All Forum Posts by: Scott P.

My tenants know I have a key for emergencies although I think I've only used one once in 20+years.  You should have a key too.

Since you inherited them, if they refused I'd probably let it go if they pay on time and don't bother you and you want them to stay. 

Then you can change locks between tenants and start keeping a key.

Years ago not having key would've worried me but if I bought today with tenants and they pay on time and don't bother me I wouldn't worry about it if they told me "no" but I'd change knobs and keep a key in the future.

My tenants know I have a key for emergencies although I think I've only used one once in 20+years.  You should have a key too.

If they refused I'd probably let it go since you inherited them and if they pay on time and don't bother you and you want them to stay.  

Then you can change locks between tenants and start keeping a key.

Through the years I've had lawn service at about half of the places but not the other half.  It depended on the market and how nice the area was.

I have have to handle rodents or bugs that would mean I'm not renewing someone's lease. I turn the property over free of these pests but it's the tenant's responsibility to keep it that way.  I suspect not amount of pest control could overcome people who leave food out everywhere and attract rodents and bugs.  I admit I've never had these problems.  Maybe I've been lucky w/my tenants.  I have friends in the business who have had roaches though....disgusting.

If I had easy to manage tenants I would keep it.  I'd let them slowly pay it down for me while it slowly appreciates.

I'd only sell if I knew I had a surely better deal for the money.

I agree it's not an easy time to buy - or to build.  Seems to be a lot of $ sloshing around and towards multi's and new construction.

I hired an insulation company to do what @Jeff Copeland suggested.  Once the holes were painted over, no one knew we'd filled the cavity wall with foam.

The other ideas here are also good. 

It probably depends on how much effort and expense you want to go to.

I'm sorry to hear you're having these issues.  I would not finish this basement.  I suspect those block walls will give you water trouble for a long time.

If you decided to go to the effort, I would do items 1-3.  I suspect you need an earthen swale (which is sort of like a small dam) to intercept that water coming off the hill and direct it around the house.  Also, I would dig up all around the outside and have the blocks cleans and coated with something like Rub-r-Wall. After that a thin layer of insulation on the walls.  Then I'd install a drain tile/perforated pipe all around the bottom of the exterior of the wall.  I'd cover it with a filter fabric.  I'd pipe it to a dry well with a sump pump.  I'd back full gravel, larger than pea gravel, a little more than half way up the height of the wall.  The put in the backfill dirt.

You've got to get the bulk water away from the house.  But even if you do, there will still be ground water to contend with.  

I assume there is a sump pump with a backup inside the basement?  It needs a discharge line long enough to get at least 6 feet away from the house.  If there no drain piping under the interior of the basement floor along the walls then you'll need that interior french drain. 

I'd also run at least one dehumidifier 24/7 inside the basement.

I'd probably not do the Drylok on the inside walls. 

There are excellent answers here....BP is a fantastic forum.

Stay polite and professional, just like how you worded your post.  Supply the screens but don't paint until they've stayed and paid on time through the end of the 1st term of the lease (which I'm guessing is one year).

In my area the meter socket box panel is installed first for siding houses.  Then, a trim piece (called "J" channel I think) or some other "flashing" is installed around the meter socket panel box.  Then the siding is installed and it sort of fits into that "J channel".  Here's a photo from a duplex I had built by a full-time builder several years ago.

Note: with brick in my area the order of install is reversed. The electrician stubs out a pipe, called a "nipple" I think. It connects to the electrical panel inside and then goes through the wall a few inches. Then the brick layer lays the brick. Then the electrician mounts the meter socket box panel onto to the brick with the pipe nipple entering the back side/house side of the meter socket box panel. I was the builder for the SFR I'm living in now and which is brick.

I agree with @Clint G.

I've been 50-50 on properties with and without W&D (and microwave) through the years.

Theresa Harris is correct though. I've had several vinyl flooring tears due to tenants moving W&D and in out.