Structural Damage | Charleston WV House-Sale Questions

Possible structural damage raises questions that a quick walk-through or photograph may not settle. If you’re considering selling a Charleston WV house, start with what has been observed and what a qualified professional has actually assessed. AM Investments can discuss a potential purchase, but structural damage, repair scope, cost and safe access need property-specific review. No article or old project video can certify your house.

Structural damage: prepare the questions

Separate an observed condition from a professional diagnosis.
Gather reports, scopes, permits and completed-work records you have.
Ask what review and conditions a proposed buyer still requires.

Describe the concern without guessing at the cause

Tell the person reviewing the house what you have noticed, where it is and whether you know when it changed. If there is a report, share the date and the professional’s actual findings through an appropriate channel. Don’t turn a comment about a crack or water into a diagnosis that has not been made.

If you are concerned about safe entry or occupancy, obtain appropriate professional guidance before arranging a visit. Do not enter an unsafe area or attempt repairs because of this guide. A purchase discussion is not a structural assessment.

Ask who is qualified to evaluate the issue

A repair contractor’s quote and an engineer’s assessment answer different questions. Ask about qualifications, the scope of the evaluation, limitations and any recommended next steps. The West Virginia professional engineering board provides information about engineering licensure and links to verification resources.

The older video describes Steve Coyne’s approach to coordinating an engineer and repair contractor. It does not mean every house follows that sequence or receives the same report or approval. Any professional conclusion applies to the work and property actually evaluated.

Organize the records you already have

Keep assessment reports, drawings, repair proposals, invoices, permits and any completion documents together. Mark missing records rather than assuming work was approved because it looks finished. Ask the relevant professionals how a past repair relates to the current concern.

You do not need to commission a cosmetic makeover before asking about a sale in the present condition. Our as-is selling guide for a house with structural damage explains how to compare proposed work with a possible direct offer. Be clear about what has and has not been evaluated.

Compare the buyer’s actual conditions

Ask who will arrange further visits, who pays for evaluations and whether the proposal depends on a report, repair estimate or other condition. Clarify access, timing, contents and possession. A buyer considering a house with structural damage does not guarantee a purchase of every property.

Use the buyer-question checklist for structural damage discussions to collect answers. Have unclear contract obligations explained before signing; the term as-is does not answer every question on its own.

Keep project evidence in its proper context

The Glow Drive case study involving acknowledged structural issues documents one Cross Lanes purchase and later project. It does not certify the condition of your house or establish that a particular repair method, cost or completion schedule applies.

Before evaluating an offer involving structural damage

Identify observations, dated reports and unresolved questions.
Use appropriate professional advice for condition, safety and repair scope.
Review evaluation costs, contingencies and responsibilities in writing.

Written guidance updated October 17, 2026. The structural-review video on this page dates from 2018. The historical contractor mention is not a current endorsement or a guarantee of engineering approval. Use qualified, property-specific advice and the current written purchase terms.

Read the original 2018 video text

Historical context: Steve Coyne discusses a review-and-repair workflow in 2018. References to a particular contractor or a final approval letter are not universal outcomes for another property.

This is the text previously published with the video, retained as a historical record. It has not been newly checked against the audio. Use the updated guidance above and the terms of your proposed transaction for today’s decisions.

Hey guys, Steve Coyne here with A&M Investments in Charleston, West Virginia. I want to talk to you guys today about one of the most important parts of our process.

It’s checking for structural damage. Your foundation is obviously one of the most important parts of your home, and we want to make sure that we’re checking for structural.

First, number one, we want to give our client the best possible investment that they’re gonna have, because buying a house is a long-term investment.

Number two, we also want to make sure that we’re not causing yourself grief. At the end of the project, once the stuff is found, then it’s gonna cost us more time and money.

So what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna get into it. Step one, I’ll check for any type of bulging of the walls, settling, water intrusion, if you have any type of indication that those things are occurring, go ahead and call yourself a structural engineer, which leads us to step two.

Once you call your structural engineer, have them come in and give you type of any recommendations of any repairs that they want you to do, with a full structural report.

So that leads us to step three. Find yourself a good structural company that’s gonna do the repairs. Bobby King, United Structural Systems, fantastic company, give them a shout.

Once you guys get in touch with a company like that, they can give you a good estimate, go off the report, give you a price, you guys agree to the price, move on to step four.

You get your structural company engineer together, structural engineer together, to make sure that the whole thing is being monitored, and both of them are on the same page.

So at the end of the day, you’ll get your final PE stamp of approval. And you’ll be able to use that letter to give to your clients, put in your descriptions on your listings.

So it just ensures that we’ve done the right thing, and it’s super important to do the right thing in any of these steps.

So guys, we hope you enjoyed that. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you on the next one. Thanks.

Talk through a possible direct purchase

Thinking about selling a house in Charleston? Tell AM Investments the address, condition, whether anyone lives there and the dates you’re working around. Call 304-250-9336 or use the form below. We are a prospective buyer when discussing our offer. Compare the written proposal with your alternatives; an inquiry does not commit you to selling or guarantee a purchase.