Wise Rental Repair/Maintenance Tricks

General Landlording & Rental Properties
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Wise Rental Repair/Maintenance Tricks

Joe Edwards-Hoff
Homeowner · Grandview, WA · Member since 2010 · 155 posts · 21 votes

Hey all,

So I have been reading around lately looking for advice on what "things" to put into a rental. I don't even know how to classify what I am looking for, so it made my searches much more narrow than what I wanted. Anyway, I titled this post so that hopefully we'll get some good responses and that it will be of use to people like myself.

My main question-

If you own a property that you are renting out and you plan to hold it for a long period of time, what tricks have you learned when it comes to- replacing flooring, appliances, paint, siding, roofing, everything?

I ask this because my wife and I are moving into our house, which we plan to rent out in a couple years, and it needs a good amount of cosmetic work. As we research what we want to put in, I have my end game in mind. I want to put in stuff that lasts. I've read a few good threads where people were discussing flooring. I heard everything from painting hardwood floors and installing commercial carpet with no pad, to tile, hardwood, etc. Personally, I was looking at loose lay vinyl for my kitchen and bathrooms, but the idea of tile looked good too.

Anyway, the way I see it is that for a rental, we want stuff that will last and will not get ruined easily OR something that we just can replace cheaply/easily if we assume it will get ruined. I know that my last landlord was the cheapest guy he could be, but sometimes I felt that it may have hurt him more than helped since the stuff he replaced didn't last, or even the fact that if he made the place nicer he would attract better tenants.

I have managed 1 SFR for the past 4 years, but other than that small amount of experience, I'd like to hear what everyone else has to say. Any tips or tricks that you have picked up would be greatly appreciated. Even brand names of materials you've used. Colors for paint, or how to get it cheap. Best type of flooring. Thoughts on the best type of roofing or siding. Appliances? I vote no on disposals. I worked at an college apartment complex once and spent half my summer pulling broken shot glasses out of the disposal.

Your thoughts are appreciated!

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Christian Morency
Real Estate Investor · Millbrook, AL · Member since 2008 · 68 posts · 34 votes
14y

One of the best tricks for longer lasting kitchen and bathroom cabinets is to avoid leaking faucet problems by installing a false floor under the sinks that are 1 inch higher at the back to create a drainboard effect so the tenents will notify you right away when they step in the water all over the floor rather than having it rot out the cabinets.
Another trick if you use rolled formica countertops is to completely varnish the undersides and edges of the sink cut-out in case any water infiltrates the sink rim etc.

Pergo type products are garbage when they get wet. (and they will get wet)
However, since so many people are having to replace that "good looking" garbage, I have been able to get lots of it for free or from craigslist or yard sales etc.
I solved the water swelling problem by painting all of the edges with used car oil as I install each piece. Believe it or not, I have installed pergo in two tub surrounds (vertically) and it seems to be working well (no swelled edges) for about one year now.

I have had one refrigerator leak and when I got there the tenant had put a big bath towel to control the water. He told me it had been going on for over one week. The floor never swelled at the seems!

I am now converting all of my flooring to 4x8- 3/4 inch tongue and groove OSB from Home Depot. It looks just like cork when stained dark brown and varnished. I paint a 3/8 inch black grout line on a 16 inch grid to camoflauge all the seems. It looks like cork tiles and everybody loves it. I am on my fourth house. It costs under $3.00 per square foot installed and finished.
If they manage to destroy one section of the floor, all you have to do is sand it and re-stain and varnish it. There is no grain to match.
You could never get away with that on a hardwood floor. I have done it. It works.
Over the years, I have learned to make things bullet proof, but never tenant proof.
ALAS......Part of the joy of Landlording is serving Warlord tenants, right?

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  • Patrick Snyder
    Real Estate Consultant · Lansing, MI · Member since 2011 · 356 posts · 306 votes
    14y

    Look for materials that last. For floors, stay away from carpet, as it needs replacing too often. Ceramic tile, laminate, and hard woods are best. As for roofs, check out metal if you don't live in areas that use tile (Arizona, Nevada, Florida). While metal is more expensive up front, asphalt shingles need replacing after 15-20 years and can be damaged easily. And, metal roofs are getting cheaper and since you will be the home owner when it is installed, you may be able to get a tax benefit. For siding, vinyl is about the only real option that won't cost you too much. Regarding appliances, I only include a refrigerator and stove/oven. Washers and dryers are options if you have a higher end rental, but most of the time I'd suggest to stay away. And, by code, you will likely be required to have a disposal. If you are replacing windows, go with vinyl, as it is the cheapest and looks nice. As for paint, I don't think it'll matter much. As long as you stay away from wild colrs, there shouldn't be a problem. If you have a backyard, consider putting up a fence if there isn't one. Tenants love them, especially people with dogs. Always install door stops, too. That'll save you from repairing holes in drywall from doors being slammed.

    2Reply
  • Joe Edwards-Hoff
    OP
    Homeowner · Grandview, WA · Member since 2010 · 155 posts · 21 votes
    14y

    Thanks for the good word.

    I was durprised by your disposal comment. I've rented a few places in my town and none of them ever had a disposal. Maybe that depends on the age of the home?

    0Reply
  • Patrick Snyder
    Real Estate Consultant · Lansing, MI · Member since 2011 · 356 posts · 306 votes
    14y

    It'll depend on the local building department. It's not really an issue if you don't have a code compliance department, but having a disposal couold save you down the road if tenants try to cram stuff down there.

    0Reply
  • Jamie Hogan
    st. louis, MO · Member since 2011 · 10 posts · 3 votes
    14y

    I second the idea about getting rid of the carpet. After hearing several landlords rave about Allure vinyl flooring, I’ve installed that in two rentals. (Not the tongue-and-groove style) It hasn’t been down long. So I can’t say how long it will hold up, but it looks like it should hold up well. The tenants have loved it and I noticed that the furnace filter (in one unit where it replaced carpet) when replaced after 2 months was a lot less dirty once I went with the vinyl flooring over carpet. I don’t want tile in my units because I don’t think the tenants will take care of it. I don’t want to deal with broken tiles and stained grout. If you have hardwood floors, provide the tenants with instructions how to take care of it and what products can be used on it. The floors in one of my units had to be screened and another poly coat applied because the tenant used the wrong product when cleaning it and ruined the finish. I’m also moving to semi-glass white for all ceilings, walls, and trim. All of my tenants have been hard on the flat paint I was using and I’ve never been able to just touch up after any of them have moved out anyway. This makes getting the unit ready easier and faster. I also include only a stove and refrigerator in mine. Dishwashers and microwaves just add one more thing to break.

    0Reply
  • Joe Edwards-Hoff
    OP
    Homeowner · Grandview, WA · Member since 2010 · 155 posts · 21 votes
    14y

    One thing I am curious about is bedroom flooring. A lotof people say to avoid carpet, which seems logical to me, but I feel like I'd really want carpet in my bedroom. I guess now that I think about it, I've had hardwood bedroom floors before, but I have a hard time imagining tile or something like that. I'll look up the Allure vinyl flooring. In fact, I just did and it looks alright. It seems pretty similar looking and install was as to laminate flooring. Sounds like it would last longer though.

    For a bathroom, would it be better to just get sheet vinyl? I was thinking about some of the loose lay tile looking sheet vinyl like this-

    http://www.carpetexpress.com/products/vinyl/14-foot-wide/69445.html

    Not that exact product, but something similar. It seems to be a bit cheaper than the Allure stuff if you are going for the tile look, but for a wood flooring the Allure stuff looks nicer.

    0Reply
  • Jon Holdman
    Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
    14y

    No carpet. No carpet. No carpet. If you think you want to put in carpet, have your wife smack you in the head with a hammer. That will be less painful than carpet.

    If you go for carpet, just plan on replacing it every 3-5 years.

    Ceramic or porcelain tile everywhere you can. Baths, kitchens, utility rooms.

    We have hardwood almost everywhere in our residence. One last scrap of old, nasty carpet and its (finally) coming out as soon as I get a chance.

    If your rentals are fancy enough to require dishwashers and disposals, put them in. If you can avoid it, don't. Its just another thing to fix.

    Sealed, painted concrete would really be best, but that probably won't work anywhere.

    1Reply
  • Chris Masons
    Investor · Union, NJ · Member since 2011 · 838 posts · 295 votes
    14y

    If your somewhat handy installing engineered flooring can be a nice touch to a rental.

    I ripped out original carpets from a house built in 1980 and put down pergo flooring in living room and dining room.What a difference!! Looks great, super easy to clean and reasonably priced. Not reccommended for a kitchen or area subject to spills and water but a great and cheaper alternative to real hard wood flooring which can be double in price.

    chris

    0Reply
  • Joe Edwards-Hoff
    OP
    Homeowner · Grandview, WA · Member since 2010 · 155 posts · 21 votes
    14y

    Well, after reading the reviews of the Allure vinyl planks on the home depot website, I don't know if I would go that route. They don't look much worse than the other cheap alternatives, but I am starting to be persuaded to just go the extra mile and get hardwood flooring if I need it. There are some places that I have seen 3/4" red oak for under $3 sq/ft. And from the sound of it, that will last a whole lot longer than any laminate of vinyl product. I figure if I went with those and some ceramic tile, I might not have to worry about floors for a long time.

    P.s. Jon, if this were facebook, I definitely would have clicked "like" on your sealed concrete comment... ;)

    0Reply
  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    14y

    If you put the wrong tenant in it won't matter what materials you use the place will get trashed.

    Don't over improve the place.Have you completed research to know what rent price and type of tenant will likely rent your place??

    Example if the whole are for rents is 800 and has laminate counters and vinyl floors with no dishwasher don't expect to put granite in and hardwood and have someone dropping 300 to 400 more a month for it in rent.

    You will rent it faster and maybe for a little more but not for a lot more if the area dictates less rents.

    On the mention of metal roofs.Here in Georgia people don't like them unless it's a cabin in the woods or country etc.

    We get a bunch of rain here and the metal can be VERY LOUD and NOISY when it hits the roof.Here we use asphalt shingles and you can go here 1 to 2 more layers over the original so the cost isn't high when replacing.

    It's when the roof already has 2 to 3 layers to shred off,new under layment needs applied along with some rotten boards replaced.That's when it gets expensive.

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    1Reply
  • Mitch Kronowit
    SFR Investor · Orange County, CA · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    14y

    Second what Joel said. Your rental has to blend into the market it's competing in. I don't bother putting granite countertops in my lower middle-class rentals because the prospective tenants aren't going to pay extra for it. Sure, they'd like and appreciate some fancy upgrades, but their primary concern is a clean functional place at a good price.

    OTOH, my higher end "white-collar" type rentals come with carpet, wood floors, and appliances. Why? Because that's what the customer expects. A middle-class renter pulling down $50k/year is going to consider a place without a garbage disposal and a big hole where the dishwasher should be a "dump" and go elsewhere. One unit of mine comes complete with a stacked washer-dryer, refrigerator, and an over-the-range microwave in addition to the range, dishwasher, and garbage disposal. Not only has the unit rented quickly over the last ten years, I get around $50-75/month extra because of the amenities. That comes to at least $600/year extra that easily covers the 5-year life span disposal, 7-year dishwasher and 10-year washer-dryer/microwave. Of course there's also the additional indirect gains from low vacancies and higher quality tenants that are more difficult to place a price on.

    1Reply
  • Joe Edwards-Hoff
    OP
    Homeowner · Grandview, WA · Member since 2010 · 155 posts · 21 votes
    14y

    Yeah, my primary tenants are college students. So, the granite counters don't apply here, but then, I didn't create this thread with just me in mind. I just thought it'd be good to get people sharing their thoughts on the subject. I have to assume that if you really choose your products you use in your homes wisely, as well as good landlord procedures, you can probably see 10% better net gains from your investments, just by not wasting money on things that don't last.

    0Reply
  • Aaron Parker
    Homeowner · Whitewater, WI · Member since 2011 · 16 posts · 4 votes
    14y

    I've got a two-flat and went with a dark brown carpet in the bedroom in the lower. Hopefully stains won't show. For the upper, though, I'm thinking that carpet is almost a necessity as the lower tenant will constantly hear every step the upper tenant takes. Any experience with this situation? These units rent for around $500/mo--not high rent. I did put down ceramic tile in the bath/kitchen.

    0Reply
  • Mitch Kronowit
    SFR Investor · Orange County, CA · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    14y
    Originally posted by Joe Edwards-Hoff:
    Yeah, my primary tenants are college students. So, the granite counters don't apply here,

    Flooring with a pattern that resembles an upside-down pepperoni pizza sprayed with lukewarm beer should work nicely in your unit. ;-)

    0Reply
  • Bill Wallace
    Residential Real Estate Agent · Mound, MN · Member since 2010 · 87 posts · 32 votes
    14y

    I go with flat paint as it's easy to do touch ups that easily cover without having to redo the whole wall. Nice neutral taupe color and the same color in all 4 of my properties.

    0Reply
  • Christian Morency
    Real Estate Investor · Millbrook, AL · Member since 2008 · 68 posts · 34 votes
    14y

    One of the best tricks for longer lasting kitchen and bathroom cabinets is to avoid leaking faucet problems by installing a false floor under the sinks that are 1 inch higher at the back to create a drainboard effect so the tenents will notify you right away when they step in the water all over the floor rather than having it rot out the cabinets.
    Another trick if you use rolled formica countertops is to completely varnish the undersides and edges of the sink cut-out in case any water infiltrates the sink rim etc.

    Pergo type products are garbage when they get wet. (and they will get wet)
    However, since so many people are having to replace that "good looking" garbage, I have been able to get lots of it for free or from craigslist or yard sales etc.
    I solved the water swelling problem by painting all of the edges with used car oil as I install each piece. Believe it or not, I have installed pergo in two tub surrounds (vertically) and it seems to be working well (no swelled edges) for about one year now.

    I have had one refrigerator leak and when I got there the tenant had put a big bath towel to control the water. He told me it had been going on for over one week. The floor never swelled at the seems!

    I am now converting all of my flooring to 4x8- 3/4 inch tongue and groove OSB from Home Depot. It looks just like cork when stained dark brown and varnished. I paint a 3/8 inch black grout line on a 16 inch grid to camoflauge all the seems. It looks like cork tiles and everybody loves it. I am on my fourth house. It costs under $3.00 per square foot installed and finished.
    If they manage to destroy one section of the floor, all you have to do is sand it and re-stain and varnish it. There is no grain to match.
    You could never get away with that on a hardwood floor. I have done it. It works.
    Over the years, I have learned to make things bullet proof, but never tenant proof.
    ALAS......Part of the joy of Landlording is serving Warlord tenants, right?

    3Reply
  • James H.
    Investor · Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 450 votes
    14y

    Tile with dark grout is a pretty good way to go. That would be nice for you during the time you live there as well.

    You could buy a few extra cases of tile so you have replacements if and when tenants break them. Replacing a tile is not very hard, but finding a matching tile 5 years down the road might prove challenging.

    0Reply
  • Teresa F.
    Residential Real Estate Broker · Clinton, MD · Member since 2008 · 297 posts · 178 votes
    14y

    Same color paint, same finishes for all properties.s I never use flat paint. Although eggshell finish costs a bit more it looks good. I use semigloss in bathrooms and kitchens and white gloss on trim. Although I have a few properties with carpet, I am phasing it out. Although my tenants are typically long term (over three years), I have had to change carpet for each turnover.

    I've used the Allure with great success. Tenants love it, it looks great and high end.

    1Reply
  • Rick E.
    Real Estate Investor · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2011 · 13 posts · 1 vote
    14y

    I think I'm going to start transitioning to more tile and less caret cause it gets very dirty, very quick. And I think when you are charging 1200+ a month you can't get by with lyno. All properties with the same colors is a great idea. I recently picked a a unit that was a rental and they used the same color paint on everything including trim and while at first it threw me for a loop as I like bright white baseboard, molding, doors, etc I can see that it would take much of the work out of painting. Doing touch-ups and not having a need to tape is really slick.

    0Reply
  • Ann Bellamy
    Lender · Tyngsboro, MA · Member since 2009 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    14y

    I use a good quality Sherwin Williams eggshell type finish - white walls, ceiling and trim, all the same color and all the units get the same paint, so I never need to wonder which unit has which color paint. Eggshell is very washable and easily touched up. I don't allow tenants to paint themselves, because:
    1. They always slop paint on what shouldn't be painted
    2. They never repaint back to the the white when they leave no matter how they assure you they will.

    I've been recommending Allure and use it where appropriate. Tenants are happy with it and IT"S NOT CARPET.

    I use a master key system which is economical when purchased from Landlordlocks.com. One key for every lock in all my buildings. Plus the system allows for contractor keys and "masion" locks - for common tenant areas like laundry rooms that you don't want to leave unlocked. You change the cylinders, not the entire lock, when you need to change locks. You can reuse the cylinders in other buildings because no one will know where you moved the cylinders to.

    0Reply
  • Jason A.
    Rental Property Investor · North Huntingdon, PA · Member since 2011 · 64 posts · 20 votes
    14y

    Yes carpet needs replaced every 5 years or so, but hardwood doesn't always hold-up great either. Ofen the engineered products scratch and dent easily. If you have a tenant with some rough kids or a pet then your hardwood floor it hosed. When I carpet I prefer to get a neutral/dark color of berber and put it over good padding. Buying the better padding should save you money in the long run because it will outlast the carpeting and won't need replacing (hopfully). As far as paint- Behr Swiss Coffee semi-gloss. They sell this off-white color straight of the shelves at Home Depot. Most importantly, keep all of your rentals the same paint color/finish, so that patching and painting is that much easier.

    1Reply
  • Rich Schmidt
    Investor · Valparaiso, IN · Member since 2011 · 103 posts · 65 votes
    14y
    Originally posted by Jason A.:
    Yes carpet needs replaced every 5 years or so, but hardwood doesn't always hold-up great either.

    We bought the rental house next door back in summer 2007, and the previous owners had put new carpet in it before the sale. We thought we'd need to replace it by now, but it still looks OK after cleaning. We'll probably have to decide what to replace it with this summer, if our current tenants move out at the end of their lease. We're on our 4th tenants, so the carpet has survived a lot of turnover.

    0Reply
  • Joe Edwards-Hoff
    OP
    Homeowner · Grandview, WA · Member since 2010 · 155 posts · 21 votes
    14y

    What about yard work? I am managing a single family home right now to a bunch of college kids and I have not come up with an effective plan yet. do you pay someone to do the work or do you have the tenants do it? If they do the work, do you supply the tools? I once had a landlord who was going to hold back deposit funds if the grass died.

    0Reply
  • Rich Schmidt
    Investor · Valparaiso, IN · Member since 2011 · 103 posts · 65 votes
    14y
    Originally posted by Joe Edwards-Hoff:
    What about yard work? I am managing a single family home right now to a bunch of college kids and I have not come up with an effective plan yet. do you pay someone to do the work or do you have the tenants do it? If they do the work, do you supply the tools? I once had a landlord who was going to hold back deposit funds if the grass died.

    I do the yard work on our two single-family rentals... but that's because they're right across the street from me, so I might as well. It's a selling point for tenants that they don't have to mess with it. I've told them they can mess with it if they want, and one tenant would mow the grass sometimes, just because she enjoyed it.

    If we had a rental further away, we'd have the tenant do it... with something in the lease to say that if they didn't keep the grass cut, and I had to deal with it for them, that they would have to pay for it somehow. Maybe I would structure it as them getting discounted rent for doing it themselves. If they chose not to do it, they could pay the higher rent.

    0Reply
  • Brad Z.
    Investor · Member since 2009 · 132 posts · 30 votes
    14y

    *Same color in all rentals (killz has a new contractor line at HD that seems to be pretty good and is also cheap)

    *No carpet if at all possible

    *Don't buy the cheapo kitchen/bath faucets, they always break

    *No dishwashers/disposals if your market doesn't require it

    *Use the little drain screens in all sinks

    *I have used outdoor paint in bathrooms at times to help with moisture

    1Reply
  • Joe Edwards-Hoff
    OP
    Homeowner · Grandview, WA · Member since 2010 · 155 posts · 21 votes
    14y

    Anyone have anything to add to the yard work comments? Especially with SFRs in mind. Jon?

    0Reply
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