# Buyer wants to "inspect the perimeter drains"?



## Jimmyrigconstruction (Jan 22, 2015)

Hello again, 

We just accepted an offer on our home and are now waiting for conditions to be met. Our Buyer's realtor noted that the buyers will likely scope the perimeter drains as part of the home inspection. 

The home has original drainage (50 years old now), but it has never caused us any problems. I did get an inspection of my own and the company said we should simply do a $2000 "drain flush." 

Has anyone else had any experiences with a drainage inspection when buying/selling a house?

Jim


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## newfoundlander61 (Feb 6, 2011)

No, never have done one or ever had anyone ask. Potential buyer may have had a problem with their last property at some point and are a little cautious maybe. Odd request for sure.


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## Mortgage u/w (Feb 6, 2014)

If you got an inspection done already, what is the concern? And why does the buyer want to perform another one? 
In my opinion, I think they are trying to find ways to renegotiate the price.....redoing the drain is costly and almost always faulty when 50 years+. If you never had issues, do not get bullyed into dropping the price. If you have water issues/infiltrations, basement is humid or musty, then they would have a logical reason to be concerned.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

In such cases I let the buyer inspect anything he wants (non destructive) at his own expense. I make no claims and make no guarantees except what I can prove, for example, if I have a bill for servicing the furnace and A/C I will hand over a copy as evidence that they are in good working order but, make no guarantees they will stay that way.

Let the buyer satisfy himself on such points. I never conceal or sugar coat anything. Surprisingly, this has never stopped anyone from buying a house from me. But it has saved me when they got all shirty afterwards.

I find this works best. They can get hincky if they think you are concealing something or covering up. But if you tell them to go ahead and look, or bring in their inspector, they relax. Surprisingly, half the time they don't even bother looking.

If they say something like "what guarantee do I have the plumbing won't go on the fritz?" I say "I am not a plumber and I don't know anything about it. If you want to have a licensed home inspector or plumber look at it, it's fine by me but I can't guarantee anything". This usually satisfies them.

In a few cases they back off and cancel the deal but it is for some bullshit reason, in other words they wanted out and the plumbing was the excuse. The real reason was the bank wouldn't give them the money, or their mother in law didn't like the flower beds or some such.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

There is a chance the "drain flush" is bullshit too. Or, the guy who did the inspection is drumming up business for the drain company.

In that case I would keep it to myself. Or, if the buyer got an inspection and beefed about it I might offer to give them a rebate of $500 to help pay for the "drain flush". After all it is for his benefit. A good way to do this is to put a clause in the contract that you will flush the drain or give a $500 rebate on closing, of course you don't do the drain flush just give them the $500 bucks.

This works every time. If the buyer wants the property they won't let it go for a thing like that. On the other hand if they change their mind they will use any excuse to get out of the deal. So don't take these things too seriously.


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