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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  • Steve Babiak
    Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    14y

    Type of lawn was discussed here:
    http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/32513-what-sort-of-lawn-should-i-install

    I have the tenants responsible for lawn care. I don't really want to have anybody planting a garden - weeding and mulching won't happen, since getting the grass cut is sometimes more than one can ask.

    I have supplied a lawn mower - the manual kind for smaller yards (no motor whatsoever), and an electric mower for a larger yard (and I don't supply a power cord, just a GFCI protected outdoor receptacle). Tenants are free to use whatever tools they want if they purchase on their own. They are also free to use a service, and I even offer to provide names of guys who will cut grass.

    One tenant had the teenage boy next door cut the grass for a small payment.

    Sure, there are liability issues ... there always will be something that leads to some kind of liability. Good insurance is a necessary protection. As well as other measures ...

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  • Mickey Harrison
    Real Estate Investor · New Orleans, LA · Member since 2011 · 54 posts · 13 votes
    14y
    Originally posted by Joe Edwards-Hoff:
    Anyone have anything to add to the yard work comments? Especially with SFRs in mind. Jon?

    I pay someone to take care of my 3 rental units. The person I use is a college student trying to get a lawn business off the ground. I get a good rate and as I grow my business, I'll be helping him grow his. Here are some others reasons I do this:

    - It's personal comfort to know that all my properties lawns keep the neighborhood looking nice.
    -I ask my grass guy how the places are looking so he's like and extra pair of eyes for me. (this has paid off- 2 examples..Tenants were parking on the lawn grass guy calls and says he can't cut the grass because of the cars on lawn. I call Tenants tell them read the lease if it happens again they're going to be charged. Another time/tenant had trash/couch in the back yard. Grass man calls saying he can't cut cause of all the filth. I called tenants problem fixed. Best part I didn't have to go to the properties to take care of the issues because of my "extra pair of eyes")
    -Tenant's don't seem to cut the lawns until I say something. In order for me to say something means more frequent check ups on the property...During the summer grass grows crazy down here in NOLA = more time spent inspecting lawns.
    - Use this as a pitch when renting out the units.

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