All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

@Jason Burr I have been very happy with just a simple work van. It has shelves, drawers and holds everything I need.  Plus, I can carry materials, even in bad weather.  The biggest danger with carrying everything though is theft. Make sure you address that!

@Mike Mendoza   "I've been using college kids, just out of college, stay at home mom's, etc to work on our crew to help fix our flips."

I'm sure this is a good selling point when you market the property.  No doubt: people love buying houses that were fixed up that way.   :)

@Rick L.  The best thing to do is make sure everything is in good working order before the tenant moves in. That means that you test everything thoroughly and do all the work in a professional manner i.e. no shoddy work or short-cuts.  Adopting the mindset that this is "...only a rental..." can lead to problems.  

In this case, it looks like the tub was not properly reglazed to begin with and the area above the shower was not properly addressed.  Are these plaster walls?  The bulge is odd shaped and doesn't seem to be drywall. What is the underlying cause?  Skimming over it will not fix it if that isn't addressed. 

Her requests don't sound unreasonable to me. You replaced the kitchen faucet so that's good. If something is bent on the stove, why not fix it?  The washing machine draining into the floor and not through a standpipe might be a code violation/health concern and certainly should be assessed by a plumber.  Why not do that?

The bottom line is: owning and managing rental properties is largely a service business. It costs money and takes a lot of effort to do it right.  You would not accept a restaurant or auto repair business to compromise on things because of their bottom line.  If you don't have the money, willingness or time to do it right, then it might not be the right business for you.  Something to think about...  

@Chrystal T.  I have no idea about this person but might it be possible for you to ask your question with disparaging an entire profession?  The vast majority of contractors I know and work with are not "shady".  For you to paint such a broad brush, when you yourself don't seem to fully know what you're doing, says more about yourself than him. 

@Steven Myers  I agree with you: MDF looks cheap. It's also thin, flimsy and doesn't take nails well.  1x6, preferably with base cap (as @Wayne Brooks mentioned) is a timeless look....for good reason!  

Why make things so complicated?  You figure out what you want and provide a 'scope of work'.  The contractor provides you with a written proposal and tells you how long the project will take.  

You choose the proposal that best meets your needs. Get references, verify licensing & insurance, etc. 

@JT Spangler  Why does it always have to be somebody's fault?!  Things happen. It's your house...just fix it and move on.  

Macerate: verb, "to soften or separate into parts by steeping in a liquid."

I have no further comment.  :)

@George P.   I'm sure you're glad to have it all put back together.  Congrats!

@Michael Herr I would replace it with a wooden door. It doesn't look like that one could be easily fixed and it also doesn't look very secure (even with a lock).  You probably could find something good at Habitat or some such place.