Electric, windows, roof, plumbing: Cost to maintain vs. ignore

When Douglas Elliman Real Estate broker Irene Rallis advises her clients buying homes, she suggests checking everything from windows to electrical wiring to air conditioning.

But anything involving water gets extra emphasis.

"Water is the kiss of death," she said. "Anything that is water-related must be addressed immediately."

Clients of hers in Munsey Park recently completed renovations to their basement and then it flooded, Rallis said. A thorough inspection would have shown that proper waterproofing was needed.

"They had to rip out the entire basement. The entire property had to be dug up outside, waterproofed, and a sump pump installed, and the property had to be re-graded," costing several thousand dollars, she said.

Knowing what to focus on when caring for a house is key to avoiding damaging incidents and costly repairs. Rallis and other experts advise homebuyers — especially first-time buyers — to hire an inspector and review a thorough checklist before closing a deal.

Water is a house's 'worst enemy'

Like Rallis, Phil DePaul sees firsthand that "water is always going to be a structure's worst enemy." He is CEO of BoomZeal Enterprises, which operates a collection of Long Island home improvement service companies.

His franchise, Islandia-based United Water Restoration Long Island, gets calls when homeowners need help with mitigation and remediation from water damage.

DePaul, 38, said to prevent water damage, start from the top of the house and work your way down.

Note the water lines on the roof, and follow the path. "How does it get to the ground? Is it leaking? Do you have gutters?"

Gutter downspouts can cause great water damage, he said.

"It just spouts water right against the foundation of your home," he noted. "You should extend the downspout at least 3 feet away from the house."

If a homeowner neglects maintenance on the outside, "when the water finds its way in, you're going to be all on your own to mitigate the damages," he said, because homeowner's insurance policies won't cover water coming from outside unless the owner has flood insurance.

If there is moisture in the basement, symptoms of water intrusion will be visible — moldy, discolored drywall or droopy paint with water marks and water stains, he said. On concrete foundation walls, mineral deposits can be seen. Applying a waterproofing agent to basement walls can help.

After extending downspouts, check if the yard's grade is away from the house. If not, soil should be redistributed to change the grade to flow away from the house.

DePaul said houses he works on range from small pipe leaks to a major water issues — and pricing varies.

For a wet basement, a $2,500 budget can pay for drying equipment and a treatment of an antimicrobial product to prevent mold. A $5,000 budget can mitigate water issues, while $10,000 can be used to make larger repairs.

"The variables are endless," he said.

The advice he gives to homeowners is "Use your senses, smell is a good indicator. If you see mold anywhere, that's obvious — water staining, water marks are an indication there may be an underlying issue," he said. "That doesn't mean run from the property but understand there may be an issue to address."

Rallis also suggested adding leaf covers to prevent leaves from clogging the gutters, rendering them useless in directing water. The cost ranges from a few hundred dollars for do-it-yourself gutter guards, to several thousand dollars for lifetime warranty products purchased from and installed by gutter filter companies.

Glenn Helder has been conducting home inspections for 15 years through his Huntington-based eponymous home inspection company. He also stressed the importance of ensuring gutter downspouts extend 3 feet from the foundation.

"You have a huge area of roof and 1 inch of rain, you get hundreds of gallons of water coming down," he said. "Over a 1,000-square-foot surface, do the math, it's a lot of water."

One of Helder's clients bought a $1.6 million house in Plainview, a 4,000-square-foot home that didn't have gutter leaders extending from the house.

He advised they add them. They didn't right away and they got water in the basement. Then, they added them.

"That's the big one that people ignore — once people get water in the house, they freak out, so they then take action," Helder said. "In a downpour, water is going to find its way in."

Basements may benefit from sump pumps, which can cost from several hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.

Something as simple as placing a dehumidifier in a damp basement can help keep it dry and only costs a few hundred dollars.

John Joyce, owner of Huntington Station-based John J. Contracting Corp. for almost 29 years, said when buying a house, knowing what to look for, from the roof, to windows, to plumbing to electrical, is key.

"It's important to find a good home inspector because a lot of them just write a report. You want a knowledgeable guy who knows a house in and out."

Other Areas to Invest In

Roof

The untrained eye can see curling shingles, shingles with rounded edges, lifted shingles or missing shingles.

"That's indicative of a roof that's failing and ready to be changed," Helder said.

Seeing a wavy roof means there's bad sheathing underneath that needs to be replaced, he noted.

Commonly used asphalt shingle roofs last up to 30 years and a 1,500-square-foot one can cost between $8,000 and $15,000.

But depending on materials — metal, terra cotta, fiberglass — the prices vary, as it does for large roofs.

Helders saw a slate roof on a 4,500 square roof in Garden City that cost $350,000.

If you need to buy time until you have the budget, you can patch areas to prevent or repair leaks, he said. Generally speaking, Joyce recommends patching if the roof is 10 years old or newer, but replacing if older.

"Not everyone has the money to replace a roof" so it all depends on the client, he said. Repairs start with a service fee between $100 and $400, plus labor and materials.

Bob and Jen Goess advise that if shingles are falling off or are in disrepair, the rest will need to be replaced soon afterward.

That doesn't apply to damage from a tree falling or a raccoon digging in it, which can be patched.

Their Lindenhurst-based company, Bob Goess Contracting, has been in business since 2016, while Bob grew up working for his father's construction company.

They give straightforward but important advice: "When looking at a home, you should always be looking at the bones, the mechanicals before looking at the pretty light fixtures and white shaker cabinets," Bob Goess said.

Boilers and water heaters

Bob Goess suggested asking the seller for all maintenance records for the house. That goes especially for boilers and water heaters and anything HVAC.

It's easy to know when boilers and water heaters are at the end of their life because there's a date of manufacturing.

Boilers work for about 15 to 20 years, while water heaters last 8-12 years, on average, and tankless water heaters can last 20 years.

For manufacturing dates, they're often listed as an actual date, like Jan. 3, 1999, but they can also be coded with a serial number, in which case the manufacturing detail can be looked up online.

Old hot water heaters can cause leaks and flooding. Replacing a tank unit can cost between $2,500 and $3,000, while a tankless heater can cost between $6,000 and $7,500.

Oil and gas boilers cost between $5,000 and $10,000 to replace.

Helders said it's wise to go both by age and condition. "If it's rotted and it's an old boiler and it looks old, budget for a new one," he said.

For air conditioning, Rallis pointed to the importance of keeping a home cool and dry, preventing mold in humid conditions.

Rallis suggests not only having a licensed professional inspect it, but having an annual service contract for routine maintenance.

Plumbing

One of the most common issues DePaul sees with his water restoration business is with plumbing. Whether it's a pipe that bursts, a valve that breaks, a toilet that backs up, or a fridge or dishwasher water line that breaks, there are signs or areas of weakness that a good inspector should be able to see and point out.

Plumber rates vary, but homeowners can expect to pay between $200 and $400 per hour for a licensed plumber to inspect their pipes. Whether one needs to be repaired or replaced and the cost of such varies, from $200 to repair a toilet drain, to $6,000 to replace a sewer line.

Just like one does due diligence with hiring a good contractor, hiring a good inspector is important.

Jen Goess advised if you still have questions after an inspection, hire another good contractor for a thorough look.

"Especially with [house] flippers, who dazzle you with cute fixtures. It looks good from far, but it's far from good," Jen Goess said. "You have to use your eyes as much as you can."

Windows

"Your biggest energy loss in the house is the windows," leading to higher heating and cooling bills, Helder said.

Vinyl windows that are 20-25 years old get foggy in the middle, start to warp, can't be opened or slam down, he said.

Bob Goess said to look for moisture buildup in between the glass and look for damage to the weatherstripping to know whether the windows need to be replaced.

Even holding your hand an inch from the window, feeling hot or cold air coming from outside will give a good indication.

Helder advises double-pane glass or better or single-pane with the storm windows.

"I'm a big fan of Andersen; I got 36 of them in my house, and they last 40-50 years."

Smaller windows cost between $500 and $2,000, Goess said. Larger windows and window packages cost more, up to $5,000 or more for a bay window.

If there's a bad window pane, it can be reglazed for between $200 and $300, but if water is getting in, the window should be replaced, Jen Goess said.

Joyce noted the pricing to replace just the window will be lower than if all the framing around it also must be replaced.

Electrical systems

As soon as you get in a home — or before closing — you should have all the wiring checked, Rallis suggests. It's also important to ensure there is proper amperage for any upgrades the owner may want to do to the home, like improving the kitchen and adding additional appliances.

Like any other repairs, buyers can try to negotiate with the seller to make repairs before the sale, or to lower the sale cost.

Helder said homeowners should hire an electrician to know if their electrical system has a ground wire, which allows electricity to run along that safe path if a circuit is shorted, tripping the circuit breaker or blowing a fuse, instead of causing a dangerous shock.

He commonly finds that many houses built before 1970 don't have ground wires.

"They don't need to always change it, but you have to know what you're dealing with," he said.

An outlet checker device can be purchased for about $20 at home-repair stores to see if the outlet is grounded.

Helder also sees some houses built in the late 1960s to mid-1970s have aluminum wiring. Aluminum has to be pigtailed, or bonded to copper, he said, and hiring an electrician with specific aluminum wiring knowledge is a must.

It's important for homeowners to make their needs known, because usage varies.

Regarding air conditioning and other major power-guzzling units, Bob Goess suggested making sure the house's electrical system has been upgraded to 200 amp, which costs $3,500 on average.

Joyce noted that smart homes with power-saving LED bulbs and other energy-saving tools may make an upgrade unnecessary. Paul Coppolino, CEO of John J. Contracting, noted that charging an electric vehicle every day may require a 400-amp upgrade.

Cesspools, septic tanks

Rallis recommends paying special attention to cesspools and septic tanks.

"This should be checked as soon as you move into a home," she said. "Have it cleaned out so you know that it is not full and/or may need to be replaced. A backup from a cesspool can lead to major damage," including system failure from overwhelmed, cracked pipes.

Bob Goess said ask for the maintenance records to know how often it has been serviced and hire a professional to do any work needed.

While there have been investments in new sewers in some areas, as of 2019, there were approximately 360,000 residential onsite sewage disposal systems in Suffolk County, including 250,000 cesspools.

Cesspools last 20 to 40 years and have been outlawed in new construction homes since 1973. If they fail, they must be replaced with new septic tanks, which treats the wastewater unlike cesspools, and cost up to $20,000.

Determining the age and type of these units, how full they are and when they need to be pumped isn't what every homeowner dreams of, but it's the dirty work that needs to be done.

Home buyers often "look quickly and see the beautiful bathroom and miss the bones of the house," Joyce said. It's important to be alert because "you're forever married to this thing and dumping money into it."