All Forum Posts by: Doug S.

Hello BiggerPockets Forum,

I have tenants in my SFH rental property in Virginia that are giving me a headache. The basement, where one of the tenants is living, has had some minor flooding. I've spent several thousand to install a water barrier to prevent water from coming inside, replaced the carpet and underlayment, and replaced the base boards. Now the tenant who lives in basement is demanding a mold inspection. The house is only 3 bedrooms, but 4 people live in it and basement is NOT technically considered bedroom.

I am under any obligation to provide a mold inspection? I feel like I've already remediated the problem and I have no reason to believe there is any mold damage or that the basement is uninhabitable. There is no visible mold. To be honest, I may normally would be willing to provide the report but the requests of this tenant never seems to end. The tenant is really pushy and self righteous - now threatening to sue because I will not order a mold inspection.

The lease they signed is not covered under VRLTA but this does apply: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+55-225.6

Thanks

Hello All,

I am remodeling my condo in Chicago with the intention of renting it out in a couple of months. It is only 650 sq ft and the kitchen is about 70 sq ft.

My questions is, which size floor tiles should I use, 12 inch or 16 inch? I heard 12 inch may be a little outdated, but I am concerned that putting in 16 inch tiles won't look good since my kitchen is so small. Cost is the same for each size tile and the 12 inch tile definitely looks better than the 16 inch in terms of design (although they are both technically the 'same' style of tile).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am just worried about putting in tiling that is outdated.

Thanks!

No, I don't have led lights. To keep things simple I'm not going to put in a light. The bedroom has a lot of natural light and the closet isn't deep, so even at night time a light across from the closet lights it up pretty well.

Thank you everyone for your replies! I'm probably not going to install a closet light after all. The bedroom is small but has a large window to let in natural light. Although I want to tap in to unit's electrical and have an electrician install a light switch and light, this will extend the project several days (management needs to approve, electrician needs to be scheduled, painting put on hold etc.).

Hello All,

I am doing some remodeling work for my condo unit and plan on renting it out in a couple of months. It is in a upscale neighborhood and I can easily rent for $1400+/month. One bedroom has a closet without a closet light and I want to install one. Hiring an electrician would cost $150 for labor to install a light switch and light. I have a few DIY options such as battery powered lights, battery powered motion censor lights, and an option to plug into an existing outlet. There is an outlet right outside the closet, but I am worried that having a permanently plugged in light will make the bedroom and closet less attractive.

Any advice would be appreciated. I will look at comparable rentals in area, but I am mainly interested in knowing if there are any DIY options that look nice, are NOT battery powered, and will have minimal impact on the unit's appearance.

Thanks!

Thank you for the information! The work will need to be done on the exterior. The basement is completely underground on one side which is where the work will be done. The other side of the basement leads outside.

Hello,

I own a SFR in VA that has had a basement flooding issue with all the recent rain. Several tenants live in the house and the tenant who lives in the basement had to move to another floor because the water/likely mold is an issue. I've had several basement waterproofing contractors stop by to provide quotes on how much it will cost to prevent the basement from flooding. All recommend some type of water-guard device that will span 32 feet along one wall of the house that will collect/remove the excess water that is causing the problem. Quotes range from 5K - 20K.

Does anyone have any experience with how much this type of solution should cost? It will require almost the complete remodel of a bathroom and replacement of 1000 sq ft of carpet, on top of the 5-20K to solve the basement leak problem. It's difficult to find reliable reviews for the basement flood repair contractors.

Thanks!

Thanks - good advice. I didn't consider not having a cabinet there, but it would probably look just as good with shelves and save a little at the same time.

The cabinet above the sink can either be raised to allow more head space, or be a full-length cabinet. I am getting 42" cabinets for my kitchen, so I was looking for some advice on whether to have a 42" cabinet above/behind the sink or a smaller cabinet length.

Hello All. I am planning a condo kitchen remodel and wanted some advice on whether to install a full size cabinet behind the sink.

Here are some of my thoughts on the advantages/disadvantages of the full size cabinet:

Advantages:
1) Increased storage for a small kitchen (7'x10.5')
2) Uniform cabinet length (more aesthetically appealing)
3) Uniform cabinet length allows for the under-cabinet lighting

Disadvantages:
1) When using sink, your face is right up against cabinet

The condo will be used as a rental sometime next year so I am more so worried about what tenants would appreciate more. I personally think the under cabinet lighting would give the kitchen an awesome look, but I prefer the shorter cabinet above the sink.

The main wall with kitchen cabinets has the following appliances in this order from left to right: full-length cabinet, oven (microwave above), dishwasher, sink, then corner cabinet. Hope that helps put things in perspective.