Dear Barry,
We’ve got a brand-new, two-story home with floors that squeak and groan. We’ve asked the builder to do something about it, but he says, “It’s normal.” Can you believe that? Our previous homes never had squeaky floors, so it’s not normal, and he needs to realize that. So first, how can we fix the squeaks and groans? And second, how can we fix a builder who refuses to take care of business? –Don
Dear Don,
Some builders have an unfortunate habit of saying, “Oh, that’s just normal,” whenever construction defects are pointed out. Doors that rub are normal; sinks that drain slowly are normal; heaters that don’t provide adequate warmth are normal; and so on. To these developers, eager (it would seem) to move on to the next project, the “normal” statement seems to be a default setting in their customer service programming. But squeaky floors in a new home are definitely not normal, and responsible builders correct the problem rather than making excuses.
Squeaky floors are trying to tell you something. They’re saying that the nails that hold the subfloor to the framing are not secure. These nails slide up and down in response to the weight of foot traffic. The solution is to roll back the carpets and install screws, rather than nails, along the entire framing layout. In rooms with floor coverings other than carpets, floors may need total replacement in order to make this kind of repair. This, of course, would be very costly for the builder. But that’s the price of doing business when construction defects occur.
If your builder is not willing to make the subfloors quiet and secure, file a complaint with the state agency that licenses contractors. And if you haven’t already done so, hire a professional home inspector to review all aspects of the construction. A qualified, experienced inspector will find more than just squeaky floors.
Dear Barry,
The home we’re buying has an apartment to rent in the basement. When we asked the sellers and the agent if the unit was legal to rent, they could not give a definite answer. How can we make sure the apartment is OK before we buy the property? –Lucia
Dear Lucia,
There are two primary considerations in determining whether a basement dwelling is legal: (1) Is the unit built with permits? (2) Do the basement bedrooms have windows that comply with requirements for light, ventilation and fire escape? The source for such answers is your local building department. They are the ones who either did or did not approve this apartment. They can also provide you with applicable standards for basement bedroom windows.
According to the International Residential Code (IRC), standard bedroom window requirements are as follows: For natural light, the window area should be no less than 8 percent of the floor area in the room. For outside ventilation, the openable window area should be no less than 4 percent of the floor area. And for emergency escape, the most critical of these considerations, the openable window area should be at least 5.7 square feet, the width of the opening should be no less than 20 inches, the height no less than 24 inches, and the sill no more than 44 inches above the floor. There are also requirements for window wells when the openings are lower than the outside grade level. Some municipalities, however, use standards other than the IRC.
To write to Barry Stone, please visit him on the Web at www.housedetective.com.
