Was your offer contingent on inspection? If it was, then the failed furnace is grounds to amend the offer.

If the furnace had failed on the seller a month before he accepted your offer, he would have had to fix/replace it. And if it failed a month after you closed (despite the inspection), you would have had to fix/replace it. The furnace is two decades old and it isn't going to last forever. So it's just bad timing on the furnace's part. And it has nothing to do with you unless your inspector was doing something untoward.

Consider, though, that if you make the seller pay for either a repair or a new furnace, he has every incentive to do it the cheapest way possible, and you'll likely end up replacing that quick-and-dirty job sooner than you would a furnace you selected yourself that was installed by someone who did a great job. I'd go for a reduction in the price of the house to cover the cost of a repair.

If you are using a lawyer to handle closing for you, you need to let him negotiate this for you. If you are not using a lawyer, you just got a wake up call to do so.

Do not rely on you realtor to negotiate this sort of thing. If you end up with a second rate furnace job, you could also end up with enormous costs if things go wrong down the road - broken pipes, fumes, fire are just a few that come to mind.

What steve_o said. Assuming you have an inspection contingency, get a bid (or two) to fix the furnace (because that's all the owner is required to do here) and then have him knock that much off the price. Then use the money towards getting a new furnace after you move in, when *you* can choose the model and contractor. Some furnace warranties run with the original purchaser, not the unit itself (we just bought one and that was a big factor in not choosing a specific brand, since we plan to sell before the warranty is up!) so you want to be the ones to buy it. And while I agree that it's not worth fixing a 20-year-old furnace if the cost difference is so small, the owner isn't responsible for covering the extra $500, since your original offer was based on the house having an old furnace (albeit a working one) so hopefully the eventual cost of replacing it had already been factored in. Good luck!

"Was your offer contingent on inspection? If it was, then the failed furnace is grounds to amend the offer."

Yes. The offer is contingent on inspection. We do not want him to repair it, we'd rather replace it ourselves but the weather is very cold where we live and he needs to do something ASAP.

The inspection also revealed 2-electric boxes that aren't up to code as well as a cracked foundation inside the basement. The inspector recommended propping up the basement wall with 4 poles as well as adding a battery back up to the (noisy) sump pump. We haven't mentioned this to the seller yet as we still have a sewer and radon inspection to complete.

We are using a real estate attorney instead of a buyer's agent (too many problems with them in the past). Our attorney told the seller's agent that we would need to know what type of furnace (brand-etc) the seller would be using before he makes any suggestions to us about what to do next.

In the course of asking us if we wanted to kick in $500.00 to help towards the repair, the seller's agent asked us if we wanted to purchase a home warranty for an additional $400.00. This was offered when we signed the contract but our attorney advised against it.

I'd like to know what home warranty company would want to insure something like this after the fact.

I believe I'd exercise that contingency clause and look for another house. Foundation issues........not so good

"The inspection also revealed 2-electric boxes that aren't up to code as well as a cracked foundation inside the basement. The inspector recommended propping up the basement wall with 4 poles as well as adding a battery back up to the (noisy) sump pump."

Unless the HI is also licensed code official, he should not b be citing code violations...as HI's are not code inspectors...and have no training for such.
If he is a civil engineer, he should have been able to give you an analysis of why he believes the foundation is cracked. That said, do you really want a house that seems to have visible structural deficiency..e.g. the need to prop up the basement wall with four poles?

As for the sump pump, a battery back-up is a standard recommendation...but if it is noisy, it may be in need of repair or replacement..as they are not supposed to be noisy...another expense, although minor.

Last but not least, I hope your HI advised you to have an HVAC tech to evaluate the furnace to document that the $500 dollar fix will be effective and lasting. You need to have an independent opinion in order to decide.

Either way, with the furnace at the end of it's lifespan, even if repaired properly, chances are you will be replacing it sooner than later none the less, so that should be factored in to your decision making process.

Are they going to scope the sewer lines to the street with a camera? If so...great idea..but costly. Before you spend more money on tests, you may want to resolve the foundation and furnace issues.

Does your contract require the seller to mitigate for radon if it is high?

Is this house that good of a deal otherwise? If not, it may be wise to consider moving on...

"Unless the HI is also licensed code official, he should not b be citing code violations...as HI's are not code inspectors...and have no training for such. "

And some code violations are so bad anyone with a minimum of knowledge can spot and identify them.

Hiding behind officiousness does not serve anyone involved well.

You do not need "training as as code official" to inspect and detail violations.

As a PE I often sign off on commercial work and deal with things the "code officials" do not have any idea of.

I dare say I have far more training and knowledge than any electrical "code official" I have met.

Logic, I don't think he/she said it would take $500 to fix it, what he/she said was;

"He said the cost to repair the furnace is only $500.00 less than the cost to replace it. He said he would like us to give him $500.00 towards either option."

The way I read that it could easily mean that a new furnace might cost $3000 & the repair would be $2500, or any other figures that are $500 apart.

To me it would be a no brainer to get the new furnace, not sure if I would want to pay for it as a buyer, but if were the seller and had to fix it or replace it I'd go for the new one. If nothing else it would be a excellent selling point if Dreamgarden doesn't buy.

I missed this when I originally read-

The owner is (understandably) angry. He said the cost to repair the furnace is only $500.00 less than the cost to replace it. He said he would like us to give him $500.00 towards either option. We said no because it was working when we made our offer.

I would say ok that I'd give them $500 towards a new furnace; but the money will change hands at the closing table; or I paid $500 directly to the person doing it at the closing table.

This is an easy one... in the contract, I am sure it states that the home will be deliverred to the buyers "in the same or better condition than it was at the time of contract execution." So far the seller has not done this. You have zero responsibility as a buyer to give this seller anything. I would think your attorney would have advised you about this.

Maybe the Inspector's Insurance should kick in some money toward the furnace repair? After all, it broke at the same moment that he was messing with it. Maybe he pushed it over the limit of what it can handle. I can see why the seller is angry. I don't think this is a mere coincidence that the furnace happen to break because it was old.

"Maybe he pushed it over the limit of what it can handle."

What on earth is this supposed to mean? Furnaces go on and off. There is no way to "push it over the limit."

As for the contract, I think it is perfectly reasonable for the owner to say "The new furnace costs $500 more than the repair, so I'll put in the new furnace if you cover the $500." Typically, if a problem is found in a home inspection, the owner will have it repaired, not replaced. I actually think that is a pretty good deal for you to credit $500 at closing for this.

Re basement - that is the big red flag. Unless you home inspector is a structural engineer (99% chance he isn't) there is no way he can give a legit recommendation on foundation issues.

"I'd like to know what home warranty company would want to insure something like this after the fact. "

They won't. In fact, they will do everything they can to deny any claim. These are ripoff companies and you shouldn't pay for their products.

Re electrical boxes - "not up to code" isn't a good description of a problem. Code changes all the time, so 99% of homes aren't up to the current code. Since the furnace is 20years old, I assume the house is at least that old too. If an electrician went through any 20 year old home, he'll be able to find dozens of things that wouldn't meet current code. Unless there is a safety issue, those really don't need to be addressed.

"Are they going to scope the sewer lines to the street with a camera? If so...great idea..but costly. Before you spend more money on tests, you may want to resolve the foundation and furnace issues.

Does your contract require the seller to mitigate for radon if it is high?
Is this house that good of a deal otherwise? If not, it may be wise to consider moving on..."

The sewer inspector will use a camera. It will cost $200.00. We aren't willing to accept a temporary repair on the furnace. If the radon needs to be mitigated we will ask for money off of that regardless of whether it is in the contract or not.

Same with the electric code violations. I plan to visit the local building dept and see if they can give us a couple of referrals. I agree with Brickeye about not needing to be an electrical expert in order to be able to see obvious flaws. The inspector has been in the business for over 25 yrs. Our RE lawyer has known him for years and has used him as an expert witness. We trust that he is right about these issues and what they will cost to remedy.

The house is in a good location and could be priced well if it won't need more than 20k in work.

"Maybe the Inspector's Insurance should kick in some money toward the furnace repair? After all, it broke at the same moment that he was messing with it. Maybe he pushed it over the limit of what it can handle. I can see why the seller is angry. I don't think this is a mere coincidence that the furnace happen to break because it was old."

The house was built in the 50's, it sold twice last year. The present owner bought it as a foreclosure and fixed it up.

I'm pretty sure the inspector didn't break the furnace. He tried to turn the thermostat up but was unable to change the setting so he opened the front door (6 inches) and the furnace came on. It stayed like that for about an hour and then it stopped working. We followed the inspector around the entire time he was there. Never left him alone once. We didn't see him do anything that could be construed as 'breaking' anything.

The inspector said it wasn't working right to begin with. Said the duct/vent from the furnace to the chimney wasn't getting hot enough and was causing the furnace to run overtime. Said that alone would cut its life in half if it was being forced to work twice as hard as it should.

The owner has done most of the work himself but admitted he'd had a guy out to tinker with the furnace a few days before the inspection. We told the inspector this. The inspector said it didn't look like anything had been done to it recently. No new parts, nothing. The area inside the panel looked dusty and ancient.

We also talked to the next door neighbor about the basement. The neighbor said he'd had similar problems with his house. Said the soil next to the house was clay and that he'd had to have the outside of his basement excavated and filled with coarse gravel to keep the walls from cracking. Said he had lived in his house for 30 yrs, had known the people who lived in this house for more than 25 yrs and that it probably wouldn't be an issue. There is one horizontal crack that has been nicely patched.

The guy doing the sewer inspection is a waterproofer that was referred to us by the water/sewer dept. He will be by tomorrow. I'll post more as the facts come in.

This is an excellent read, not just good.
People do need to improve their communications.
RE agents, I am to understand, do not like their prospects talking with owners and neighbors( these people are honest),IMO.
Buying a 50 year old house is much the same as buying a 25 year old car...The price must reflect the condition...And who buys a 25 year old anyway??..
With an average 50 year old house, the land should be the majority of the cost...
Probably not a bad deal if the owners agrees to pay for most of the new furnace cost; the downside is - he will use a new cheap one which may last but 10 years AND not be efficient.

I agree with billl.

In addition, the issue about citing "code" is that code differs from city to city..often town to town..which is why each one has their own code officials. There is no way any one HI can know the code of each and every town and city in the state.

If something is deficient or unsafe, the HI must report it as such. On the flip side, something could be code compliant (grandfathered in) but still not safe in accordance with today's' standards....as such, the HI must still cite it as a safety hazard and/or deficient...e.g. stair balusters that are spaced wide enough for a child's head to get caught.

Point being, although an HI might be familiar with code, a home inspection is not a code inspection, and most if not all states that regulate the profession do not allow HI's to act in a professional capacity for which they do not have a license. This serves to protect the buyer from those who pretend otherwise, and can give a buyer a false sense of security.

Case in point...is the rest of the house "up to code"? If the HI did not say otherwise, what are you supposed to assume? Unless that house has been fully updated, it indeed has many other code issues...if he is going to cite one, he needs to cite them all, or zip his lip.

Unfortunately, some of the HI's who have been in the business for 25 years perform inspections the same as they did 25 years ago...which does not make them the best inspector by today's standards as there were few standards then. Not saying this is the case here...only that as an ASHI member he should know better.

That said orv1, I did miss that about the repair costing only $500 less than new..and be that as it may, IMO, the seller should just replace the furnace or better yet provide a sizable credit.

As for the foundation issue; the neighbors foundation may or may not be the same as that of this house.

I therefore agree that a licensed P.E. structural engineer should be hired to provide a through evaluation...as clay soil can be a real problem.

Dreamgarden, even if you are comfortable with the issue, when you decide to sell some day, the house will be that much older, and it will make the house harder to sell without documentation from a structural engineer stating that the foundation issue is a non-issue.

Even so, even with the documentation, many buyers will not make a house with foundation irregularities their first choice.

Food for thought.

"In addition, the issue about citing "code" is that code differs from city to city..often town to town..which is why each one has their own code officials. There is no way any one HI can know the code of each and every town and city in the state. "

Sure can in Virginia.

We have statewide uniform codes and no sub-municipality is allowed to alter them.

There are still huge areas of the electric (and plumbing) code that are very uniform, with only minor local variations.

Some violations are easy to spot and document.

Instead of relying on your HI for electrical issues in a newly remodeled home, you should check with the city to see if the work was permitted. If a major remodel was done without a permit and the exposed work is questionable, I wouldn't consider buying the place.

Again, I agree with Bill.

brickeyee..good for VA. However, that still does not change the fact that an HI is not a licensed code official.

And, if he is, a buyer should know that in many states, that code requirements can and do vary from town to town, city to city. A buyer should research the issue in their state before they accept the word of any HI about "code"..as, I repeat, a home inspection is not a code inspection. Two different professions.

To "assume" otherwise is poor policy at best.

The Sewer inspector was out yesterday. So was the owner and HI. The HI had stopped by to pick up his radon detector and gave us a hand talking to the sewer guy.

The sewer guy ran a camera through the sanitary line. Looked nice and clear. The HI suggested he check the storm line while he had his equipment out. That line was blocked by tree roots. The SI (sewer inspector) said if his equipment got stuck (drain tiles?) he'd have to get one of his excavating guys to dig it out and it would cost us. We told him to hold off.

We had him look at the crack and slight bow in the basement wall. Our HI had said it would require 3 poles to prop up. The sewer guy agreed but added that the job would last longer if we excavated the outside wall before we put poles up.

He said he would call us today with an estimate for this as well as snaking out the storm line. The HI was standing there when he gave us this info so we will chat with him again before we decide what to do.

We won't need to replace the furnace after all. The owner opted to replace it instead of trying to repair the old one. It is a Bryant-Induced Combustion gas furnace-Model 310AAV/JAV. Still hooked up to the ancient air conditioner but at least the pipes won't freeze! The HI seemed to think it looked OK. Was approving of the newer duct pipe, etc.

The owner had a 'talk' with the HI about the furnace while we were outside observing the sewer inspection. He told him the electric circuit board inside the furnace had been 'fried' and gave him the evil eye while he said this. Said he'd had to pay for two service calls to get estimates and that they both suggested that it might have been done on purpose.

The HI said all he'd done was crank up the thermostat and open the front door before it made a few loud banging noises and quit. The only other thing he did was remove the panels to look at it and push the reset switch, but nothing else.

We were with him the ENTIRE time. He'd never been left alone even once (bless his patient soul!!), so we know he didn't do anything nefarious. It got a little tense but they managed to settle their differences and shake hands. Before they left, they exchanged their information with each other. They were both smiling so I trust it wasn't for lawsuit/insurance purposes!

Unfortunately, the radon results were 5.5. The HI left it in a corner of the basement last Tues. (Feb 8) during the general inspection and was supposed to pick it up on Sat. Because of the furnace issues, he wanted to wait until yesterday to pick it up. He said cold air from an improperly (non-working) furnace could affect the results.

This concerns me. I don't want forced air from the basement sending radon all throughout the house. I'm sure we will have to mitigate, but I'm wondering if we should have the water tested too even though it is on a public system.

We are making a list of what else still needs repair and how much we would like the owner to kick in. Final day to get the contingencies done is Sat. I'll post more as we go.

I appreciate the very helpful input so far. Thanks everyone!

"brickeye-Instead of relying on your HI for electrical issues in a newly remodeled home, you should check with the city to see if the work was permitted."

We have been to the building dept., engineer dept., and water/sewer dept. at least three times since we started and are learning what they will pay attention to (or ignore).

"logic-In addition, the issue about citing "code" is that code differs from city to city..often town to town..which is why each one has their own code officials. There is no way any one HI can know the code of each and every town and city in the state. If something is deficient or unsafe, the HI must report it as such. On the flip side, something could be code compliant (grandfathered in) but still not safe in accordance with today's' standards....as such, the HI must still cite it as a safety hazard and/or deficient...e.g. stair balusters that are spaced wide enough for a child's head to get caught."

We went to the building dept. on Mon to ask if a permit had to be pulled to repair OR replace the furnace as well as ask about the electric boxes. They said if it was an emergency (a weekend), the owner would be required to stop in on the next business day or two, to report the new furnace.

As for the electric boxes being out of code, the guy in the building dept. said these were grandfathered in.

I don't think my own grandfather would want an electric box that wasn't up to code, so that is something else we will want an electrician to check/fix to make sure we don't have any safety issues.

If anyone has any other suggestions about what to check, please feel free to air them.

This is the first (and hopefully last) house we plan to buy and we don't want to be members of the 'hindsight is 20/20 club"!

"I don't think my own grandfather would want an electric box that wasn't up to code, so that is something else we will want an electrician to check/fix to make sure we don't have any safety issues. "

No house more than 3 years old likely complies with the ost recent issue of the NEC.

It does not mean the installation is not "up to code."
The only code a house has to meet is the one in effect at the tie it was built and inspected.
The NEC is updated every three years, and existing installation are 'grandfathered' until they are modified.

If this did not occur you would be tearing into things every three years when a new issue if the NEC came out to comply with the new code revisions.

This is one area that often trips up even 'code officials' since they may have limited knowledge of the NEC changes over the years, and when those changes occurred.

While you have not been allowed to run a 2-wire (hot- neutral) 120 V circuit since the early 1960s when grounding and 3-wire (hot-neutral-ground) 120 V branch circuits were adopted) there are still millions of them in use that are safe and functional.

How many items do you have that HAVE a 3-wire plug?
Lamps almost never, and other small electric loads still live on 2-wire circuits.
Adding a ground to the branch circuit has no effect on the safety of 2-wire equipment.

If you know what the exact issue your HI found is then post it here.
Many of us have libraries of NEC editions going back many revisions, and other just remember when the changes occurred.
Soneone can tell you when the NEC changed, and if the actual 'finding' is anything to be concerned about.

"If you know what the exact issue your HI found is then post it here.
Many of us have libraries of NEC editions going back many revisions, and other just remember when the changes occurred.
Someone can tell you when the NEC changed, and if the actual 'finding' is anything to be concerned about."

Brickeyee, this is what the HI put on the inspection report:

ELECTRICAL:
Get second opinion from electrician or check internet sites for older STAB-LOK Federal Pacific breaker panels.

PANEL OR PANELS
double lugging / melted insulation / missing plugs / sloppy wiring / rusted or rusting / did not open due to obstruction
panel painted or sealed shut / should label all circuits /over fused or should decrees fuse or breaker size FORMCHECKBOX neutral and ground bonded in sub panel

GROUNDING
consider adding ground rod for additional safety and for double grounding or improving the grounding system FORMCHECKBOX
ground missing at water meter or pressure reducer / loose ground wire / ground wire to small

Today's standards suggest double ground to the main panel. The first ground wire should be connected to the metallic cold water pipe with a ground jumper or bond cable at the water meter The second ground wire should go to a ground rod imbedded in soil. Have electrician verify and certify all grounding conductors.

Electrical not determined or evaluated in: walls, drop ceilings, closed panels, concrete, soil, behind outlet or switch plates.

OUTLETS AND SWITCHES
consider installing GFCI'S / open grounds / reverse polarity's / loose / painted / missing cover

OTHER VISUAL CONDITIONS
improper splicing / wire not in conduit or through joists / some sloppy installation dangerous or exposed wire / some lights out or not working light bulbs or damaged / some abandoned or unknown / some not energized / extension cords used / loose conduit / dangling or exposed wires / sloppy above drop ceiling

Triple or double lugging exists in panels

Undersized wire used for double/triple lugging"

I googled "STAB-LOK Federal Pacific breaker panels" and was NOT glad to read the following:

FIRES WAITING TO HAPPEN - Federal Pacific Electric Panels: Fires Waiting to Happen, Debate Waiting to Be Ended

What is the FPE Stab-Lok Failure Rate and How Much Worse Is It Than Other Equipment?

FPE Stab-Lok or Federal Pacific Electric Stab-lok circuit breakers can fail to trip at an alarming rate. In the original testing, at a modest overload (135% of rating) switches that had never been touched (never mechanically switched) were energized on both poles. These failed 25% of the time, followed by a lockup that meant the switch would never trip in the future at any overload. Once these switches had been flipped on and off (mechanically energized), failures increased to 36%!

Worse, when individual poles on these switches were energized under the same conditions, 51% of the "virgin" switches failed, and for switches that had been mechanically energized, a whopping 65% of them failed!"

A link that might be useful:
inspectapedia.com/fpe/fpe.htm

Federal Pacific Panels are well known safety hazards.
That coupled with the mess found by the HI makes one wonder what may be wrong with wiring that can't be seen...

The panel can be changed...however, that does not address the possibility of the same type of shoddy mess existing elsewhere behind walls and ceilings.

Considering the furnace panel was "fried", it may be wise to find out what causes it to be "fried" as clearly there was some sort of electrical malfunction.

IMO, don't rule out the potential to have to re-wire the house at some point in the not too distant future.

A radon test should be done again now that there is no furnace draft issue. Older homes can be somewhat costly to mitigate, as they are not built with passive systems in place. Get a quote from a licensed radon mitigation company if it tests high again to see if the expense of mitigation works with your budget.

And, if it tests below 4, realize that you will need to re-test each year as radon levels fluctuate...and still may need to mitigate at some point in the future.

As far as the water is concerned, usually the entity that has oversight over a public water source is required to test the water for radon. Check and see if this is the case..if not, have it tested as well.

Last but no least, am I correct in understanding that the sewer guy is going to perform the foundation bracing? Is this an area in which he also specializes?

Last but not least, IMO, a house with foundation issues and electrical issues deserves second and third thoughts before purchasing.

Many of the items are indeed not code compliant and never have been.

The hidden portions of the wiring are very likely to be even worse.

This sounds like a combination of long neglected wiring and hack jobs by POs.

Unless you are willing to take a significant risk I would pass.
If you get a good enough price to cover the possibility of major rewiring and the wall/ceiling damage that often goes with it it could still be worthwhile.

Time at least to get an electrician in to poke at the wiring more if you still want to move forward.

brickeyee: "Time at least to get an electrician in to poke at the wiring more if you still want to move forward.

This will require some intrusion into drywall..wall and ceiling...which will require the sellers permission...and an agreement on who will perform the repairs.
Gets complicated.

That said, even if the seller agrees, the electrician will only see small sections...which may or may not be representative of all of the wiring.

Therefore, you will still be left wondering...with the potential for re-wiring expense very possible.

I concur with brickeyee...unless the house is selling for such a low price allowing for the repairs/replacement to be made at no hardship to you, I would pass

"logic-The panel can be changed...however, that does not address the possibility of the same type of shoddy mess existing elsewhere behind walls and ceilings.

Considering the furnace panel was "fried", it may be wise to find out what causes it to be "fried" as clearly there was some sort of electrical malfunction."

We asked our RE attorney to call the HI and ask him about the electric panels. I'm curious to know if faulty wiring could have been one of the reasons why the furnace electric board got fried. The last thing I want to do is live in a house with such crap wiring that could spark a fire without even trying. We requested a C.L.U.E. report. I'll be interested to see if that shows anything.

The house was a good price and in a good area but I don't want to pay a gob of money to fix every single thing the previous owners have neglected before we move in. We were expecting to have to repair or replace some stuff, but we aren't looking for a fixer.

My husband thinks if the owner is willing to pay for the 4 foundation poles, radon mitigation and electric panel replacement than it might be workable. Hopefully, our attorney will get in touch with the HI and give us an answer before our deadline (sat).

Anyone have a ballpark figure of what the going rate is to rewire an 1800 sq ft 2-story house?

A link that might be useful:

Frequently Asked Questions About C.L.U.E. (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange)
oci.wi.gov/pub_list/pi-207.htm

Just spoke to the HI. He looked over the inspection report again and said he HADN'T checked the box that said we had this kind of electric panel. His report isn't the easiest to read so it was hard to tell.

What a relief.

If the seller will give us credit to get the foundation, panels and radon mitigated then it might be worthwhile after all.

Logic, Brickeyee (and those others who responded). Thanks for taking the time to help me out with this. I appreciate it!

"Just spoke to the HI. He looked over the inspection report again and said he HADN'T checked the box that said we had this kind of electric panel. His report isn't the easiest to read so it was hard to tell."

This is why so many HI's who use checklists get sued...and raise the E&O insurance premiums for all. Checklists are a disservice not only to the profession, but to the buyer and seller as well.

That said, the panel was the least of it...as it could be changed. However, just because it is a different panel does not negate the incredibly shoddy electrical work that is more than likely hidden behind walls.

Not trying to rain on your parade, but I really think you should have a licensed electrician give a educated estimate on rewiring as every house is different.

Realize that the estimate will not include the cost of all of the repairs to the drywall....and painting...so you will need an estimate for that as well.

"However, just because it is a different panel does not negate the incredibly shoddy electrical work that is more than likely hidden behind walls. Not trying to rain on your parade, but I really think you should have a licensed electrician give a educated estimate on rewiring as every house is different."

Good advice, thanks!

Just remember any work done by the present owner will be by the lowest bidder they can get for the job.

"Just remember any work done by the present owner will be by the lowest bidder they can get for the job."

We are asking for credit, not repairs. The seller said the new furnace was only 1k. That is less than what we would have paid to replace. I posted what type it is above. Hope it isn't the cheapest (shoddy?) money can buy.

Thanks.