All Forum Posts by: John Collins

Just not enough information. No pictures. It's really a crapshoot asking with less information. 

What I would do, get 3 quotes from foundation specialists and write down every detail of what they would do.

Get 2 quotes from other companies or licensed entities that do foundation, but don't specialize in them, and write down every detail of what they would do. 

Is this only a sinking problem, or a situation where there is serious structural issues - cracks, broken ceiling, basement,etc? If it's only a sinking problem, you could just work on drainage. Put up gutters, grade the land with a cat 5 to slope down at sharper angles from the house, and put in some of the 80lb home depot concrete bags (the super strong stuff) in any problem areas. That will do a real good job if it's 2" now, you can measure again every 6 months and see how it progresses. 

From what you've described in post 1, there is no need to jump into a $26k foundation repair, and I am someone who is very picky about structural issues and will always get them done IF NEED BE. 

 Can you explain the exact process and % terms on your HM loan, then what you get on the conventional loan?

Yes, anytime markets become less liquid and are faced with uncertainty banks are going to tighten up. Right now we're dealing with virus uncertainty, but in the next 3-6 months we are dealing with economic unemployment and quite a few businesses won't make it out to the other end so keep looking at new, creative methods of financing. Banks are told to be skeptical and the transition from refinancing to conventional may be on worse terms (for the borrower) than before.

 It will be fine, there's a big financial, medical, business and manufacturing sector that operates outside of O&G. 

When it comes to Houston ...

There's an infinite amount of skilled labor as far as building homes or doing renovations and a lot of well.. sensible, smart people you can do business with. Moreso than any other place in the South. You can cash flow on pricier properties and there's a lot of international clients, corporate or otherwise, who make good tenants. Houston might be an ugly, traffic congested city without an exciting past so it won't get a lot of hype, but it is the most diverse city , easy to work with regulations and is not going to stop growing in any direction. It's just very easy all around. 

No doubt, or sometimes... just a rich dude. 

Originally posted by @Matthew Paul:

Originally posted by @John Collins:

Originally posted by @Matthew Paul:

Well , I am a contractor , but I have 2 bored boys and I decided they needed a project since they have done all moms requests . So I had them build a paver patio and fire pit . I used the loader to level the stone , they did the rest . They are 11 and 14 . 

 Sorry to Debbie Downer you but Hmmm... no torpedo sand above the compacted gravel? Were the border stones laid down in mortar/cement? Can't see the set up holding ... 

 Well 4 inches of Cr 6 and 1 inch of stone dust instead of sand gives a much firmer base . And the border stones were locked in with stone dust and cement 3 to 1 mix dry packed and rolled with a vibratory drum roller . ( packs better than a little plate tamper)  Cracks filled with a 2 to 1 mic of wash sand and hydraulic cement dry packed .  The patio will out last me .  Not my first rodeo

 =] Just had to ask  

I'm finding a lot of these newer developments are flatlining and not really appreciating in rouger areas - there's too much competition and overdevelopment. Houston has a rental vacancy well above national avg. There's so much land and expansion into the suburbs from all directions. Take East Downtown for example, appreciated for a while, had the advatnage of the bbva stadium and a cultural vibe and a supposedly young millenial crowd, but prices have stagnated and there's a lot of vacancy there now. 

I would buy if it's cash flowing and working with your budget , but don't count on a big appreciation bump.

Originally posted by @Brian Ellis:

Looking good Steve!!

I Just wrapped up a side job:

Updated my duplex kitchen Last week:

And finally trimmed out some windows (6 months procrastination):

Beautiful windows, do you have pics of what they were like before? I have enough propertie swhere I would like to go from single pane to double and make them a little larger but could only justify upgrading if I do install myself (with helper).

Originally posted by @Matthew Paul:

Well , I am a contractor , but I have 2 bored boys and I decided they needed a project since they have done all moms requests . So I had them build a paver patio and fire pit . I used the loader to level the stone , they did the rest . They are 11 and 14 . 

 Sorry to Debbie Downer you but Hmmm... no torpedo sand above the compacted gravel? Were the border stones laid down in mortar/cement? Can't see the set up holding ... 

Looks like I'll be paying a visit to the county clerk's office, because the online world has turned up nothing.