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Driveway slopes down into basement garage

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Driveway slopes down into basement garage PB2 06-18-2008
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Posted by PB2 on June 18, 2008, 7:18 am
Hi,

Our family is considering purchasing a house that has a downward
sloping driveway and were hoping someone could help us fully
understand what the potential issues of a house like that might be and
could provide advice on questions to ask to ensure we don't buy
something we're unhappy with. This is our family's first home
purchase, so we're obviously a little nervous about it.

The house is a one story ranch with the garage in the basement of the
house. The driveway starts at ground level at the street, is level for
about 5 feet (the sidewalk), and slopes downward towards the basement
of the house into the garage. The length of the driveway is probably
25 feet long. It drops from ground level to basement level over that
distance.

I know there are drains at the bottom of the driveway. There are also
holes along the sidewall that runs along the driveway, which I assume
those are connected to drains under the yard. We didn't observe any
water damage in the basement, but will obviously get a formal home
inspection to confirm that.

I've posted some pictures of the house at the links below.

Pictures of the driveway:
http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4961.jpg
http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4962.jpg
http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4963.jpg

Pictures from inside the garage:
http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4997.jpg
http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4998.jpg

I appreciate any help/guidance you folks can provide.

Thanks,
PB

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Posted by ransley on June 18, 2008, 7:44 am
> Hi,
>
> Our family is considering purchasing a house that has a downward
> sloping driveway and were hoping someone could help us fully
> understand what the potential issues of a house like that might be and
> could provide advice on questions to ask to ensure we don't buy
> something we're unhappy with. This is our family's first home
> purchase, so we're obviously a little nervous about it.
>
> The house is a one story ranch with the garage in the basement of the
> house. The driveway starts at ground level at the street, is level for
> about 5 feet (the sidewalk), and slopes downward towards the basement
> of the house into the garage. The length of the driveway is probably
> 25 feet long. It drops from ground level to basement level over that
> distance.
>
> I know there are drains at the bottom of the driveway. There are also
> holes along the sidewall that runs along the driveway, which I assume
> those are connected to drains under the yard. We didn't observe any
> water damage in the basement, but will obviously get a formal home
> inspection to confirm that.
>
> I've posted some pictures of the house at the links below.
>
> Pictures of the driveway:http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4961.jpghttp://bane=
rji.com/house/IMG_4962.jpghttp://banerji.com/house/IMG_4963.jpg
>
> Pictures from inside the garage:http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4997.jpghttp=
://banerji.com/house/IMG_4998.jpg
>
> I appreciate any help/guidance you folks can provide.
>
> Thanks,
> PB

Any snow, a 4wd is needed to get out, and luck to get in and stop with
ice. A big rain with sewers overfilled and it floods. If it snows or
rains alot there I would not want it for a home.

Posted by Limp Arbor on June 18, 2008, 8:44 am
> Hi,
>
> Our family is considering purchasing a house that has a downward
> sloping driveway and were hoping someone could help us fully
> understand what the potential issues of a house like that might be and
> could provide advice on questions to ask to ensure we don't buy
> something we're unhappy with. This is our family's first home
> purchase, so we're obviously a little nervous about it.
>
> The house is a one story ranch with the garage in the basement of the
> house. The driveway starts at ground level at the street, is level for
> about 5 feet (the sidewalk), and slopes downward towards the basement
> of the house into the garage. The length of the driveway is probably
> 25 feet long. It drops from ground level to basement level over that
> distance.
>
> I know there are drains at the bottom of the driveway. There are also
> holes along the sidewall that runs along the driveway, which I assume
> those are connected to drains under the yard. We didn't observe any
> water damage in the basement, but will obviously get a formal home
> inspection to confirm that.
>
> I've posted some pictures of the house at the links below.
>
> Pictures of the driveway:http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4961.jpghttp://bane=
rji.com/house/IMG_4962.jpghttp://banerji.com/house/IMG_4963.jpg
>
> Pictures from inside the garage:http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4997.jpghttp=
://banerji.com/house/IMG_4998.jpg
>
> I appreciate any help/guidance you folks can provide.
>
> Thanks,
> PB

Is the garage heated?

Are those water pipes and meter in an unheated garage?

Get a REALLY good home inspector...

Posted by Ken on June 18, 2008, 8:58 am
PB2 wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Our family is considering purchasing a house that has a downward
> sloping driveway and were hoping someone could help us fully
> understand what the potential issues of a house like that might be and
> could provide advice on questions to ask to ensure we don't buy
> something we're unhappy with. This is our family's first home
> purchase, so we're obviously a little nervous about it.
>
> The house is a one story ranch with the garage in the basement of the
> house. The driveway starts at ground level at the street, is level for
> about 5 feet (the sidewalk), and slopes downward towards the basement
> of the house into the garage. The length of the driveway is probably
> 25 feet long. It drops from ground level to basement level over that
> distance.
>
> I know there are drains at the bottom of the driveway. There are also
> holes along the sidewall that runs along the driveway, which I assume
> those are connected to drains under the yard. We didn't observe any
> water damage in the basement, but will obviously get a formal home
> inspection to confirm that.
>
> I've posted some pictures of the house at the links below.
>
> Pictures of the driveway:
> http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4961.jpg
> http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4962.jpg
> http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4963.jpg
>
> Pictures from inside the garage:
> http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4997.jpg
> http://banerji.com/house/IMG_4998.jpg
>
> I appreciate any help/guidance you folks can provide.
>
> Thanks,
> PB

        You did not mention where this home is located, but if it is where a
lot of rainfall takes place, I would not buy it. Even in the area I
live (42 inches of rain a year) homes with downward sloping drives are
problematical. I do not have such a drive, but some of my neighbors do
and they wish they did not. Ransley also made a good point about ice
and snow if it is likely to occur. It is good to see you are thinking
about such problems rather than being blinded by the attractive points
of the home.

Posted by PB2 on June 18, 2008, 8:28 am
> =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 You did not mention where this home is located, but if it=
is where a
> lot of rainfall takes place, I would not buy it. =A0Even in the area I
> live (42 inches of rain a year) homes with downward sloping drives are
> problematical. =A0I do not have such a drive, but some of my neighbors do
> and they wish they did not. =A0Ransley also made a good point about ice
> and snow if it is likely to occur. =A0It is good to see you are thinking
> about such problems rather than being blinded by the attractive points
> of the home.

This house is located in the Boston area, where we see a fairly
significant amount of snow. An additional challenge is that street
parking is not allowed between October and April, so we have to park
in the driveway or garage.

The current owners say that they pay someone to come and clear the
driveway, so getting out has not been an issue for them (or so they
claim). But I have very little personal experience with those types of
things - could I still have problems exiting even if the driveway was
periodically cleared during a snowstorm?

Thanks,
PB

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