Little Wooden Box

[ksaunders]

I did an inspection a few days ago on an home built in 1960, on a slab and has been recently rehabbed. during the rehab efforts they had installed a 3/4 bath in the back bedroom, (see photo).While inspecting the exterior I notice a small wooden box attached to the house low to the ground,(see photo) I though it was a little bizarre but you see a lat of weird things on old houses that have been owned several times. So a few day latter I'm wondering if that little wooden box contained plumbing for the bathroom addition, and if so would this be an acceptable fix. I would like to know your thoughts.

PS. The commode is located in the left of the picture behind the blind.


Kevin Saunders
Clear View Home Inspection,LLC

[gbeaumont]

Hi Kevin,

There are several issues here to think about, firstly they cannot have added a 3/4 bath to a bedroom unless there is some seperation of the spaces I believe that this bathroom has legally taken the place of a bedroom.

I have no doubt that the box is hiding at least the plumbing wastes, and I would guess that would be subject to freeze damage in Ohio.

I hope that you recommended that the permitting history be verifed as the work looks very fishy to me.

Regards

Gerry

[Keith Swift, PhD.]

A Gerry said, it looks suspiciously liked bootlegged construction. As well as waste pipe access, the box might also conceal a motor for a hydro-spa, or a steam unit for a shower.

[wsiegel]

Why is the vent fan over the shower?

[ksaunders]

Not only is it over the shower it also vents into the attic.


Kevin Saunders
Clear View Home Inspection,LLC

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

Originally Posted by ksaunders

Not only is it over the shower it also vents into the attic.


Kevin Saunders
Clear View Home Inspection,LLC

Not good Kevin I'm sure you wrote that up.

I would have opened the box just out of curiosity.

[bandag]

Sounds like that job wasn't inspected or designed on paper first. Yeah, I would probably have opened that box also. Are they nails or deck screws holding it together? We always have our screw gun on the truck.