Age Of House

[Brian E. Kelly]

Many times you can find this info stamped in the back of a toilet tank.

[Bruce A. King]

Be careful on really old houses, they have the 2nd or 3rd toilet present and its still very old.....

[Russel Ray]

A combination of many items:

Every public record I've ever seen lists the build date. Occasionally one will also find build date and effective build date, like 1983/1985. That can mean that either the subdivision was started in 1983 (all permits pulled for all houses in conglomeration) and that specific house was completed in 1985, or, in the case of some monster houses, construction on the house itself was started in 1983 and finished in 1985.

Sometimes you'll also find something like 1929/1980. That can mean several things, of which the two most common are (1) a structure that was built in 1929, burned down, and was rebuilt in 1980 using the original foundation, and (2) a total gut and remodel, usually down to the foundation, in 1980.

You can also find build dates on MLS listings.

Manufacture dates of appliances also provides a clue for structures built within the last, say, 50 years. I did find an old octopus furnace that had a very readable model number and serial number, and a call to the manufacturer indicated that the thing was built in 1938. You can see that old octopus furnace of mine at Inspection News. Click on HVAC Systems, and that's the pretty baby at the very top of the page, right above the line that says "Click to view defect photos." Public records said that the house was built in 1939, so it was the original furnace, still going strong but perhaps not the most efficient system by today's standards. Note the "updated" insulation on the air ducts in the photo.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Originally Posted by bkelly2

Many times you can find this info stamped in the back of a toilet tank.

They are just tips guys.

Many other times you can find the date stamped in the sidewalk.

[Jay Moge]

we've been installing new Toto water saver toilets in our building for months now, (about 200 so far) and we just got threw a batch of 24 toilets that were date stamped in the tank from the factory and the date reads 01-20-09
seems they got the 6 up side down. tell that won't screw up some warrenties.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by bkelly2

Many other times you can find the date stamped in the sidewalk.

I love it when I go into an older neighborhood of 900-SF homes to inspect the new 5,000-SF home. Everything is new except the sidewalk, which is old and crumbling with many tree roots having buckled the concrete. And right there in the corner square is either CCC or WPA with a 1930s or 1940s day. Notwithstanding the fact that the city probably has an easement for the sidewalk--and who in their right mind would want to do something good for the city?--I just cannot believe that they would not put in a new sidewalk.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by bking

Be careful on really old houses, they have the 2nd or 3rd toilet present and its still very old.....

The original toilet for my house has been filled in with dirt--there's now a barn over where it used to be. Current toilet's age is 1959--and installed indoors--house age ~ 1875.

I like the old toilets--they can flush a phone book (or the Koran).

[Brian E. Kelly]

Many times you can find the city inspector date in the electrical panel.

[tneumann]

I prefer to carbon date the popcorn ceilings in my blahblahomoter in my trunk....

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by tneumann

I prefer to carbon date the popcorn ceilings in my blahblahomoter in my trunk....

Is that a subliminal message?
Did Nick have you do that?

[tneumann]

LOL...sorry (insert sheephish emoticon here)

[William J. Decker]

I go to this web site: www.zillow.com . They, usualy, can provide some useful info, especially about the age and SF of the house.

[tneumann]

Zillow says my 2500 sq ft home on 3 acres in the mountains of Colorado is worth 17,000.00 I want to buy more at this price...

[msaxton]

Tony, I want to buy your house! I'll even give you $1000 over Zillow value sight unseen

[tneumann]

LOL..thanks for the help Michael....here it is though...you should really do your due diligence first.