Ceiling delamination? (2023 Update)

[Doc]

OK - I just lost my job, I'm looking for a new one, we have to move (there's no work of my type in this town) so we're selling the house (in a town where a lot of people just got laid off - ugh) and on top of all this stress, it seems like every day we get told by the realtor we need to do something else to help sell the house (new carpet in the den, painting, pressure wash, etc.)

So - to add to our stress, a fellow who told the realtor he's a builder looked at the house today (built in 1973) and told her (the realtor) that although he wasn't interested in the house, he felt he should tell us that he saw ceiling delamination. I don't have a clue where or how he saw this - I don't know what it is, but I don't see obviously sagging spots in the ceiling. The realtor told us if we got on a step-stool and pushed up on the ceiling and it gave, we did have delamination and would need to repair it. If only upstairs, perhaps $200 - $400, if downstairs also, obviously significantly more.

Can someone enlighten me on this problem? How would someone (not me!) repair it? I can't afford to have all the ceilings in my house torn apart for a period of time (we're trying to sell the house and almost every day or so we have people looking, I'd hate to turn them away!) Ugh - I doubt anyone would have noticed or seen this had I not had a builder poking around (we certainly can't tell anything from looking, nor had anyone else.)

Thanks for any education and tips!

[m Ransley]

lower the price, less work, less stress.

[Art]

For the right price, any house in any condition will sell. Fix the cheap stuff and then set the right stuff and move on. If you can't see anything wrong with the ceiling perspective customers won't either.

[ryeish]

I read an article on this a few weeks ago. Set a price that you like and admit to the possible buyer that there was work that needed to be done. When we purchased out home the seller told us what needed to be done and set the price accordingly. None of these items would cause the house to fail an inspection though.

To the original poster: can you barter with someone to get the work done, say trade hours of your skill for for the skills of another?

Good luck moving and finding work. I'm about to be in the same boat as you are, it's no fun. :(

[xrongor]

in all likelyhood the buyers (or their bank) will have a home inspection and any competent inspector will see what is up. there are also legal issues of 'disclosure' that should at least be considered.

personally i think the seller would do best to just have it fixed. its probably causing more stress right now thinking about it than it would to just have it done. if you discount the house you will be out the cost of the project + the pain in the butt factor. if you live with the pain while its being fixed, you will likely get more back than the fix cost. people will pay significantly more or a ready-to-move-in house vs some that need minor but seemingly major fixes like this one.

randy

[Mark]

First off, I'd be asking myself why a Builder is looking at

30 year old houses for sale. I smell a self-serving comment.

Second, off-hand I don't know of any standard ceiling material that's laminated, other than the rare occasion I've seen plywood-type sheeting used for a certain "look" in certain areas of a house.

Sheetrock and plaster are the two most common types of ceiling materials, and for '73 in a mid-scale (I'm assuming) home, sheetrock is the odds-on favorite for a second story ceiling.

Sheetrock does not delaminate. Either you have an unusual ceiling in your home, or somebody's jerking you around.

[spamfree]

and add the statement "SELL AS-IS". Works everytime !!!!

[spamfree]

Isn't it amazing how these builders show up after a real estate agent gets their grubby hands on a home. From past experience, I think real estate agents are the scum of the earth. They'll do anything to get you to lower the price, so they can make a quick buck. That builder is most likely a "plant". The realtor sent him to scare you into lowering your price.

If however you can actually find sags, assuming it's sheet rock, then you need to add a few sheetrock screws in those spots, put a little spackle over them, and touch up the paint, or repaint the ceiling. Total cost should be under $10 if you have touch up paint, or add the cost of the paint if you need to repaint. The work itself is pretty easy.

[barry martin]

DOC:

D > OK - I just lost my job, I'm looking for a new one, we have to move D > (there's no work of my type in this town) so we're selling the house D > (in a town where a lot of people just got laid off - ugh) and on top D > of all this stress, it seems like every day we get told by the realtor D > we need to do something else to help sell the house (new carpet in the D > den, painting, pressure wash, etc.) D > D > So - to add to our stress, a fellow who told the realtor he's a D > builder looked at the house today (built in 1973) and told her (the D > realtor) that although he wasn't interested in the house, he felt he D > should tell us that he saw ceiling delamination. I don't have a clue D > where or how he saw this - I don't know what it is, but I don't see D > obviously sagging spots in the ceiling. The realtor told us if we got D > on a step-stool and pushed up on the ceiling and it gave, we did have D > delamination and would need to repair it. If only upstairs, perhaps D > $200 - $400, if downstairs also, obviously significantly more. D > D > Can someone enlighten me on this problem? How would someone (not me!) D > repair it? I can't afford to have all the ceilings in my house torn D > apart for a period of time (we're trying to sell the house and almost D > every day or so we have people looking, I'd hate to turn them away!) D > Ugh - I doubt anyone would have noticed or seen this had I not had a D > builder poking around (we certainly can't tell anything from looking, D > nor had anyone else.)

Re: delamination. Have the specific spots been pointed out? Seems like if you were told something you should be able to find it. (Wondering if this isn't a scam -- looker-builder trying to drum up business?)

Not sure how much this will help to sell the house. Leave the carpet, paint, etc., as is (unless really bad!) and allow the refurbish price to the prospective buyer. If you figure $1,000 for new carpet and painting take that figure verbally off the selling price and tell the prospective buyer you'll take $1,000 (or whatever) off the price so they can replace the carpet, paint with what they want, rather than live with what you selected.

- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

• I prefer language to weird iconograms and pointerish incantations.

[Johnny bravo]

I'll consider your knowledge of home construction very limited to say the least. Back in the 70s, 3M, had this magnificent plan to nail one layer of drywall up, then use this new glue to roll on, then stick another layer on the surface. They thought that would be good enough. Hence the name "ceiling delamination." Technically, it is one layer delaminating from the next.