All Forum Posts by: Bob Crane

Thanks, Kevin.  I never thought about a minimum bedroom size.  I've always been told if it has a closet its a bedroom.  There are some 9x11's around here.  Basically you fit a twin, a small dresser, and that's it.

That's why I wondered about just creating a half bath.  That would then give me enough real estate for someone to tuck a dresser in the alcove created and leave the remaining floor space for a bed and foot traffic.

The question - is it better to make a big room small by adding a full bath or save some of that floor space and only add a tiny half bath?  

I own a 1500 sq foot ranch built in the 50's in a C+ neighborhood in small town Illinois.  The house is currently a 3/1 with the 1 bath being on the opposite side of the house from the bedrooms.

The front bedroom is 11x14.5.  My plan is to take a portion of that room and make a bathroom (bathroom would land in the same hallway as bedrooms).

The question - Do I turn the bedroom into a 9x11 and make a full bath or still a corner of the room and create a 4x5 tiny half bath (which would salvage some floor space in the bedroom).

The other two bedrooms are 12x14.

I've done some forum searches but couldn't easily find this scenario.

Balancing cost savings vs delay of rental.

I recently purchased a SFH to run through BRRR. My budget was based on a split of hiring some of the rehab work but putting in my own time on the bulk.

A number of factors are WAY slowing down the process and pulling me away from this project. So I’m faced with hiring the remainder of the work to get done in the next 30-45 days or continuing my work and looking at 5-6 more months before I can rent and losing that rent.

When faced with this dilemma (blowing budget vs losing rental) how have you looked at it and calculated? Obviously dollars lost vs dollars saved is a quick way but I’m wondering if that is an accurate picture.

I’ve checked with other landlords and local realtors and they tell me this area continues to rent year round (not much of a winter lull).

Some details:

I’ve farmed out the roof, electrical, HVAC, and drywall work. I was planning on my labor for the following: repairing structural damage on front porch, replacing 6 windows, adding a half bath, painting all rooms, new appliances, replumbing, and new vinyl plank floor.

I've really appreciated the dialog on this.  I'd heard before that tenants in a "C" class area look at a single deposit (electric) and a single bill (electric) as trumping any realized cost savings.  Having worked with people who struggle with funds I could see them reacting this way.

Glad to hear so many of you are running gas/electric and not having a problem getting renters.

Sounds like lots and lots of votes for gas.  Thanks Rob Myers for the mention of the exit strategy - that's been nagging at the back of my mind as well.  If I put in electric and decide to sell, there will be a lot of head scratching and not a lot of offers.

I'll probably follow the HVAC guys advice and go with gas.  I imagine I'll install electric stove - but that's mainly because two duplex's in our neighborhood caught fire because the tenant didn't get the stop top shut off.  

I've purchased my first property in Northern Illinois about 30 minutes south of Joliet. It is a 1400 sq ft single family in a C class area that I plan to rent.

The place will need all new utilities/appliances. Two landlords in town tell me they go all electric for the reasons discussed on these forums (one bill for tenant, one sec deposit, etc).

My HVAC guy tells me 1-2 of the bedrooms will be difficult to maintain warmth and the cost to heat will be very expensive for electricity. He also tells me the large property management company 30 minutes away sticks with gas for all SFH rentals. I emailed the prop mgmt company and confirmed - electric only for duplexes and apartments. Gas furnace/water heat for SFH's.

I throw all that out here to ask what you feel makes sense? It is a big expense and I'd rather not choose the one that will delay putting a renter in the house.

Just realized this may belong in the landlord section.  I can't tell if there's a way to move or delete this thread.

I've purchased my first property in Northern Illinois about 30 minutes south of Joliet.  It is a 1400 sq ft single family in a C class area that I plan to rent.

The place will need all new utilities/appliances.  Two landlords in town tell me they go all electric for the reasons discussed on these forums (one bill for tenant,  one sec deposit, etc).

My HVAC guy tells me 1-2 of the bedrooms will be difficult to maintain warmth and the cost to heat will be very expensive for electricity. He also tells me the large property management company 30 minutes away sticks with gas for all SFH rentals. I emailed the prop mgmt company and confirmed - electric only for duplexes and apartments. Gas furnace/water heat for SFH's.

I throw all that out here to ask what you feel makes sense?  It is a big expense and I'd rather not choose the one that will delay putting a renter in the house.

I've actually been a lurker/member for a few years but have never been active.  While I live in the far west suburbs I just purchased my first investment south of Joliet (where the money goes further).

Dipping my toe in the rehab waters.  Still determining if flipping or renting will be the longer term game.

I'm purchasing my first rental property - a 1400 sq ft single family ranch in a c-class neighborhood.  The bedrooms have damage from a leaky roof so all drywall will need to be replaced.

The home is currently a 3/1 with the bath being on the opposite end of the house from the bedrooms.  If you think of a 4-box, The top left bed room is 14x14, top right 15x14, and bottom right 12x14.

I'm thinking adding a second bath to one of the bedrooms would add value and make the rental more desirable (lots of 2/1's and 3/1's in the town).  What I can't figure out is where I would put it in the house.  Any insight would be helpful.

This is my first post but I've been lurking for many years.