All Forum Posts by: Bryan W.

+1 for Warren Engineering. Chuck VanDyne recommended them and they were very thorough. Friendly office staff too.

-bryan

Hi Rochester investors,

I closed on my first duplex at the end of December and need to have some maintenance work done. Who could you recommend for the following jobs?

1. Furnace: the property has two old (20+ years) gas furnaces that I'd like to have tuned up, cleaned, filters changed, etc. I got one quote over the phone for $99/furnace. Does this sound like a good price, and do you have anyone to recommend? I would like to find someone who is truly interested in keeping the old furnaces running, and won't try to use the tuneup service as a way to sell me two new furnaces.

2. Plumber: one of the tenants reported that from time to time over the past 4 years, the laundry tub and washing machine drain will back up with sewage and flood her side of the basement. I'm looking for a plumber who can diagnose and fix the problem before it happens again and it becomes an emergency.

3. Chimney: related to the furnaces, the chimney needs a flue liner, and some bricks replaced and a rain cover installed on the crown.

Also, are landlords ever eligible for the RG&E rebates on installing or tuning up furnaces, or can we pass the savings on to tenants (http://www.rge.com/MediaLibrary/2/5/Content%20Mana...)? I'd be happy to let the tenants get the savings on their next bill if I can't get the rebates myself.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

-bryan

It's disappointing that the law is hard to comply with (even for owner-occupants—what if it snows while you're at work, or what if you're too old or disabled to shovel?!). That said, I understand the rationale for wanting to keep the sidewalks clear to help people with disabilities have better access. This law was enacted in partnership with the Center for Disability Rights, and for all we know, they may have threatened legal action against the city.

If we're going to fight the law, I don't think we should jump to conclusions and call it a revenue-grab; if the fines were too low, people wouldn't comply, and the law wouldn't serve its purpose. There also seems no better way to *not* get changes made than to have a bunch of "greedy landlords" (that's what it would look like to the public) complaining about cost.

Instead, I think we should focus on the actual challenges in maintaining compliance. After all, cleared sidewalks are a benefit to the public and help make city life more enjoyable. That is *good* for both renters and for landlords.

I was wondering the same thing. Would be nice to know if there are legal and ethical ways to shift the responsibility to the tenant. Could you include a clause in the lease that charges a fee if they fail to clear the walks? I know the city would still bill you (the landlord), but then maybe you could pass it on to the tenant?

Welcome, Jerrick.

I just used Warren Engineering for my first inspection at the recommendation of @Chuck VanDyne. They were very easy to schedule and provided a thorough report. I'd be happy to use them again.

http://www.warreninspect.com

Welcome @William Talton. I'm pretty new here too (and new to RE investing). I think you'll find this to be a great community. Good luck!

Thanks @John Farrell and @Larry Turowski,

I'm amazed that anyone would rather fill a garage with stuff than hop into a snow and ice–free car in the morning. But that's great to know if it's the norm!

Thanks for the tip on Postlets.

Thanks, @Anya K., @Shannon Sadik, and @Mark W.. That will be really helpful in my search for properties and for marketing effectively.