"Typical Beach Home Issues, from the Ground Up" - by John VanderMyde, N.C.G.C.
After you've found a house you like, but before paying for a home inspection, it might be worth your time to look for some basic maintenance issues affecting many homes as the beach.
In this first post, I'm going to address what to look for on the ground level.
First, start by walking around the exterior, looking where the house meets the ground. There should be no siding or untreated wood in contact with the ground - if there is, you can bet on termites. Look at the edge of the slab - it should be visible all the way around the house. Look closely for "mud tubes" - any dirt on the slab might be a termite highway to the tasty untreated wood. Termites must return to the ground for moisture, and they hate sunlight, so making sure they have no way to get to their woody snacks will ensure the house is termite free.
Second, "blown out" slabs are a common problem - look for wind erosion around the corners of the house - if the slab has been undermined, it's an easy fix early, but will quickly become a major problem if allowed to continue.
Many well built homes will have some kind of river rock around the edge of the slab - this is the best defense against both termites and wind erosion.
On homes built over a crawl space with no slab, find the access and smell underneath as soon as you open it - if it's "musty" - there may be a moisture issue. Look at how the house sits - does the ground slope away on all sides, or is there a low spot underneath where water might collect during heavy rains?
Use a flashlight to inspect the insulation and duct work - it's very easy for both to get water logged if the crawlspace does not stay completely dry.
Next post - what to look for on the first level.
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