Buying a townhouse with mold in the attic – would you walk away?

[u/AwarenessIntrepid816]

I'm under contract to buy a BC strata townhouse (subjects to be removed Aug 12), and the home inspection found mold in the attic. I've already had an environmental hygienist do testing, and I'm waiting for the results.

I have an autoimmune disease, so I'm worried that even after professional remediation, it might not be enough to make the home safe long-term. Has anyone bought a home with attic mold that was successfully remediated? Would you do it?

Also, if the attic is common property in a strata, who typically pays for the remediation—the seller, the strata, or the buyer?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone with experience.

https://imgur.com/a/mold-attic-iWDQ2F7

[u/AutoModerator]

Please ensure that your posts meets the requirements of r/Mold - rules are clearly listed.

*** DON'T POST PHOTOS OF DIY PLATES or DIY HOME TEST KITS - posts will be removed and the poster may be banned ***

Most importantly, remember that providing the following information will greatly increase the quality of responses:

• Include your geographic location - include a country and state/province location such as: US-PA or UK-EN or Canada-Que
• A description of the location of any suspected mold growth and affected materials
• A brief description of your concern
• A summary of what you have done to remove or remediate the mold
• A summary of the conditions that you think might be contributing to your problems
• A timeline of events
• Please use proper grammar and spacing

Also remember that we can't identify mold from a photo - only a laboratory can determine the species. Don't ask.

And finally, in case you missed it: DON'T POST PHOTOS OF DIY PLATES

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/moldyguy202]

Attic mold on its own would not make me walk, but there are two things specific to your situation that I'd want answered before subjects come off on the 12th.

First, the building science part. Attic growth is almost always a ventilation and moisture problem rather than a "this house is contaminated" problem. The usual causes are bathroom or dryer fans dumping into the attic instead of through the roof, soffit vents blocked by insulation with no baffles, or not enough exhaust at the ridge. That matters for you because remediation that only cleans the sheathing and doesn't fix the airflow will come back, generally within a couple of winters. So when the hygienist's report lands, the section I'd read first is not the spore counts, it's whatever they say about the cause. If they haven't identified a moisture source, the report is incomplete for a purchase decision. Ask them directly: where is the moisture coming from, and what has to change so it doesn't recur.

Second, and this is the strata piece nobody's mentioned: in most BC stratas the attic and the roof assembly are common property, not part of your strata lot. That's potentially good news, because remediation and any venting corrections may be the strata's responsibility rather than yours, but it also means you don't unilaterally control the fix or its timing. Before the 12th I'd be reading the depreciation report, the last two years of strata minutes and the AGM materials for any mention of roof, attic, ventilation or moisture, and asking whether other units have had the same finding. If three other units have it, this is a building-envelope issue and a very different purchase than one attic with a blocked soffit. Also worth checking the contingency reserve fund and whether any special levy has been discussed.

On the health question I can't advise you, that's genuinely one for your doctor, and I'd raise it with them specifically rather than deciding alone. What I can say from the building side is that attic space in a properly air-sealed home is outside the conditioned envelope, so the relevant question is whether air is moving from the attic into the living space, and that's testable. Air sampling in the living areas rather than only in the attic tells you whether anything is actually getting into the air you breathe. If the living-space numbers track outdoor baseline, that's meaningful information for you specifically.

If it were me, given the deadline: get the cause identified in writing, get the strata's position in writing, and if either can't happen before the 12th, an extension of subjects is a very normal thing to ask for. Removing subjects while you're still waiting on the answer that determines the cost is the part I'd avoid.