But, of course, there are expensive ones and relatively cheaper ones as well. We are a national platform connecting homeowners looking to sell their house fast and for cash with real estate investors willing to help them. Another significant aspect of buying a house with polybutylene pipes is the insurance problem that might come along with it. If the seller or the home inspector fail to mention that your home has polybutylene plastic water supply lines and crimped fittings you may be able to collect money as part of a class action lawsuit. Even if you get a section of polybutylene pipe where the leakage or fracture is repaired, another major fracture is most likely found in a different area. Polybutylene is a type of plastic potable water plumbing commonly found in many US homes built from the late 1970's through to the mid-1990's. Compared to copper, it was inexpensive, easy to install, and had several other advantages like being resistant to damage from freezing. These minerals are a primary reason that contributes to the deterioration of the polybutylene pipes. Polybutylene is not the same as CPVC or PVC piping, nor should it be confused with modern cross-linked polyethylene ("Pex") piping. Still, one thing is for sure: insurance companies will not provide coverage for a house with polybutylene pipes. Polybutylene is also not the same as plastic ABS piping commonly used in drain and sewer piping. Polybutylene pipes are a significant inconvenience for plumbers because these pipes cracks and leakages are not easy to find. The seller's disclosure statement matters to potential buyers, so you should be honest about lead, pests, repairs, and more. Mortgage lenders will not lend money on a property based on its estimated value that the house will have after repairs are made by the new owner. How can I protect my pipes to keep them from bursting during a hard winter freeze in North Florida? Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. During my over 20-year real estate investing career, Ive dealt many times with properties having this problem. Most of these forms require the seller to disclose information related to polybutylene pipes. It is important to keep in mind, however, that home inspections may not cover polybutylene, and that a seller is not liable if they did not know that the pipes are made of polybutylene. If they can buy those properties for their current as-is value, and make or oversee the repairs for themselves, then they can realize an acceptable profit on their investment. Interview several and check their references. That would confirm your plumbing is polybutylene. If you have the funds to make repairs but need to sell quickly, you will also want to look at an investor sale. Also the pipes were not disclosed by the seller. However, the seller must be truthful if asked, unless state law allows them to say that they don't wish to answer. "When I work with a seller in a neighborhood that I know has polybutylene, we always have to check before putting the house on the market," Willard adds. In some states, the seller must disclose polybutylene pipes as a material defect in the residential property disclosure form. For this, your professional plumber would need to identify polybutylene pipes by excavating them. In short, you don't have to disclose a death in a house in Texas unrelated to the condition of the property, the HIV status of any occupants of the property, and won't be held responsible for any conditions that you are truly unaware of. Does a repipe include drain pipes? Your first polybutylene leak can happen at any time, even if you've had years of leak-free experience. This is true for a private source like a well, or a municipal water line. What is the difference between water service pipe and water supply pipe? << Does a home inspector look for code violations? Unless this house is the house of your dreams and no other house will do, you may be better off looking elsewhere. If you find a vendor who was previously in the house and alerted them to the fact that the pipes needed to be replaced you have proof. Should You Buy a House With Polybutylene Pipes? investing Honestly, I don't think that the sellers were being dishonest or intentionally with holding the fact that the pipes are polybutylene. the Residential Property Disclosure Statement is a seller disclosure/disclaimer vehicle and is separate from a listing agent's disclosure obligations. We have already researched and vetted the top real estate investors from across the industry. We are not affiliated with, and do not receive any compensation from, any of the companies or products mentioned in this blog. Look for online reviews and go to BBB.com to see if there are unresolved complaints lodged against them with the Better Business Bureau. You should discuss with them the different kinds of pipes available and the cost of each. Make sure you call Florida Statewide Insurance today so you can get all of the Polybutylene Pipes Insurance coverage options available. Make sure that any reviews that you rely on are authentic. Now four years later in the inspection report from my buyer a more dramatic statement is made: "Polyethylene Plumbing Supply Lines have been known to to be randomly defective and can rapture without notice" and the buyer wants me to replace the Polybutylene Pipes in the condo. Looking for your dream house can be difficult; finding a home that you like and a place that has exactly what youve been looking for can be challenging and time-consuming as well. History tells us that problems will occur, you just dont know when. Check our price for ateam inspection by two FL-licensed contractors and inspectors. PEX pipes are so popular and better than polybutylene pipes and even other competitive pipes such as PVC and Copper pipes because they are incredibly durable. The primary manufacturers of the pipe were Shell Chemical Company, Qest (pronounced "quest"), and Vanguard. If the seller chooses not to replace the polybutylene pipes, give them a release agreement to sign that protects you from all potential liability. Why can't a sanitary tee be used for a horizontal-to-horizontal drain pipe connection? The seller: Nearly every U.S. state has laws requiring sellers to advise buyers of certain defects in the property, typically by filling out a standard disclosure form before the sale is completed. You and your family dont have to leave home and cool your heels somewhere while people are walking through your home. I don't know how anyone can buy a house unaware of PB piping. Generally speaking however, we know insurance coverage for homes with poly piping has been a headache for many homeowners. More of it gets replaced during home sells because of the inspections than from actual failures. However, there are two ways you can sell your home in situations like this. Replacing your exterior water supply connections can cost from $600 to $2,400. As weve mentioned, the uncertainty of buying a home that has polybutylene pipes creates a scary situation for most homebuyers. This could potentially make you liable for lawsuits from your buyer. Buy a new build with 10 year warranty. You may have seen examples of this on television. Most of our repipes fall somewhere between $4,500 and $15,000. Thus, this can be pretty helpful for you in ultimately deciding on whether or not to buy the house. PB-1 combines typical characteristics of conventional polyolefins with certain properties of technical polymers. In conclusion, polybutylene pipes are. I think you are correct to worry about it, and if she has those pipes in her house she's in denial that it won't impact her ability to sell at some point or cause her expensive repairs. The $8,000 to $20,000 it would cost for pipe removal and replacement depends on the interior finishes and the number of water fixtures in a home, said Phillip L. Feliciano, an attorney who has. Fill out our Request a Cash Offer form to get a few offers from competing real estate investors working in your area and vetted by our reputation standards. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. If you are purchasing a home, you likely have some homeowner insurance covering the houses cost of damages. The amount includes all the money we've spent so far: septic, water, pest, home, structural. Polybutylene pipes were manufactured from 1978 - 1995. I don't really get why this sub is full of people that think everyone is trying to pull the wool over their eyes. What are the code requirements for layout of drain piping under sinks? What are the code requirements for plumbing vent terminations? Polybutylene pipes (settlement, seller, disclosure, house) User Name: Remember Me: Password Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! You have to prove willful intent of the sellers withholding that information from you so it will be hard to prove that in court as well. Some states' disclosure laws are more comprehensive than others, and if a feature isn't on the list the seller may not be required to speak up. Once the pipe is old enough to have one or two hairline cracks, the cracks will keep increasing until it has many cracks, eventually becoming too fragile to hold its structure and breaks. What is the difference between water pipe and sewage (waste) pipe? What is the difference between water pipe and sewage (waste) pipe? Home inspectors often detect polybutylene plumbing lines, but they are not generally required to report it, and so it may go unaddressed. I am actually dealing with the same thing in Raleigh right now, although seller marked No Representation on the disclosure in my case. Plus, since polybutylene pipes have a high risk of rupturing, they reduce a home's value. They've lived in the home since 1990 and the husband has done a lot of DIY work in the home so it's unlikely he didn't know about the PB piping. Our Realtor is not being helpful as she doesn't want us to walk away. Can You Get Home Insurance With Polybutylene Pipes? Certain regions have unique disclosure issues. We are the nation's finest polybutylene remediation company. Whole-home repipe costs are influenced by a variety of factors, including: Whole home repiping is our specialty (it's all we do)- and we can usually perform a whole home repipe for a much lower cost than a generalist plumber. In that case, you might start freaking out about what to do next because, as we have already discussed above, there are some significant downsides to polybutylene pipes. What does polybutylene pipe look like? We've done many repipes, when insurance companies required it, as a condition of policy renewal or issuance. In new construction, it was replaced by copper or more dependable forms of plastic pipe, such as CPVC and PEX. If Even if there is no doubt about what type of pipes you have, the condition cannot be determined by looking at the outside of the pipe. Can You Sell a House with Polybutylene Pipes? and our What is the difference between PVC and ABS plumbing pipe? The majority of polybutylene plumbing installed is still installed and working fine. PB piping has not been used for drain and sewer lines, nor vent piping. Although, today, one of the most popular water pipes is PEX pipes. Cookie Notice Sellers must also disclose polybutylene pipes to buyers when they sell their home. Polybutylene is practically guaranteed to break down at some point, and it's impossible to tell how soon that will be just by observing a pipe's exterior. Polybutylene is a form of plastic pipe used in residential plumbing until the late-1990s. The square footage of your home (but if you do disclose, you are liable for the accuracy of the square footage). The insurance usually covers the cost of damages to the home, but not damages caused by natural disasters or fires if they have polybutylene pipes. Facts vs. Fiction 7. foreclosure When polybutylene leaks occur in US plumbing systems, the leaks are often at or near connectors. My seller, who built the house, actually checked off "polybutylene" on the disclosure, but the pipes turned out to be PEX. foreclosures Polybutylene piping can be identified by the following characteristics: inch to 1 inch in diameter. In the case of polybutylene pipes, the 70% failure rate is what matters. "Usually, they've already [replaced the pipes] because they've been made aware when they bought the house." Real estate investors are exactly this type of buyer. No, you shouldn't buy a home with polybutylene pipes. What they do is they buy the property, which they can upgrade, make the required repairs, and then sell the homes making good profits on their investments. Then you will just need to choose the best one. Founded by Hubert Miles, Certified Master Inspector. Definitely negotiate to get them replaced if it's city water. Ordinarily, only home defects that are material and that the buyer didn't know about, but which the seller did at the time of sale, will allow a buyer to recover from the seller. 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