Wise Rental Repair/Maintenance Tricks

[Joe Edwards-Hoff]

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!

[Christian Morency]

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?