So..., doing the whole refi thing with a VA loan. Inspector comes out and had only one hit - the door leading from the house to the [attached] garage.

Problem, door has a doggie hole (installed by previous owners). Feedback from the inspector is to either replace or patch. Replacement is the solution for the permanent fix however, as nothing is standard in this house, the special order door would be 6-8 weeks out.

For those of you in the know (especially if you are a VA home appraiser/inspector, what is an acceptable patch? Two pieces of sheet steel (1/8" thick each) screwed/bolted to each other through the door? Something less complicated or, more complicated?

Looks do not matter. As previously noted, door will be replaced with a new one.

TIA

Yeah the new code is so that gasses from the garage don’t enter the home from said garage if a car is still running.. I would think patching it with a solid piece of plywood glued and screwed would work.

Around here the door between the house and the garage would need to be fire rated, so even if the door was a fire rated door a hole cut through it would eliminate that protection.

If you're just needing to make your inspector happy, I would ask him exactly what he would sign off on and then do it that way.

Needs to be fire-resistant and gas tight, I would imagine. So, yeah, I guess metal plates fastened to each side, with a bead of sealant under the perimeter of each, would do it?

WTH would somebody put a doggie door between the house and garage? Never mind the safety hazards. What's the point?

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Needs to be fire-resistant and gas tight, I would imagine. So, yeah, I guess metal plates fastened to each side, with a bead of sealant under the perimeter of each, would do it?

WTH would somebody put a doggie door between the house and garage? Never mind the safety hazards. What's the point?

Other than to have hotdogs when you get home, no idea (garage would get blazing in the summer - before I insulated it)

a1abdj - actually great idea. I was over thinking it. Again lol

If you can keep the re-fi process moving along by patching the door with your promise to replace when the special ordered one arrives, that's what I'd do.

As far as selling, the market is so hot around here, most offers are cash and sellers are saying that the house is sold "as is" so regardless of what the "inspector" says, you want to buy it, you fix it.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Needs to be fire-resistant and gas tight

This right here... along with high temp silicone.

quote:

Originally posted by Blackmore:
If you can keep the re-fi process moving along by patching the door with your promise to replace when the special ordered one arrives, that's what I'd do.

As far as selling, the market is so hot around here, most offers are cash and sellers are saying that the house is sold "as is" so regardless of what the "inspector" says, you want to buy it, you fix it.

That's the plan right now. Have an email to the inspector for guidance as to what is acceptable.

I actually bought in 2003, the other seller's market.

My experience with the VA has been if you make a reasonable attempt to fix whatever you were dinged on, they are satisfied.

We bought a home built in 1951 in an estate sale and I had to put in GFCI's before the VA would let me get the mortgage. The seller was adamant that the house was "as-is" so I got permission to actually go in there and change them out myself out of my own pocket before settlement. I changed every outlet that was pointed out that needed them; bathrooms, basement, patio and kitchen.

Once I was complete I took pictures of all the updated receptacles and noted where they were and emailed them to the VA inspector and he signed off on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Needs to be fire-resistant and gas tight

This right here... along with high temp silicone.

If you want it fire resistant maybe fill the cavity with rockwool and/or drywall too.