Investor · Southeast, MI · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
13y
Things I remove:
Garbage disposal, ceiling fans, kitchen faucet sprayer, all electric in a detached garage, most of the electric in an unfinished basement, humidifiers, locks on interiors doors (teach the kids how to knock), door bells, shower doors, showerhead on a hose, flouresent shop lights
Things I add:
Door stoppers, motion lights (in a rough area), deadbolts to exterior doors
Things I replace:
Gate valves replaced with ball valves
Old houses that have a "barrel trap" on the tub get replaced with a P trap
Any plumbing repairs are redone in PEX, even if the rest of the plumbing is copper or galvanized
Investor · Southeast, MI · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
13y
Things I remove:
Garbage disposal, ceiling fans, kitchen faucet sprayer, all electric in a detached garage, most of the electric in an unfinished basement, humidifiers, locks on interiors doors (teach the kids how to knock), door bells, shower doors, showerhead on a hose, flouresent shop lights
Things I add:
Door stoppers, motion lights (in a rough area), deadbolts to exterior doors
Things I replace:
Gate valves replaced with ball valves
Old houses that have a "barrel trap" on the tub get replaced with a P trap
Any plumbing repairs are redone in PEX, even if the rest of the plumbing is copper or galvanized
Rental Property Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2013 · 6k+ posts · 4k+ votes
13y
I have never installed a garbage disposal. Why would that be the first thing you would install?
The 3 main things I install:
- Smoke detectors (many properties I buy are missing them)
- A fire extinguisher (not really install, just provide)
- Deadbolt locks
I've never taken ceiling fans out if they were already there, but I've never installed a new one in a rental.
Peachtree City, GA · Member since 2013 · 60 posts · 1 vote
13y
This is all great advice. Thank you to everyone who has posted thus far.
Moving forward, if you want to post things you add to a house, that would be great to hear too.
I know it wasn't the original focus of this thread, but instead of starting a new one and since some posters have already started posting them here, I'd like to keep it going as it is very helpful advice.
Garbage disposal, ceiling fans, kitchen faucet sprayer, all electric in a detached garage, most of the electric in an unfinished basement, humidifiers, locks on interiors doors (teach the kids how to knock), door bells, shower doors, showerhead on a hose, flouresent shop lights
Things I add:
Door stoppers, motion lights (in a rough area), deadbolts to exterior doors
Things I replace:
Gate valves replaced with ball valves
Old houses that have a "barrel trap" on the tub get replaced with a P trap
Any plumbing repairs are redone in PEX, even if the rest of the plumbing is copper or galvanized
Nice list.
Do ceiling fans break that often? My last place appeared to have a ceiling fan from the 1960s. I hadn't through about ceiling fans being a pain in the butt.
Showerhead and sink sprayers are a huge remove item. My friend let someone stay at her house one night and ended up with the person spraying the entire bathroom down on accident with the shower/tub sprayer. It was a mess.
Garbage disposal... definitely. I've only lived in once rental that had one.
Investor · Southeast, MI · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
13y
Originally posted by Jon K.:
Do ceiling fans break that often?
Yes. Especially when kids are jumping on the bed and they hit their head on the fan and it starts spinning out of whack. It will only get worse and then the tenant wants a new fan. I don't put ceiling fans in any of my houses. I've had tenants request them and I let them know that they're welcome to pay for and install a fan. Some do and some don't.
A few months ago, HD had a four pack of light fixtures on sale for around $25. I bought all of them. It will never need to be replaced and is very inexpensive.
On a side note, I have five very nice ceiling fans in my house. I didn't buy any of them. They came out of houses that I purchased. I can stretch a dollar until George screams.
Yes. Especially when kids are jumping on the bed and they hit their head on the fan and it starts spinning out of whack. It will only get worse and then the tenant wants a new fan. I don't put ceiling fans in any of my houses. I've had tenants request them and I let them know that they're welcome to pay for and install a fan. Some do and some don't.
A few months ago, HD had a four pack of light fixtures on sale for around $25. I bought all of them. It will never need to be replaced and is very inexpensive.
On a side note, I have five very nice ceiling fans in my house. I didn't buy any of them. They came out of houses that I purchased. I can stretch a dollar until George screams.
Ah, I forgot about kids. Eww.
Haha, George is one guy I can't make scream. Impressive.