All Forum Posts by: Aaron Schrader

I would be hesitant to use the realtor for your repair estimates, but for your ARV that is a reasonable request. But that's also something you can find out pretty easily. I'd try to take the time to understand what this property would look like if the numbers come in at a worst case scenario, or at least a worse scenario than what you predict, and see if you are still comfortable with it. At the end of the day, you need to be comfortable with the numbers and how everything looks in regard to that. If you haven't looked at a lot of properties, it would be in your best interest to start digging in and understanding numbers for repairs, general numbers for what a roof costs, or flooring, or a foundation repair. Pay a contractor to look at a house with you. It'd be worth it!

You could write your offer contingent on the evaluation/pricing of that potential retaining wall situation.  Might not be the best offer they get, but you never know.  We have some friends that just purchased a home that had a crappy chimney, and they had money held aside from the sale of the home from the buyer, put into escrow, and was used to rebuild the chimney.  I've heard Brandon say on a BP podcast that he's thrown in three differently written offers on property before, it gives a seller choices and lets them know you're serious.  Just some thoughts if wanted to get an offer in but didn't have time to get the estimates done.  

Uhhhhhhh...... that is a crazy story.  I was going to say my rental house I'm working on now is 118 years old, and I was under it doing some work and there was a pair of the old style women's boots, black in color, with many many eyelets to lace them up.  Tight quarters and they were by my face when I pulled them out and I thought "Sure hope there aren't feet in here!"  But your story is way more wild!  I'd love to hear more of the details!

https://youtu.be/YBvf1-giWVsHey my second "and this" above didn't get the link placed.  Should be a YouTube video on How to make craftsman style tapered columns by "I build it home"

I'd check The Family Handyman magazine, and Fine Homebuilding.  Though the magazines target different skills levels they are both pretty great resources for projects like this.  Also I searched this topic and found this: https://www.shadesofblueinteri...

And this: 

Not sure if that's the style you are after, hopefully it gets you a start.

Also the lumberjocks woodworking forum may be of help.

Cool house!  From the look of it, I'd go with black trim and a black room and a sage green type paint, but I'd add that the gable might look really cool with some wood shakes on there.  But I'm from the NW so this is familiar to me.  Something like this:

Yes to mini splits.  I've had them personally in my own home and we loved them.  They're rated to heat down to certain temperatures so check what those are, but they are a great way to get heat and air.  In my previous county the winter temps meant that county code required an extra supplemental source of heat (electric whatever or a wood stove) as the heat pumps wouldn't heat a room under a certain temp. Ours did great down to about 15º, but under that and they didn't kick out great heat.  I'm in South Dakota now, and the popular electric heat here seems to be cove heat, which are much nicer than the old baseboard electrics.  If I had only electric I would run mini splits with some cove heaters, that'd cover everything!

@Joseph Milano yes I still do a lot of my own work.  I think that's why I hate going to the store, because I go there then I go do the work.  You should try it both ways if possible, see what works better for you.  At some point I won't do as much of my own work, and therefore probably won't pick out my own materials, unless it's some kind of specialty install of a light or something like that.

As a former handyman contractor, and now as an investor and agent, I have always picked up materials.  I can attest that it is a tremendous time suck, I can't believe how much time is spent running to Lowes, then "oh Lowes doesn't have it I gotta go here".  So from my end, if someone picked up material I'd love to save that time.

That said, on the contractor end, if someone picked up the materials and they got the wrong thing, wrong amount, short of an extra 2x4 or whatever, it's super annoying to stop what you're doing and go back to the store. Or, what if I ask them to get some 2x4 lumber and the stuff they get is twisted and nasty? The contractor also misses out on any markups they might get.  

Maybe some things you can pick out and pick up that you care about more, like paint colors or light fixtures?  Like @Evan Polaski said, if you have more time than money, you may wanna do it.  But if it makes sense to stay doing the thing you make more money at while you pay someone less money to drive around and get it (particularly with expensive gas) then go that route.  Hopefully this helps!

@Caroline Gerardo is spot on with the cleaning tips.  Those cabs look nice like they could be cleaned up well.  Gross cabinets are, well, gross, so if you have a lack of motivation cleaning them, pretend that they cost $6000(or whatever) to replace that kitchen and divide that by the 5 hours you spending cleaning it and you just paid yourself a lot of money!  I'm guessing that void by the sink was a dishwasher?  If so I'd put that back.  

If that granite is in good shape- not chipped and cracked and broken- I'd leave it.  That yellow paint makes it look like a smoker lived there, I'd repaint that.  Additional lighting is a great idea.  I'd fix that random tile counter (the one with the white 4" tiles) and I guess match the granite if you're keeping it, or you could throw on a butcher block top if you can't match the granite.  Do you need any kind of kitchen exhaust?  Like a range hood?  Is the tile missing on the floor by that empty spot? Maybe a new floor is in order?

The lighting addressed above was a good call- it's super easy in a small kitchen to pop in a couple of remodel can lights off of that same light that is there.  Also that sink: BarKeepers Friend is a cheap and amazing product that can really scrub out a sink.  My wife has also used spray on oven cleaner in really soap scummy showers and it works wonders at cleaning up a fiberglass shower, so I imagine a sink it would work well too.  Hope this helps!