Condos for sale in Mount Pleasant range in age from new to 55 years old. One of the areas to always be aware of in older buildings is the plumbing. Plumbing lasts approximately 25 to 30 years. If a buyer is considering purchasing a condo in an older building one of the areas that must be researched is the history of the plumbing.
Here is a list of questions I like to ask when I am reviewing the history of an older building’s plumbing.
Has the building being re-plumbed?
If the strata building is approximately 20 years old and there has been no plumbing update, the buyer must know that the building will need to be re-plumbed in the next 5-10 years. The estimated cost of a plumbing rework should be in the depreciation report. If there is no depreciation report, it will be difficult to know how much it will cost. One thing for certain, there will be a special assessment for each owner to cover the costs of re-plumbing. Revamping plumbing a building is expensive and can take up to three months to complete depending on the type and size of the building. If the building has older central boilers these will also most likely need to be replaced at the time of the job.
Was the building re-plumbed between 2000 and 2006?
Between these years a type of copper plumbing was manufactured out of China that was faulty. If the building is experiencing frequent pin hole leaks in the hot water copper pipes within a few years of being re-plumbed it is most likely that it may have been re-plumbed with the faulty Chinese copper plumbing. One of the manufacturers in China responsible for the poor copper pipes was Hung Tai manufacturing.
The building is addressing the pinhole leaks with a hydro seal. Is this OK?
A hydro seal can temporarily deal with pinhole leaks. If the plumbing is at an age of 20 plus years a more permanent solution will be needed. It can prolong the plumbing life for a period of time but that will depend on the extent of the leaking. In most cases the hydro seal is a temporary way to fix pinhole leaks.
How are the condos heated in the building?
Most East Vancouver Condos and Vancouver condos are heated with electric baseboard heaters. There are also older condos that are hot water heated. If the suites in the building are heated by hot water, this will increase the cost of re plumbing the building.
I am interested in a condo that will need re-plumbing in the next 5 years. Will there be a special assessment?
Re-plumbing a building is very expensive. A special assessment is done in almost all of the condo buildings in Vancouver to cover the cost of the materials and labour.
Mount Pleasant condos in older buildings offer larger floor plans at more attractive prices. When considering to buy in one of the many condos for sale, it is important to research the mechanics and structure of the building. If you have more questions on plumbing in older condos in Vancouver please email or call me.
Written by Don Urquhart Vancouver real estate agent since 1987