{"id":20753,"date":"2017-03-13T12:10:06","date_gmt":"2017-03-13T19:10:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.garbuttdumas.ca\/?p=20753"},"modified":"2022-06-23T10:30:25","modified_gmt":"2022-06-23T17:30:25","slug":"top-8-questions-ask-buying-older-condo-buildings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.garbuttdumas.ca\/2017\/03\/13\/top-8-questions-ask-buying-older-condo-buildings\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 8 Questions to Ask When Buying In Older Condo Buildings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Some older condo buildings age better than others, depending on the quality of the original construction as well as the care and attention paid by the strata to maintenance and repairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you\u2019re considering buying into older condo buildings, here are eight questions you should ask to avoid any expensive surprises once you\u2019ve settled into your new home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Garbutt + Dumas 8 Great Questions to Ask When Buying a Condo in an Older Building\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YQSWU1rOzew?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Has the plumbing been redone?<\/strong><br>Galvanized steel plumbing was widely used before the 1970s; but it&#8217;s heavy and not very durable. Once the zinc coating inside starts to break down, the pipes are\u00a0prone to rust. That can cause blockages or even breaks.<br>Copper plumbing is also popular in older condo buildings. It can last 50 years or more. But the lead-based solder that used to be used to join pipes and fixtures could eventually leach into your water.<br>Older condo buildings constructed from the late 1970s to the mid 90s could use polybutylene pipes. The plastic is\u00a0cheap, light and easy to work with, but its lifespan is\u00a0only 20 years.<br>It\u2019s possible plumbing systems in older condo buildings have all three types of pipes, as repairs and replacements have been done over the years. If you see\u00a0references to pin hole leaks in the minutes of strata council meetings, it\u2019s a good sign the plumbing is nearing the end of its life and may be due for replacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. How old is the roof?<\/strong><br>Tar and gravel roofs last 15-20 years. An asphalt roof should last 20-25 years. If the answer to your question is close to those numbers, you may have to put room in your budget for your share of the cost of replacing that roof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. How old is the boiler?<\/strong><br>A commercial gas-fired hot water boiler should last 10-15 years, but it could last longer if it\u2019s been well-maintained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Have the balconies been redone?<\/strong><br>This likely isn\u2019t a concern in older condo buildings constructed of concrete. But if the balcony is constructed of wood or vinyl, it could begin deteriorating after 15 years.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.garbuttdumas.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/170314oldercondos1c.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.garbuttdumas.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/170314oldercondos1c.jpg\" alt=\"Older condo buildings can be a great buy because you usually get more space for your money.\" class=\"wp-image-20812\"\/><\/a><figcaption>The condition of balconies in older condo buildings shouldn&#8217;t be a worry if they&#8217;re concrete.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Are there any issues with the parkade membrane?<\/strong><br>Water leaking into parkades can be a common problem in older condo buildings. It happens when cracks form in the structure because of settling, poor construction or maintenance, or just wear and tear.<br>Fixing a leaky parkade can be expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Has the elevator been upgraded?<\/strong><br>We\u2019ve learned to take elevators for granted; we push the button, they take us to the floor where we want to go. But elevators wear out; all that up-and-down, opening and closing of the doors, pushing call buttons, takes a toll.<br>An elevator should last 20-25 years but could endure longer if they\u2019ve been regularly maintained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Has the building\u2019s exterior been upgraded?<\/strong><br>This question is often dependant on how older condo buildings were designed and built.<br>If the building is constructed of concrete, with large roof overhangs that prevent rainwater from hitting the exterior, the risk of a leaky building is minimal.<br>But if the building\u2019s exterior is made of stucco or wood, and it\u2019s exposed to the elements without protection from roof overhangs, you need to check if it has been rainscreened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.garbuttdumas.ca\/what-is-rainscreen\/\">What Is Rainscreen?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8. Does the building have a depreciation report?<\/strong><br>In 2013, the BC government mandated depreciation reports for every strata with more than four lots. The report is prepared by qualified architects or engineers who are able to assess and determine the short and long term health of the building and its upkeep schedule as well as anticipated costs. The report must be updated every three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.garbuttdumas.ca\/strata-documents-read-buy\/\">Strata Documents You Should Read Before You Buy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reading a depreciation report for older condo buildings can be intimidating; the maintenance schedules are usually pretty proactive and the dollar figures are high. But it\u2019s how the building\u2019s strata council reacts to that report that really matters; is it putting money aside early to deal with upcoming major expenses, does it address minor issues in a timely manner so they don\u2019t snowball into bigger issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Older condo buildings can be a great value<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Older condo buildings can offer tremendous value. You\u2019re not paying for the flashy marketing campaigns of new developments. A lot of potential problems will have already been worked out. The strata has experience. And units were bigger in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, so you\u2019ll likely get more space for your dollar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More useful blogs if you&#8217;re shopping for a condo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.garbuttdumas.ca\/understanding-strata-fees\/\">Understanding Strata Fees<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.garbuttdumas.ca\/strata-documents-read-buy\/\">Strata Documents You Should Read Before You Buy<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.garbuttdumas.ca\/10-tips-first-time-home-buyer\/\">10 Tips For The First Time Home Buyer<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.garbuttdumas.ca\/what-is-rainscreen\/\">What is Rainscreen?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some older condo buildings age better than others, depending on the quality of the original construction as well as the care and attention paid by the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":20755,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[891,890],"tags":[70,126,129,138,514,536,765,767,768,798,811],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":891,"label":"Buyers"},{"value":890,"label":"Videos"}],"post_tag":[{"value":70,"label":"apartments"},{"value":126,"label":"burnaby apartments"},{"value":129,"label":"burnaby condos"},{"value":138,"label":"burnaby real estate"},{"value":514,"label":"new westminster condos"},{"value":536,"label":"new 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