All Forum Posts by: Hemang S.

The plumbing for the in-unit laundry combo unit was not too bad, but I couldn't say much about how that was done- my GC and a plumber did the work. I chose a GE ventless electric combo washer/dryer unit. We chose it for space and ease of installation, but it is only 2.4 cubic feet, so it is a bit on the smaller side. Still, it works for us.

If you are getting plans for the attic, definitely talk to architect @Samuel Pavlovcik. I was thinking about duplexing up with the attic and his professional advice was really helpful. Feel free to reach out if you want to chat about anything in further depth.

I recently did a 203K rehab in Chicago on our first house hack (a 3 unit). I'm not an expert in the field, but my perspective could help. Are you house hacking this property or using it purely for investment? 

1) @Jonathan Klemm can give you solid info on this.

2) AC is practically a necessity to get top rents nowadays- especially if you plan to MTR or STR in this building. If you are already doing ductwork and soffiting for heating, the cost of adding in AC is worth it. I think the demand for AC will go up as the years continue, so doing the work up front will make your units more attractive for years to come.

3) We kept water heaters in each unit, but made a utility closet to get them out of the kitchen. I've heard tankless water heaters are an option that works well, but I have not experience with it personally. Relocating to the basement would be a great option if you need the space to make a better floor plan in the units. If not, utility closet might be a cheaper and less labor intensive project.

5) Will getting rid of the chimney help in a major way (space, etc.)? If you get high efficiency furnaces (and therefore don't need to vent through a chimney), you can just close off the chimney and have less cost to demo it.

6) In unit washer and dryer are becoming a must for for MTR and STR. If you plan on making a unit STR, then you could do one unit with washer/dryer and the other two units could have a common space for laundry. I use a combo washer/dryer unit that is electric and requires no venting (everything is condensed to water and drained out through regular plumbing). The only issue with the single units doing both jobs is that they spin very fast and cause a lot of vibration if the floor is not sturdy.

8) A duplex up 3/2 or 4/2 could be really nice for LTR, MTR, or STR. If the bedroom sizes come out too small, then I think it is better to keep it 1 bed/1bath in the attic. I think its better to have spacious rooms since renters will pay higher prices for a solid sized bedroom as opposed to two small bedrooms.

Congrats on an amazing property! Do you already have plans and permits, or are you in the start of that process?

@Paul De Luca Thank you for the contact!

@John Warren It is in Pilsen. 

Hey BP friends! My neighbor's tree hangs over our parking area and creates a lot of mess (leaves, seed pods, bird poop). I've talked with him and he agreed that I could cut the branch. It is a pretty big branch (at least 1 foot in diameter). Does anyone have any recommendations for people/companies that could help me with this? Thanks!

@Tom O., thanks for the suggestion! I'll see if this is a good fit!

I am a first time house hacker that just finished a 203K rehab on a Pilsen 3-flat. Given the amount of work for your proposed deal, it doesn't seem to be worth the work and effort you will have to put in. We had no zoning changes and the project still took six months longer than we planned because the city is backed up on inspections, permitting speed, etc. During that process, the HUD consultant said no one could live in the building (which means no rent), so the holding costs were a killer. If you can rent your units out while rehab is happening, that would at least make it a little more possible. I would only do the deal if almost all of the following are true:
1) have plenty of cash for the unexpected costs that will certainly arise
2) have a great GC or subcontractors that you trust to do the work
3) the ARV is sufficient for the time and effort
4) the building will cash flow when I leave
5) my housing costs will be significantly lower while I live there
6) have the time and energy over the next 12 months to deal with the stress and headaches that will surely come up

We are still happy because our location is fantastic, our living quality went up as a result of our renovations, our value add absorbed the killer holding costs, and we now have a building that will cash flow after we leave.

The duplex up and down idea that Mark Ainley mentioned is definitely worth looking into. Alternatively, why not keep it as is? Many landlords have non-conforming units and are fine with them. Whatever you decide, feel free to DM me if you want to talk further about 203K loan stuff. I learned a lot through the process and would be happy to share. Good luck with your search! Many investors and economists are forecasting the housing market to drop over the next 1-2 years, so if that's true, you certainly will have more opportunities to find an easier and more profitable deal.

Same here. Looking for snow removal in Pilsen for a three flat. 

I recently did the flooring in two units and got everything from Floor and Decor. We looked in a couple of their stores to see if any specific items were on sale and found a 7ml vinyl plank style we like at just $1.49 per sqft. Otherwise they have lots of options at different price points and styles They have a lot of locations too, so it is pretty convenient. 

hope you find what you're looking for!

I've never done this for a garage before, but I am renovating a house hack and am using spray foam insulation. The closed cell spray foam insulation is more expensive but has a high r value, so it insulates very well. If you use that along with a heating or cooling device, you should be able to protect against the hot summers and cool winters.