February 26, 2014
A reader asks, “For an FHA loan, are there roof requirements on a detached garage or do the requirements solely apply to the roof over the home?”
FHA loan rules for property analysis can be found in HUD 4150.2. Under the “Roof” section we find the following:
“The covering must prevent moisture from entering and must provide reasonable future utility, durability and economy of maintenance. When re-roofing is needed for a defective roof that has three layers of shingles, all old shingles must be removed before re-roofing…The appraiser must observe the roof to determine whether the deficiencies present a health and safety hazard or do not allow for reasonable future utility.”
The rules do not make a distinction between attached garages or detached garages, but the line about future utility and durability would seem to imply that roofing in general would be required to live up to that standard.
Then there’s another line in 4150.2 which would also seem to imply this to be true: “Required repairs are limited to those repairs necessary to preserve the continued marketability of the property and to protect the health and safety of the occupants.”
However, FHA loan appraisal standards aren’t the only rules that would affect a transaction like this–state or local building code must also be observed. Depending on where the home is located, roof issues for a detached garage may be addressed by state or local code, and those rules would need to be followed as well.
Borrowers with questions like these should consult the local authority to see what may be permitted and what may not be considered “up to code”.
Do you have questions about FHA home loans? Ask us in the comments section. You can apply or get pre-approved for an FHA loan at FHA.com, a private company and not a government website.
Joe Wallace has been specializing in military and personal finance topics since 1995. His work has appeared on Air Force Television News, The Pentagon Channel, ABC and a variety of print and online publications. He is a 13-year Air Force veteran and a member of the Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association. He was Managing editor for www.valoans.com for (8) years and is currently the Associate Editor for FHANewsblog.com.
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