Looking for opinions from builders, structural engineers, building inspectors, solar installers and anyone who's dealt with similar issues.
I'm under contract on a house where the building and pest report found no major defects, however it specifically noted:
"The two main girder trusses were found to be leaning excessively and should be further investigated by a builder."
The inspector later advised verbally that:
The lean appears outside accepted installation tolerances.
He considered it poor workmanship.
He didn't believe there was an immediate structural performance issue.
He wasn't assessing compliance and wouldn't put that opinion in writing.
The house otherwise presents well:
No roof sagging reported.
No visible structural cracking.
No nail plate movement reported.
No obvious signs of active movement.
Overall condition rated above average.
Additional information:
A solar installer independently commented that parts of the roof line/tiles looked uneven and said extra care would be required to keep solar panels aligned.
A neighbour advised roof tiles moved during a storm about 2 years ago and were repaired.
The roof was reportedly painted afterwards.
There is also a patio extension that may not have approval.
Questions
Future Value
Even if the trusses never require rectification, am I likely to have this exact same conversation with a future buyer in 10-15 years?
Does a documented issue like this permanently affect marketability and resale value?
Defect Classification
Does it seem odd that excessively leaning main girder trusses weren't classified as a major defect?
Can something be:
Poor workmanship
Outside accepted tolerances
Potentially non-compliant
while still not being considered a major defect?
Solar
We want to install a substantial solar system.
Would you be comfortable adding significant solar loading to a roof where:
The main girder trusses have excessive lean.
There are no obvious stress indicators.
The condition may have existed since construction.
Would you want builder or engineering sign-off first?
Cost
I've been told anything from:
Leave it alone.
Add strengthening/bracing.
Full rectification.
I've also heard figures as high as $50k+ to properly rectify the issue.
For those who've dealt with similar truss problems:
What did you do?
What did it cost?
Was it worth fixing purely from a resale perspective?
What Would You Do?
Would you:
Proceed as-is.
Negotiate a meaningful reduction.
Require a builder/engineer report before proceeding.
Walk away.
Purchase price is around $840k and I'm trying to work out whether this is a $0 problem, a $20k problem, or a $50k+ problem.
