1. What an Architect Checks First in a Used Home

The first thing you should look at is not the building itself.

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If you have not read the Introduction to Used Homes, we recommend that you first take a look
here.
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Today was the day of the free housing consultation session hosted by the Architects Association.

A couple who are considering a used home brought some documents with them.

"This house seems quite good."

The wife says this, looking a little happy.

It was a moment where you could really feel their excitement.

It is a wooden house about 30 years old.

Judging by the photos, the exterior is also clean.

The price also seems a little cheaper than the surrounding market price.

I see, it certainly does not give a bad impression.

The husband continued.

"The building also seems to be still solid, and I thought we could live in it if we renovated."

After looking through the documents, I asked them this.

"By the way, have you checked the hazard map for this area?"

The couple looked at each other for a moment.

"A hazard map?"

"Yes. It is a map that shows areas prone to flooding and landslides."

Many people looking for a house inevitably focus only on the building.

Floor plan. Age of the building. Price. Renovation costs.

Of course, those are important too.

However, as an architect,
even when looking at a used house, the first thing I check is not the building.

It is the land.

Whether that land is

- In a flood-prone area

- In a sediment disaster alert area

- At risk of liquefaction

*For more details, see Episode 4: Ground

Some of these things
can also be checked
using hazard maps published by each municipality.

To avoid any misunderstanding, let me add a note.

I am not saying that you should not buy a house unless it clears all of these check items.

I am recommending that you make "assumptions" as much as possible, understand them, and be convinced before proceeding with your consideration.

After all, we live in an era where there is a trend that says "unexpected events are not allowed."

Doesn't it seem like you also need to make sure you have "assumptions" in place?

Buildings can be
repaired
or rebuilt.

However,

the land cannot be moved.

This is a very obvious thing, but
when you are looking for a house,
it is also something you surprisingly tend to forget.

The couple nodded quietly.

"I see....
We hadn't looked at it from that perspective."

When considering a used house,
before looking at the condition of the building,
please try checking this just once.

Is this land a safe place?

That question might be the first step in building a home,
whether it is used or new.

I will continue to explain about 10 important check items to consider when evaluating a used house.

For example,
hazards (this time)

• Road access

• Feasibility of rebuilding

• Ground and site preparation

• Seismic performance

• Roof leakage status

• Termites

• Equipment lifespan

• Illegal extensions

• Surrounding environment

• I will explain others in sequence

Information in the used house field seems to be provided mainly by real estate agents and construction companies.

I think a first-class architect's perspective will also be helpful. I would appreciate your expectations.

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Thank you for reading this far.
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If you like, following or pressing the ♡ button would be encouraging.
Please join me again next time.

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I also post videos like this on YouTube, so why not take a look?
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◆ Click here for articles of interest

* If you are interested in the introduction to housing construction, click here .
* If you are interested in the criteria for choosing a home, click here .
* For information on choosing land, click here .
* For information on new construction, click here .
* For information on maintenance, click here .
* For considerations regarding used houses, click here .
* For the importance of contracts, click here.
Links to detailed pages are provided from each page (introduction page).
* For home building essays, there is a table of contents page here.
* For my hobby SF short-shorts and essays, they are distributed
here .

*I also share the following as a hobby
▶ The reason I recommend RC (reinforced concrete) housing is
this YouTube channel
▶ For those aiming to become a Construction Management Engineer
this YouTube this note
▶ For those aiming to become a Civil Engineering Construction Management Engineer
this YouTube this note
▶ I share SF short stories and essays on
this note
▶ My books (paperback) are introduced by
this publisher
▶ E-books are
・13 Behind-the-Scenes Facts Builders Won't Tell You
・21 Episodes Leading to RC Housing
・RC Housing at the Same Price as Wood
・13 Essential Considerations for Choosing a Home