[JWH123]

My wife and I are looking to move, and we've checked out a few houses so far.

We took a look at one on Sunday, which is priced $25,000 less than similar houses we've seen so far. Now, this house is in the next valley further north than we've been previously looking, but it seems pretty nice. Nice village location, but the back yard adjoins farmland. Post office across the street, Elementary school 2 blocks away, etc. Lots of Amish folks in the area. (Maybe it was just that it was Sunday they were all going to church).

Anyhow, the selling agent was real vague on what happened to the poop after you flushed the toilet. She said the owners don't know what type of system they have, but most houses in the area have cesspools (this house was built in 1910). I don't understand how someone doesn't know what they have. Now, I realize this person is working to sell the house, not to answer my questions. I am working on getting a buyers agent for us.

I'm concerned about this, especially since the other 'issue' we have with the house, it that it apparently gets water in the basement "only during heavy spring thaws". There is a visible swale (dry right now) in the backyard, and the basement is only maybe a foot or two above that elevation. There's a culvert across the alley next to the house, for the water to flow. The neighbors have an above-ground pool in the depression.

Even if I accept the fact that I might have to replace the cesspool at some time in the future, if I have some sort of creek in my backyard once a year or (probably) more, how could I have a septic or even a sand mound?

My question: Who here has cesspools, and how much of a problem are they?

Keep in mind this is in a village, about 80 houses along a state highway. .3 acre lots, the neighbors are real close. Public water supply.

Oh, there is another issue with this house - the upstairs is only about 6'3" high. I am 6'4" tall. You do the math.

John

 

[JWH123]

Thanks all for the input.

As for what's on the seller's disclosure, the space for listing what type of sewage disposal system was left blank.

I'll be calling the township today to hopefully get answers about cesspools and the flooding.

And no, the back being against a farm is not a bad thing at all. I meant that it's in a village (really just 1 mile of houses being on both sides of the state road, and there's just farmland behind the first row of houses.

I'm planning to take another trip to look at the house and look at details this weekend, and bringing a tape measure. To check the height, I'll stand in the tub and look at where the shower head comes out of the wall. Getting a shower from my belly down is pretty useless.

What my wife and I both realize, is that for any of the houses in our price range, we would like to make plenty of improvements for cosmetics, adding closets, new windows, insulation, etc. If we start with a house that needs the same type of work, but is $25,000 cheaper, we would be that much ahead in the long run.

John

 

[JWH123]

Beaglady--

This is up near State College. Rather, halfway between State College and Lewisburg, at the eastern end of Centre County, in Rebersburg.
I called the township, a supervisor called me back and said that yes, that whole row of houses gets a creek going through their yards if there's a heavy spring thaw.

He said that the township does get a permit filed when a new septic system is put in, he didn't know of anything going on with this specific property. I have the Sewage Enforcement Officer's number, I will be calling him today to get info.

See my other post "Raising Ceiling in a House" about the ceiling height issue. I didn't check the joists, but I believe they're dimensional lumber, not logs. The attic is a walk-up and it has a plank floor. The stairwell up to the attic is framed out in dimensional lumber. But, in the basement you can see that some of the first floor joists are logs. For some reason, the basement is about 9 feet high

John