Buying a house is a daunting task. Even after you get through all the showings, real estate negotiations, inspections, and other obstacles, there can still be surprises. Maybe it’s an annoying neighbor, an ugly paint color, or a doggy door you hadn’t quite noticed before.
For Josh and Liv on TikTok, their new house came with an entire level they had no idea about. Even though they’d been shown the house multiple times, the real estate agent failed to mention a secret trap door to a massive basement.
The dark underbelly of the house is full of crumbling brick and disconnected pipes. They even had to climb through holes in the walls to navigate from one section to the next. As they say, they believe the basement used to house an old boiler, and it eventually fell into disrepair.
Despite the overall creepy, dirty, decaying vibes of the basement, the internet still has ideas for what Josh and Liv can do with their massive Batcave-esque basement.
One commenter said that the first thing she would do is renovate the area and build a movie theater and game room beneath the secret passageway. Another said that it’s the perfect space for a secret man cave. It could also double as a bona fide Batcave, a place to store canned goods and food, a bar, a complete bunker, or just a really good hiding spot for hide-and-seek.
Other viewers were not quite so optimistic about the space’s potential. Many were concerned that the previous owners purposely hid it because they knew it wouldn’t pass inspection. Others worried that because of the crumbling brick, the basement wasn’t structurally sound. People warned of asbestos, spiders, and flooding.
Josh and Liv assured people in the comment section that all of the foundations are solid and they were able to fix any questionable brickwork so that everything was nice and supported.
Josh and Liv didn’t mention whether or not their new home had been inspected, but lots of people agreed that if it had and they’d found the basement, it may not have passed. According to Rocket Mortgage, a home inspection is an important step because there can be issues with a home that only a professional would notice. An inspection takes place after the seller accepts an offer from a buyer, and it can cost the buyer between $200 and $400.
Home inspectors are typically looking for things like foundation problems, damage to load-bearing structures, poor plumbing, and anything that would detract from the value or usability of the home. Secret basements are not necessarily on their radar.
Regardless, Josh and Live seem happy with their secret space and viewers are on the edge of their seats to see what they do with it. Batcave here we come.