Structural is the word that ends every other conversation.
Sagging floors, a failing roof structure, a wall that is no longer plumb. Retail buyers and their lenders treat it as a hard stop. We treat it as a line item.
Tell us how badWhat we mean by structural
Failed or undersized framing, rotted sill plates, a compromised load bearing wall someone removed without a header, roof structure sagging between rafters, or settlement severe enough to be pulling the building apart.
It is different from cosmetic damage in that it affects whether the building stands, which is why every party in a normal transaction backs away from it.
Engineer letters cut both ways
A structural engineer's report is the only document that carries weight here. Sometimes it says the movement is historic and stable, which is worth real money to you. Sometimes it says the opposite.
If you have one, send it either way. Uncertainty costs you more than bad news does, because we price unknowns conservatively and a report replaces a guess with a fact.
When the answer is the land
Some houses are past saving. When the cost to make a structure sound exceeds what the finished house would be worth, what we are really buying is the lot, minus demolition.
That is still a real number and often better than what an owner expects. We will say plainly when that is the situation rather than presenting a house price for something that is not a house.
Five questions. That is the whole thing.
We already know your situation from this page. Change it if it does not fit.
Question 1 of 5
What people ask about this
Do you buy partially collapsed buildings?
Yes, though at that point the value is usually in the land. Demolition cost comes off the number.
Someone removed a load bearing wall without a permit. Is that fixable?
Usually, with proper beam and post work. Unpermitted structural changes also create a permit history problem we would handle after closing.
Will you need an engineer before making an offer?
Usually not for an initial number. For a large or unusual property we sometimes want one, and we pay for it.
Often it is more than one thing at once
Tell us how bad.
No cost, no obligation, and nobody shows up at your door unless you ask them to.