Buying an Older Home in Victoria BC: 9 Renovation Risks to Check Before You Remove Subjects

Victoria has some of the best older houses in the country, and some of the most expensive surprises hiding inside them.

A home inspection tells you the condition of the house on the day you look at it. It does not tell you what it will cost to renovate once the walls are open. Those are different questions, and the second one is where buyers of older homes get caught.

If you are buying a house built before about 1990, and especially one from the 1910s to the 1960s, use your subject period to look at the renovation risks below. None of them is a reason to walk away on its own. Each one is a reason to get a real number before you remove subjects.

1. A Buried Heating Oil Tank

Many older Greater Victoria homes were heated with oil, and some still have a tank buried in the yard, sometimes decades after the house was switched to another fuel.

Look for a fill pipe or vent pipe sticking out of the ground or the side of the house, capped copper lines through the foundation wall, or an old furnace room with no obvious fuel source. Ask the seller directly, and ask whether a tank was ever removed and if there is paperwork for it. A tank scan is inexpensive compared with what a leaking tank can cost.

Rules vary by municipality. Saanich, for example, requires underground tanks that have been out of service for more than two years to be removed under a Fire Department permit, with soil testing by an environmental engineer, and contaminated soil has to be cleaned up. Insurers may also require removal before they will cover the house.

2. Asbestos

WorkSafeBC notes that asbestos was widely used in B.C. building materials until the early 1990s. In older homes it can show up in drywall joint compound, textured ceilings, plaster, vinyl flooring and its backing, vermiculite attic insulation, duct wrap and old stucco.

You cannot tell by looking. Before any real renovation or demolition, a hazardous materials survey should be done by a qualified professional, and any removal has to be done properly. Budget for the survey and the abatement before you budget for the new kitchen. They come first, and they can change the schedule as much as the cost.

3. Old Wiring and a Small Electrical Service

Knob-and-tube wiring, old ungrounded circuits and a 60-amp service are common in older Victoria houses. Some insurers will surcharge, restrict or refuse coverage until old wiring is replaced, so call your insurance broker during your subject period, not after.

Rewiring is far cheaper and less disruptive when it is done as part of a renovation with the walls already open. If you plan to renovate anyway, price the electrical work at the same time.

4. Poly-B or Galvanized Plumbing

Poly-B (grey polybutylene) supply lines were used in B.C. homes in the 1980s and 1990s, and galvanized steel is common in older houses. Many insurers are reluctant to cover Poly-B, and old galvanized pipe corrodes from the inside and restricts water flow.

Ask your insurer what they need to see. If replacement is likely, get it priced before subjects rather than finding out on the first leak.

5. The Foundation and Drainage

Older houses may sit on stone, rubble or early concrete foundations, often with original clay-tile perimeter drains that have long since clogged or collapsed. Signs to watch for: water staining, white mineral deposits on basement walls, a musty smell, soil sloping toward the house and downspouts that empty right at the wall.

Drainage and foundation work is expensive and hard to phase. If you are planning to finish the basement, the drainage has to be solved first, or you will be paying to finish it twice.

6. The Sewer Line

Many older homes still have clay or cast-iron sewer lines between the house and the street. Roots, cracks and sags are common. A video camera inspection of the sewer line costs little compared with digging up a yard, and it is one of the most useful checks you can do on an older house.

7. Past Work Without Permits

A basement suite, an addition, a converted attic or rewired panel that was done without permits can become your problem when you sell, insure or renovate. Ask for permit history from the municipality and compare it with what is actually in the house. If the paperwork and the house do not match, ask why.

8. Heritage Status

Some Victoria-area homes are heritage designated or listed on a municipal heritage register. Designation can mean exterior changes such as windows, cladding, porches and additions need a heritage alteration permit. Being listed on a register is not the same as being designated, so check the exact status with the municipality before you plan an exterior renovation around it.

9. Rot, Windows and Lead Paint

Push a screwdriver into window sills, deck ledgers, the bottom of exterior trim and anywhere water sits. Soft wood usually means more rot behind it. Original single-glazed windows may be charming, but replacing or restoring them is a significant cost. Homes built before 1990 may also have lead paint, which matters for sanding, scraping and any work done around children.

Plan for the Unknowns

From my experience on older homes, a 10% contingency is rarely enough. On a pre-1960 house, I would plan for 15 to 25% on top of the renovation budget, and more if the house has not been touched in decades. That is a rule of thumb, not a quote, but it is closer to reality than the number most buyers start with.

How to Use Your Subject Period

• Ask the seller about oil tanks, asbestos testing, wiring and plumbing upgrades, and permits, in writing.
• Book the home inspection, and add a sewer camera inspection and oil tank scan where they apply.
• Call your insurance broker about wiring, plumbing and any oil tank.
• Get rough pricing on the big-ticket items before subjects come off, not after.
• Decide what you will do first. On an older house, the order matters: hazardous materials, structure and drainage, then services, then finishes.

Want a Builder’s Eye on the House?

I put together an Old House Reno Risk Screen, a printable and fillable checklist you can take through a showing so nothing on this list gets missed.

If you are looking at a specific house and want to talk it through, I offer a 30-minute video consultation backed by more than 30 years of hands-on construction experience, including heritage restorations and renovations on older Victoria homes. Send photos and the inspection report, and we will go through the renovation risks and the questions to ask before you remove subjects.

Book a 30-Minute Homeowner Construction Consultation, CA$75

This article is general information, not legal, insurance or engineering advice. Requirements differ between municipalities and change over time, so confirm the details for your property.