Home Renovations Gone Wrong? NextGen Remodeling Can Help!
When you’re on the hunt for a home, it’s easy to be won over by a move-in ready property with modern amenities that look shiny and new. However, things aren’t always as they seem. Unscrupulous house flippers purchase distressed or foreclosed properties that they can remodel quickly (and inexpensively) to turn a profit. Corners are often cut to get the job done as fast as possible and the home back up for sale.
Not all flip houses are poorly renovated, but it’s important to know exactly how to spot the difference. At NextGen Remodeling, we pride ourselves on quality craftsmanship and can easily distinguish between a good and bad house flip.
To help you steer clear of a disaster hiding just below the surface, we’ve compiled eight telltale signs you should look out for.
1. The Home Renovations Are Purely Cosmetic
Flippers have a tendency to focus on the cosmetic aspects of a home, and although gleaming white countertops are awfully attractive, they’re no substitute for functionality. Eventually, that luster will wear off, and you’ll be left with a space that only competes with your lifestyle.
Home renovations must balance style and practicality to be truly successful. That’s why we’re committed to carefully listening to our client’s vision at NextGen Remodeling. By understanding what you want to accomplish, we can create a design completely unique to your needs and preferences.
2. The Home Is Being Sold Again in a Year
A fixer-upper that quickly reappears on the market as a turn-key home is a good indicator that the house flip was rushed. If you’re not sure, check Zillow or another real estate website to see the last time the property was sold. Buyers beware – this typically signifies that the sellers didn’t spend the necessary amount of time on home renovations to get the job done properly.
3. Your Flip House Uses Builder-Grade Materials
The saying goes that you get what you pay for, and that’s particularly true when it comes to a flip house. If there’s any evidence of inexpensive materials used throughout the space, let it serve as a red flag. Low-quality fixtures and finishes may look OK early on, but they’ll need to be replaced in just a few years, costing you more in the long run.
How can you determine if a home has only builder-grade materials? Pay attention to not just how design elements look, but how they feel. Luxury hardware generally has more heft than its inexpensive counterparts. Economical vinyl flooring tends to be shiny and especially thin. All-in-one bathroom vanities may seem convenient, but they can be flimsy and don’t have the staying power of a custom solution.
4. Your Flip House Features Repeating Tilework
If you find that tiles have been used over and over again throughout different rooms, you may have a bad house flip on your hands. This should tell you that the buyers bought materials in bulk as a way to cut costs, rather than creating a lasting, one-of-a-kind look.
Make sure to also take note of how the tiles were installed. Do the cuts look crooked? Are the grout lines sloppy? Is there an uneven transition between adjacent surfaces? Answering yes to any of these questions suggests that your tilework wasn’t done by a professional. Although there are aisles of tile tools and products at any home improvement store, application is best left to the experts.
5. The Flooring Is Uneven in Your Flip House
Your flip house’s flooring can clue you in on how well your home has been renovated. The material should lie perfectly flat, flush with the door jambs and base molding. Flooring that doesn’t is an indication that it was put down in a hurry and the trim work wasn’t removed beforehand to achieve an exact fit.
A badly laid floor can also suggest that there are deeper problems underneath. Because the flipper rushed to complete the finishing details, you can expect they’ve sped through other parts of the job as well that can impact the structural integrity of the property.
6. Cabinets and Drawers Are Shoddily Installed
Bad house flippers are only concerned with how design elements look at face value. Cabinetry is a dead giveaway that the home renovations weren’t built to last. Observe how doors and drawers open and close and check that everything lines up correctly. Missing crown molding is another sign that the property wasn’t remodeled with quality in mind.
7. Leaky Plumbing Signifies a Bad House Flip
Most plumbing is hidden behind walls, so it can be more difficult to assess its condition. However, basements are a good place to start. Mismatched pipes and fittings and temporary DIY fixes point to a slapdash effort.
It’s also a good idea to turn on the taps throughout a flip house to test the plumbing. Pooling at the base of a faucet or water dripping underneath the sink can foreshadow larger problems down the road.
8. The Electrical Work Is Questionable
Poorly executed electrical work spells bad news for your flip house. It not only affects the functionality of a space, but it can be a safety hazard as well. The Electrical Safety Foundation estimates that 51,000 home fires occur every year because of electrical issues.
Amateur electrical work isn’t hard to spot if you know what to look for, though. Loose outlets, fixtures placed with little thought, flickering lights, and unsecured wires are all characteristic of a sloppy job.
Help! I’m the Owner of Bad House Flip.
If you purchased a home and find that the once sleek, modern finishes aren’t so dazzling after all, don’t panic! Our team of home renovation specialists can work their magic to achieve flawless results.
Unlike general home remodeling contractors, we’re obsessed with the details from floor to ceiling and never take the easy way out to finish a project early. We truly care about helping you transform your space, so you can enjoy it for many more years to come. Little fixes only mask underlying issues. Our commitment to excellence drives us to create designs that will stand the test of time.
Don’t partner with a home remodeling contractor; partner with a trusted expert: NextGen Remodeling. For more information about how we can help you turn a flopped flip into your dream home, call (913) 777-4701 or send us a message.