What is it? fireplace.

[RICH MUISE]

This is going to drive me nuts til I figure out what it is. This is the fireplace in the house we're buying. That leaf spring looking thing...any ideas on what it is? I'm thinking an old wooden bridge arch support? I thing it's too weird/different to be something designed for the application, but more like something somebody saw and said, Hey...

[djfordmanjack]

Rich I don't know what that is, but you are not buying a house, it's a castle !
Are you sure you got the right adress ?

[BP57CUSTOM]

Rich , if you don't like the fireplace you can get Chip and Joanna to come remodel for you. They can tare down walls and put up some shiplap!

[RICH MUISE]

LOl...those 70's ugly chandeliers look like something from a castle. note also in the adjoining room and atrium...swag lamps!! yuk! and veined mirror tiles...double yuk!! Fortunately that's the worst of the updating needs. I think home photographers use the widest angle lens possible on their cameras...always look much bigger in the ads than they really are to the point where your setup for disappointment the minute you walk in..
I do like the fireplace....definetly reminds me of something from the 17-1800's. very industrialish. Not sure if I'll get to talk to the seller. Hopefully I will and will get some background and info that'll be otherwise lost. Kinda like buying an old car. There! I knew I'd have a tie in somewhere (other than that thing looking like a leaf spring.)

[Ecode70D]

UM?
Could that be some sort of a huge modified  truck leaf spring that they are using for a wall / fireplace support?
 
Sorry ........  That's the best guess that I can come up with. 

[RICH MUISE]

This is cotton growing country...so it's got me wondering if  it's a piece from some old 1800's textile mfg. machinery?? The three small "pegs" sure aren't real heavy duty stuff.

[lalessi1]

I did a little looking... my guess it that it is the bottom of an arched wooden vaulted truss. The pins located the three legs that would have supported the upper parts of the vault. That curve was from the same structure that the other "beams in the room came from. How is that for a WAG!

[RICH MUISE]

It's as good as my guesses, lol.

[Jeff Norwell]

I don't know what it is Rich.. but it looks like Ben Cartwright lived there....Better see if Hop Sing is in the Kitchen!..... Beautiful home!!!!

[rmk57]

Kinda looks like an entrance archway to a large gate, like in a ranch. The three pegs would be for the name plaque of the ranch?

Is it carved out of one solid piece of wood?

[RICH MUISE]

Now that's a better guess than what I came up with. The house inspection is tomorrow, and the inspector said I was welcome to tag along. I'll take a closer look at it.

[djfordmanjack]

Be sure to bring a compass, in case you get lost somewhere in there ...

[gasman826]

Is a home inspection a state, local or banking requirement?  The State of Michigan does not require a home inspection.  Michigan is a Caveat emptor state ("let the buyer beware").  It is the buyers responsibility to know what they are buying.  On the other hand, the seller is suppose to disclose known defects.  A very few cities require a per inspection as a seller requirement (Detroit).  Some government assured loans require some inspection; usually pest and/or lead based paint.  As a real estate broker, I went to every home inspection whether I represented the buyer or seller.  I was going to be present if someone had the potential to blow up my deal.  Michigan inspectors are not licensed and require a waiver that they are not responsible for any errors or omissions related to their inspection.  Most inspections involved turning on everything to see if it worked (lights, garage door, furnace, AC, oven, refrigerator, water heater, well, any other appliances).  Inspectors usually document all tests.  They typically take note of cracks, weathered, worn and missing things.  They also go on the roof (if not too steep) to note condition and age.  They typically check crawl spaces and attics for mold, mouse and insect droppings and/or damage and insulation.  This is nothing you can't do yourself.  If an inspection turns up something, the inspector is NOT a licensed contractor and can not do further service.  For example, the furnace does not work (oh, they don't test for CO because they are not a licensed HVAC contractor!!), you are referred to an appropriate licensed contractor.  The same thing you would do.  If its broke, call the professional!  The last few buyers that I represented, we used HVAC contractor that also had a plumbing license (fairly common) and a building contractor.  These contractors could do more testing and provide cost estimates and usually they did it for FREE or cheaper than the home inspector.  Home inspectors provide a lot of information but I think contractors do a more in depth job, cheaper and can provide an estimate.  The estimate is really what you need to determine whether to close or pass on this one.  Whether you use an inspector or contractor, be there and follow them around.  They will point out good and bad about one of the largest purchases you'll ever make.

[RICH MUISE]

In our case it is the VA requiring the inspection, and probably the lender as well. The inspectors here are certified, and insured. This is the only thing we are paying for with all the other closing costs being paid by the seller.
They have disclosed several things we are aware of, for example the house has two seperate central heating systems, one of which has an inoperative blower motor. Oddly enough to have two heating systems, but it also has two hot water heaters, and two central air systems. They had added a third bathroom and a 4th bedroom, so maybe being a slab foundation house, it was cheaper to add the seperate systems.?
My main concern that will get checked out tomorrow is the house had 31K hail damage in '13, apparently mostly the roof. If there is/was no mortgage on the house at the time, it would have been up to the owner to make all the repairs...or not, as the insurance check would have been made to him with no other (mortgage company) signatures required. A local insurance agent informed me that the subdivision was hit particularly hard in that storm, to the point of damage to sheathing, etc. That was the same storm that got our property here.........remember the pics I posted of the hunderds of holes poked thru my garage roof over the '57? Obviously, if the owner elected to make sub parr repairs, that could affect payments for any new future damage from our insurance company.

[Ford Blue blood]

Roof can be an expensive replacement item.  One of the most important items of a house!  If it isn't solid the rest of the house will "rot" out from under.  Well worth the money for the inspection!

Put a new one on my place two years ago, $8500, (2200 sqft ranch style house).  Worth every penny!  If I were still "bullet proof" I would have done it myself but the knees will not let me do the kneeling for that kind of lob.  That plus there was three layers up there and would have taken me months to finish stripping.