If you maintain property yourself, what spare parts do you stock?

[Matt R.]

Hello all!

If you manage and maintain your own properties, what spare parts do you stock?

What I have in mind are things that might make the house "unlivable", or parts that can be used to at least make the house safe overnight until you can call a pro to fix it completely in the morning (during the week) or on Monday (on the weekend). Or, things to make it at least functional until you can go to the store and get a better item - like, the tenant breaks the nice pendant light over the dining room table, so you install one of those $10 dome fixtures on the ceiling so they can see, and then go get a replacement pendant fixture on the weekend and install it.

Some things, like toilet valves, outlets, switch plates, etc can always be obtained at Wal-Mart, 24 hours a day. But sometimes it might be nice to get whatever it is from your personal stash and go right over to the property, rather than having to go to the store first.

There is also a tradeoff between paying for and storing hundreds of dollars worth of stuff you might not need, vs having to get a hotel for the tenant or paying for a pro to come out and fix it. Some of this stuff you might eventually use when turning the place for a new tenant.

Here is what I can think of so far. I'm not sure if I actually need things marked with a question mark. Additions and comments are welcome.  (Yes, one of the potential comments is "this is why you hire a handyman". :D )

Exterior
- Duct tape and plastic sheeting (temporary fix for cracked window panes)
- Tarp, 2x4s, and nails? (temporary roof repair after high winds or tree limbs)
- Tube of caulk, caulking gun
- Plywood and 2x4s for board-up of busted windows?
- One cheap exterior doorknob set?

Interior, general
- Duct tape or other tape (temporarily sticking down a loose floor tile or laminate flooring, many other things)
- Drywall screws, small nails (loose sheetrock or trim)

Electrical
- Outlet and switch plates (maybe just one each of all the kinds the house has)
- One or two regular outlets
- One GFCI outlet
- One regular switch
- One three-way switch (if the house has any)
- Cheap interior ceiling light fixture (if the tenant manages to break one)?
- Spare fuses (if equipped), including "big" ones for A/C, stove, etc.
- One 15A or 20A circuit breaker?

Plumbing
(Some of this depends on if you have more than one bathroom or not... if you just have one, it's more critical that it works.)
- Faucet washers (if equipped)
- Faucet cartridge valve (if equipped)?
- One or two caps for each thread size in the house
- Sink/toilet shutoff valve
- One faucet flex line (the longest size the house needs)
- Complete set of toilet guts - water valve, flapper
- Rubber washer for Fluidmaster toilet valve (if equipped)
- Toilet flex line?
- Toilet seat?
- Cheap bathroom faucet?
- Washing machine shutoff valve (if equipped)?
- Drain pipe washers/gaskets
- New P-trap (kitchen size, bath size)?
- Water heater thermocouple (if equipped)
- Water heater temperature/pressure valve?
- Water heater drain valve?
- Washing machine supply hose (if you provide the machine)?

HVAC
- Furnace filter
- Furnace thermocouple (if equipped)
- Furnace ignitor (if equipped)
- Furnace blower start/run capacitor (if equipped)?
- Outside A/C start capacitor (if equipped)?
- Replacement vent grille(s)? (The house I am buying has a return grille in the floor)

Thanks!

Matt R.