All Forum Posts by: Uwe K.

Originally posted by Mitch Kronowit:

They sell urinals at our local Lowes. I thought it would be a great addition for our LIVING ROOM!!! That way I wouldn't miss any TV while taking a break! ;-)

But the stone cold look on my wife's face scuttled that idea in a hurry. :-)

Awesome idea :lol:
For the wife, just make sure you have plenty of those pinkish urinal stones n there, that should satisfy here. Maybe some colorful decals in the upper half or so...

I redid a whole house in Pex a while ago. Mostly because I didn't want to deal with the soldering and having the new stuff stolen again 2 weeks later.
It was ridiculously easy to put in, and probably way faster (never did copper). Price wise I can't really compare. The fittings do add up, but you also use less, as not every bend needs one etc. The tubing is so cheap that many use the manifolds with valves and run separate tubes for sink, shower, etc., and can easily shut off in the basement.

I used the crimp connections, not one of them leaked. The tool cost you $100 initially, though.

A drawback is just that you cannot have it exposed to sunlight for a long time (they say 30 days). So anything open in the basement, for example, I had to cover somehow. I simply used electrical tape, which adds to the time, but still worth it.
And if your supply tubes for a sink come through the floor, you need an elegant fix to stabilize them, as they don't stand up straight as copper or steel would.
And in tight corners, you may not get the crimp tool in, as that needs quite a bit of space.

Creating some form of separate metering is the best option, but if the cost is a deterrent right now, I would use Max I's way of pro-rating it. That's how most commercial NNN leases in multi-tenant buildings are (if not separately metered).

Find out the average you paid, tell them the rent will be reduced by that, but the gas bill will be split proportionally based on square footage of the units. If gas is used for cooking, you may put in some fixed base amount per person or so, as simple or complicated as you want (or the tenants desire...).
Of course, you would have to gradually change it when leases come up for renewal.

I've used the scoring tool and a steamer before. Worked mostly well, though one wall had to be patched a bit, it got rough under there, not sure why.
I think the type of steamer makes a difference. At the time I bought a cheapo Wagner $50 thing at HD. Works fine, but there are more efficient ones out there, I guess. I just had one room to do.

Sorry for the delay, I'm still alive, not yet killed by renters, weeds, or watching Lifetime.

You guys are right, to find that one in a million altruistic enter who truly enjoys gardening just for the benefit of others (more or less) might be a challenge. :) So we go with a landscaping guy.

Selling was a (very) brief thought. Factors against it were the current market, that I don't want to go house hunting again in a year or two when coming back, and too many updates required to get the best selling price.

The need for updates is also the reason why I am not overly concerned about some of the potential damages. If they mess something up, chances are, it's on the honey-do list anyway before moving back :roll:

All my "real" rental properties I have no plants etc. that I need to care much about other than mowing the lawn and waiting for the rain to do its work.

Now I am getting ready to rent out my own house for a while because I will be at another location. But I will come back to it, in a year, maybe 3 years, no concrete plans yet. But we put quite some effort in the garden and would not like the plants to die (i.e. they should get water if needed), and the place should not look like it's on planet weed.

Question: Can I ask the renter to do all that stuff? Of course, they may not do it right, that's the risk.
And if someone rents a single family, and has to care for the garden, do they possibly want to do their own thing in there? I don't want to them to rip out stuff, of course. There are some unused patches.
Would they complain about watering, because they have to pay the water bill, but they don't really reap the benefits (rather see it as more for the landlord's benefits). Would they do the weeding so it stays somewhat clean? Should I hire some outside service?

I know everything can be put in the lease and "agreed" on, I am just wondering what sound reasonable and how to go about that, so the tenant doesn't feel p.o-ed and my wife can come back to her flowers.
It's not a low-end neighborhood and we can expect middle class people with a "normal mind" (keep my fingers crossed - it's just different if it's your own house... )

Thanks.

I agree with Mike. Sounds like a big drop for that situation.

I once asked my bank about a refi with cash out, and they wanted to charge a ridiculous closing fee (points) just for that. So we went with a HELOC.

Just the other week I actually used the vinegar mix. The next day those things looked dead, except some that I think I haven't covered properly.
I read a quarter cup of salt per gallon of vinegar (some say 20% acidity, but I used 5%), and then i added some dish soap. The mix is not critical, not sure what the soap is for.
Apparently, if covered properly, the crack will be quiet for a couple of years.

I used Behr at Home Depot and like it.
The first time I chose it 4-5 years back because it had excellent ratings at Consumer Reports (coverage etc.)

By the way, is anybody using semi-gloss in areas other than bath and kitchen, just because dirt can be wiped off easier and it may save some re-painting after a tenant moves out? Experiences? Worth it?

Originally posted by firedragon:

and regarding DTES--I've never withheld payment or refused to pay. My landlord has been as "deadbeat" as I have regarding collecting rent.

You can see that one however you like. But you shouldn't excuse your behavior with the roommate's behavior. You're still responsible for paying, even if he's not asking. E.g. I put in my leases specifically that landlord will not collect the rent personally (for some people you have to set the right expectations...)

Anyway, now that everybody has beaten you up for not paying for 3 years, let's get over that, because it seems you and roommate were kinda ok with it and you're going to figure it out.

BUT, he already offered a month free, so take it and be quiet. If you were smart, you made an interest bearing investment with the $30k, so take that money and consider it the "inconvenience discount". Just putting myself in your situation, I would not dare to ask for more.
Question though: What does roomie think about the efforts of the contractor? I guess he needs to take a shower once in a while, too. Have you talked about the situation?
I can't imagine what someone would do 40 hours a week for 3 months in one bathroom. Handcarving the marble tile or something?