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Found a 1920 bungalow for $22k in Gary, Indiana, but the roof is shot. Do I fix it or run?
I put in an offer on a 900 sq ft place last week and the inspector said the roof has maybe one more winter before it starts leaking into the attic. Half the people I talk to say slap some tarps on it and ride it out, the other half say a new roof is $8k I will never get back on a house this cheap. What would you do if you were me?
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vera_lewis7d ago
Maybe one more winter" is inspector talk for "I can't promise anything but it looks okay from here." Those guys cover themselves because they don't want to get sued, so they always give you the worst case. A 900 sq ft roof is small, like 12 or 13 squares, and that 8k number sounds like a full tear off with fancy shingles. On a cheap house you can do a layover or just patch the bad spots for way less. Get a couple actual roofers up there before you panic, they'll tell you the truth in five minutes for free. If it's just worn shingles and no soft spots in the deck, tarps plus a patch might buy you years. But walk the attic yourself and look for stains, because the inspector isn't the one paying for this place.
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