You are correct. Depending on the problem, it could become very expensive to repair plumbing, electrical, and heating/cooling duct work. Pay now or pay later, but you're going to pay. You need to factor that into the price you offer for the house.
House on slab plumbing question
Looking at a house to buy and found one that was built around 1980 on a slab. No plumbing access or craw space whatsoever. Never really heard about this type of build before.
Mu concern is what happens if you have major issues ? Even the sink and bathrooms go under the house and one would never be able to work on breaks of clogs ?
Looking for any opinions on this as I am guessing that you would need to dig up the floor of the living room or kitchen to get to the problem ? Is this a concern ?
Hoping a plumber or current owner could share some light to my concern.
Mu concern is what happens if you have major issues ? Even the sink and bathrooms go under the house and one would never be able to work on breaks of clogs ?
Looking for any opinions on this as I am guessing that you would need to dig up the floor of the living room or kitchen to get to the problem ? Is this a concern ?
Hoping a plumber or current owner could share some light to my concern.
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slabs are the norm in some areas. i lived in levittown and every house in my price range there had a slab. i shopped for a while and finally found one with a basement. i personally don't like the idea of a slab for the reasons you mentioned as well as the storage space or space for things like furnace hw heater, etc. that said, basements can be a pain in the neck. i dropped 2k on a french drain to keep mine dry.
Slab construction is pretty much the norm for most houses in the deep south. I don't know of too many places that have had problems yet but suspect that some do.
If the plumbing was done by someone reputable, it should hold up well.
If the plumbing was done by someone reputable, it should hold up well.
Thanks for the input by all, I knew I was asking at the right place for advise!
Hunterisme said:Thanks for the input by all, I knew I was asking at the right place for advise!
SHHHHHHHHHHH dont be saying that to loud down here. These guys heads will swell up they wont be able to get in the door.
My Wife and I bought a house in 2000 that was built on a Concrete Slab.
When we bought it, in the disclosure it was said that Kitchen Sink and Laundry Room drain, drained SLOWLY and since both fed into the same pipe drain, you could not use the washing machine and kitchen sink at the same time.
Well in 2004, we experienced a MAJOR Slow Draining of that pipe, I ran Drano down it a few times, didn't seem to help, so 1 day I was in Home Depot and a guy suggested some Really Strong Acid for cleaning drain pipes. used that, Still had a problem so we called in a Plumber. Ended up the house was built in the 50s, they built it on a concrete slab due to the water table being so close to the surface, 5 houses on the street were the same make on concrete slabs.
The pipe they used to run from the laundry room out under the living room and into the bathroom connecting to the bath tub had Cracked and Collapsed dead center in the middle of the living room, creating the water to drain but drain VERY SLOOOOOOWLY.
We had a few choices, ALL were Very High Priced!
A few friends offered to help me cut the floor up in the living room and fix the pipe.
We decided to run a 55 gallon drum to drain the washing machine and kitchen sink into it and use a sub pump to pump the water to the bath tub.
When we sold it in 2008, we Told the people that were buying it Exactly what was wrong. the Guy said it wasn't a problem, he had a friend that did plumbing and could fix it easily.
They ended up having some sort of sleeve put in!
I will NEVER Own a House again that is built on a Concrete Slab!!!
And I will tell you just like I told others.
DON'T Even think of buying 1!!
The plumbing is IN the Concrete and if something goes Wrong, your Ripping the concrete floor up to get to the pies to fix them, it is NOT Cheap!!!
When we bought it, in the disclosure it was said that Kitchen Sink and Laundry Room drain, drained SLOWLY and since both fed into the same pipe drain, you could not use the washing machine and kitchen sink at the same time.
Well in 2004, we experienced a MAJOR Slow Draining of that pipe, I ran Drano down it a few times, didn't seem to help, so 1 day I was in Home Depot and a guy suggested some Really Strong Acid for cleaning drain pipes. used that, Still had a problem so we called in a Plumber. Ended up the house was built in the 50s, they built it on a concrete slab due to the water table being so close to the surface, 5 houses on the street were the same make on concrete slabs.
The pipe they used to run from the laundry room out under the living room and into the bathroom connecting to the bath tub had Cracked and Collapsed dead center in the middle of the living room, creating the water to drain but drain VERY SLOOOOOOWLY.
We had a few choices, ALL were Very High Priced!
A few friends offered to help me cut the floor up in the living room and fix the pipe.
We decided to run a 55 gallon drum to drain the washing machine and kitchen sink into it and use a sub pump to pump the water to the bath tub.
When we sold it in 2008, we Told the people that were buying it Exactly what was wrong. the Guy said it wasn't a problem, he had a friend that did plumbing and could fix it easily.
They ended up having some sort of sleeve put in!
I will NEVER Own a House again that is built on a Concrete Slab!!!
And I will tell you just like I told others.
DON'T Even think of buying 1!!
The plumbing is IN the Concrete and if something goes Wrong, your Ripping the concrete floor up to get to the pies to fix them, it is NOT Cheap!!!
That was my fear from the start. Didn't understand why anyone would think it was a bright idea to have the main drainage go under the slab unless you didnt have the land space to run along the house. Appreciate the details and am sharing with my wife.
i have a split level and had to replace a rotted pipe from the kitchen to laundy main feed. it cost me 70 bucks with too rental and 7 hours of work, that included going for a load of fill dirt.
but since that house was built in 80 id imagine the pipe used were better than the 50's , i wouldnt worry to much about it.
but since that house was built in 80 id imagine the pipe used were better than the 50's , i wouldnt worry to much about it.
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
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