Your average homeowner would not know polybutylene pipes from any other type of plastic plumbing. The damage occurs along the internal pipe walls. In this case, some buyers might demand you to replace the existing polybutylene pipes, and some might ask for a reduction in price so they can re-pipe the home after theyve bought it. Messages sent using the form on this site, go directly to our email, which we check regularly. 4. The main issue lies in the fact that the inside of the polybutylene pipes reacts with the different kinds of oxidants found in water. If they have not failed yet, thats hardly an endorsement of their condition. I think you are correct to worry about it, and if she has those pipes in her house she's in denial that it won't impact her ability to sell at some point or cause her expensive repairs. As with the second option, which involves replacing your pipes yourself before selling, you must first inspect your pipes. Eventually, this could make them liable for lawsuits from their buyer. I just bought a house in N.C. and I spent $425 on the home and pest inspection and another $275 on the septic inspection, which included draining the tank and doing a camera inspection. 1991 - document.getElementById('copy-current-year').appendChild(document.createTextNode(new Date().getFullYear())). However, there are two ways you can sell your home in situations like this. Check our price for ateam inspection by two FL-licensed contractors and inspectors. PB-1 combines typical characteristics of conventional polyolefins with certain properties of technical polymers. However, polybutylene pipes have since proven too fragile to withstand chemicals found in the public water supply. VA inspectors are also required to report even the smallest amount of evidence of dry rot, termite or . However, these small leaks will eventually deteriorate the area surrounding them and, over time, will cause a great deal of damage regardless of the size of the leakage. How can I tell if I have cast iron pipes in my house? Can You Get Home Insurance With Polybutylene Pipes? Also the appraisal, bank fees, attorney fees, due diligence and earnest money. Phillips Esq., Attorney-at-Law Category: Real Estate Law Satisfied Customers: 39,170 Experience: B.A. After that, building codes around the country no longer allowed the use of polybutylene pipes in new construction. Copyright. People looking to buy a new house and who work with brokers will be looking at several properties that preferably dont have these kinds of pipes. As weve mentioned, the uncertainty of buying a home that has polybutylene pipes creates a scary situation for most homebuyers. You dont have to wait to find out if your home appraised successfully or if the lender will even accept your property. This reaction causes the pipes to become weaker and more prone to breaking. Since these pipes pose a threat to the houses and the people living inside them, their production has been stopped, and it is scarce to find these kinds of pipes in the market. Most states have stricter . These variables . Many of them specifically require you to disclose whether or not you are aware of polybutylene piping on your property. We're also wondering if they made a past claim to the small claims settlement--that would prove they knew. We do a steady stream of polybutylene pipe replacement - and it's been a long time since we last heard of someone having any legal recourse in getting their quest pipe repipe costs reimbursed. What is the difference between water service pipe and water supply pipe? If you have time to sell but you dont have the funds to make the needed repairs, you will probably want to consider selling to an investor. We repipe both residential homes and multi-family complexes. These pipes get weaker from the inside due to chemicals added to the municipal water supply. Code requirements cited may have been changed in a newer code edition, or may not yet be adopted in your area. We are a national platform connecting homeowners looking to sell their house fast and for cash with real estate investors willing to help them. Can I Sell My House with a Property, State or IRS Tax Lien? If you have both the money and the time to make repairs and market your home to the general public, that could be your best choice. May be stamped "PB2110". Generally speaking however, we know insurance coverage for homes with poly piping has been a headache for many homeowners. Furthermore, even if your poly pipes never leak, its presence will unfortunatelyimpact your home value and may affect yourhomeowners' insurance policy. E & L Insurance Services, Inc. All rights reserved. a professional plumber will charge between $150 and $500. Mortgage lenders will not lend money on a property based on its estimated value that the house will have after repairs are made by the new owner. Even home inspectors cant tell you how far along the damage has progressed. . Mold remediation - aside from the health risks associated with living in a moldy home - is intrusive and very expensive. I emailed our Realtor and she never responded. Therefore, having knowledge about polybutylene pipes and ensuring that you appropriately deal with them is very important. Therefore, it is essential to keep this in mind before buying a house with polybutylene pipes. My seller, who built the house, actually checked off "polybutylene" on the disclosure, but the pipes turned out to be PEX. Remember, you cant tell what the inside of the pipe looks like. More information about the settlement is available at www.SpencerClass.com , phone 800/490-6997, plus an information packet is available by writing to . The seller may not want to take the home off the market to have the work done, which includes ripping out a lot of drywall, and there are a lot of properties with this kind of problem. Either copper pipe or PEX tubing are suitable repipe materials, but we find the vast majority of our customers replace their poly pipes with PEX tubing. However, copper pipes are exceptionally durable and, thus, will last a long time if you use these to replace fragile polybutylene pipes. McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of, site-built, mobile/manfuactured and modular homes. They were often sold under the brand name Quest, and can be referred to with a variety of terms; including PB, PB-1, poly-pipes, or poly-b pipe. even obtaining homeowners insurance even if the pipes don't cause any problems because there is such a stigma against these particular pipes. However, the seller must be truthful if asked, unless state law allows them to say that they don't wish to answer. Privacy Policy. The majority of polybutylene plumbing installed is still installed and working fine. What you are complaining about is the process working. Here's what the law requires on a seller's disclosure in Wyoming. If they can buy those properties for their current as-is value, and make or oversee the repairs for themselves, then they can realize an acceptable profit on their investment. Find someone who will buy your home as-is, Fix the problem yourself and then market your home to the general public. Your second choice would be to replace any polybutylene pipes in your property and sell it the traditional way. Here are some facts you should note: (1) a broker was sued in Virginia for not disclosing the fact that a home had polybutylene plumbing, (2) a property management firm is being sued for non-disclosure in the condo resale certificates, and (3) an inspection company was sued for failing to disclose poly in a hotel property. We completed all our inspections (structural, septic, water, pest, home), the bank ordered the appraisal, the Realtor hired the attorney. Polybutylene pipes were manufactured from 1978 - 1995. Do the current homeowners have insurance? and our They need to have the necessary financial strength and a good track record of closing as agreed. Even though polybutylene pipes are safe for drinking water, they will fail over time. That buyer will probably want to negotiate the asking price and reduce it because they have to replace the plumbing, costing them extra money. Can galvanized steel pipe still be used for new water lines in a house? It was particularly widely used in the sunbelt states. In short -it didn't work. However, many insurance companies do not cover the damages caused to homes due to natural disasters or fires with polybutylene pipes. After all, they are so tiny. Of course, only specific insurance companies can answer that question, for your specific circumstances. The most significant historical litigation was the Cox v. Shell Oil class-action lawsuit, culminating in close to a billion dollar settlement in 1995, being paid out to thousands of homeowners over subsequent years. Because polybutylene pipes will fail, it's just a matter of when it will happen. However, in some states, residential property disclosure forms have to be utilized when selling their home. Since every individuals situation is unique, a qualified professional should be consulted before making financial decisions. The property will have to be fixed before closing if a mortgage is involved. Are plastic pipes (PVC, CPVC, and PEX) safe for drinking water? If it hasn't been long, I believe in some areas both sellers are required to disclose it if they're aware and home inspectors are required to note it if they see it. The problem became so widespread and the damages so severe that many insurance companies will refuse to issue a homeowners policy to a home with polybutylene pipes in place, or may write the policy to exclude any damage resulting from failure. Click here for more information. Interview several and check their references. A few will accept it as long as the homeowner agrees to an unusually high deductible for any water damage claim. How does repiping a house work? lending If a seller does disclose square footage, it has to be accurate but there's no obligation for a seller to make the information public. However, being a seller, you should disclose all the necessary information about the house, including polybutylene pipes. If you find a vendor who was previously in the house and alerted them to the fact that the pipes needed to be replaced you have proof. Can You Sell a House with Polybutylene Pipes? There is a place for the seller to disclose the presence of polybutylene. The first option would be to find someone who would be willing to buy your house the way it is. However, other options are available, such as CPVC pipes and copper pipes. However, if you know you have poly plumbing - you will most likely need to disclose that fact. Here at Repipe Specialists, ourrepiping services utilize only made-in-the-USA high quality copper (Grade L) or Uponor PEX tubing. Some investors are called house flippers. Some forums can only be seen by registered members. Polybutylene is a type of plastic resin. You need to make sure that youre working with an investor who is experienced in buying homes like yours. To maximize the value you get from the sale of your property to an investor, consider requesting a cash offer from HouseCashin. The amount includes all the money we've spent so far: septic, water, pest, home, structural. 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