying that I went in the cellar and noticed what I did. Then again, it's better to know what I'm dealing with before it's mine!

mike

Pic #1 - Corner of house next to cellar entrance
http://www.blue-eyedesign.com/basement_pics/image001.jpg

Pic #2 - Remodeled exterior of house
http://www.blue-eyedesign.com/basement_pics/image002.jpg

Pic #3 - Cellar entrance (no in house entrance)
http://www.blue-eyedesign.com/basement_pics/image003.jpg

Pic #4 - Front corner of cellar
http://www.blue-eyedesign.com/basement_pics/image004.jpg

Pic #5 - Side wall of cellar near heating system
http://www.blue-eyedesign.com/basement_pics/image005.jpg

Pic #6 - Entrance into cellar (smaller room before main cellar area)
http://www.blue-eyedesign.com/basement_pics/image006.jpg

Mike,
I inspect homes like the one in the pictures on a weekly basis and rarely have anything positive to say about them.

Although I cannot be sure without an in-person inspection, it would seem that you already have mold in your basement.

Another issue when dealing with dirt floors is Radon.

Water will always seek the path of least resistance, so you may be in for one heck of a time trying to fix your leaking areas.

I would suggest you look further and walk away from this potentially dangerous situation.

I never like to make statements without a personal inspection, but your photos are very good and you have so many negative factors.

Your father is a wise man...move on.

Best of luck finding your first home. I commend you for taking the time to write your questions in this forum. There are a lot of good people here willing to help.

Thanks so much for your comments. It's tough waiting for an answer sometimes especially since it seems this was the slowest of all the forums that I posted on. It's always fantastic to get first hand knowledge from those that have the experience. I really need comments like yours to help me get past my "yeah but it looks so good" and "the price is right" syndrome. If I decide to go any farther I will be sure to get an inspection. Thanks again for your comments.