All Forum Posts by: Justin Dziedzic

Aloha,

Sounds to me like you failed to properly prepare the unit for rental. Lifting tiles, door delaminating, fence falling apart...even the "holes" in the cabinet base (must be large if cat can fit). These are all issues that should have been addressed when vacant. It is much less costly to prevent these from becoming a service call in the first place. Now you have to deal with the complaints, and the handyman will probably hear it too, and take longer to make repairs...and go out for a different repair next week, costing you even more. What else is not functioning as designed? Not secure? 

You are "required" to provide a functional and habitable (per local law) unit to Renters. I would add, clean and safe as well. As a LL, you have a big target on your back. Why provide free ammunition?

This is also another reason I always do a move in inspection WITH the Tenant before handing over keys; and, why I take the time, during the signing of documents, to explain the repair request process and specific preventative steps they can take for items such as disposal blockages and other minor, routine, issues.

@Justin Dziedzic

I would respond to requests as being emergencies or non-emergencies. If water is leaking anywhere; that is an emergency, and we will be out there immediately. A fence with a couple of holes in it is not an emergency, and we will attend to that next time the handyman is at the property. It is about setting expectations. Once you get a list of a few hours of work, bring over your handyman. These repairs sound pretty easy but, if they start requesting that items in good working condition need to be replaced, then you need to put your foot down.

@Justin Dziedzic,

This is probably a dead issue but I figured I’ll throw in my experience. 
In my latest home purchase, the previous owner was a heavy smoker AND the furnace was producing soot.It caused a ghosting effect on the walls. This is why it sat on the market longer than others.

After doing a duct cleaning and replacing the furnace (both had to be done), here is how I got rid of it.

1) Got several packs of soot sponges. Wipe, not scrub, off the stains. You’ll use a lot of these. Wear a mask and cover your hair as pieces do fly. These are great for the ceiling.

2) Simple green. Their website has the mixture ratio to use for smoke damage. Some areas required a serious scrub but it worked. This is important as you need to wipe the trim, quarter rounds, etc as smoke doesn’t care. Can’t use it on the ceiling.

3) Minimum of 2 coats of Killz. Had to get a few 5-gal drums. One room needed three.

Once it was done, 0% issues.I did sand some walls lightly prior to painting to smooth them out for a professional look.

Now, I had to do every.single.room. Because of this, have a candles/incense ban as well as no smoking. I have this story and the National Fire Prevention Association statistics if they question this.

In hindsight, I wish I used an ozone machine.

Most people don't put paint on thick enough and spend more time pushing paint around then putting it on the surface.   Give it 2 heavy coats of kilz.  1 mil is equal to 1 sheet of notebook paper thick.  So at 1.7 mil thick when dry is not even 2 sheets of paper.  

https://www.kilz.com/primer/kilz-2

Love what @Jim K. said. I've been where you are @Justin Dziedzic thinking that this would be the thing that bankrupts me! 

Once the anxiety settles (and it will) you'll remember that there are solutions to every problem and usually the worst case scenario is also the least likely. Houses are like legos, built up little by little meaning that while the finished product can be complex, they are simple systems built up around each other and each one can be fixed. 

You can also try to view this as a learning opportunity (which it is) that will serve to make your future investing endeavors that much easier. Every serious investor has come across a little mold and much worse. In fact I got a call a few months ago that I had to get all new electrical service in one of my properties (so long $7k). In the beginning this would have crushed me, now it was more of okay, let's get it done quickly and move on. As you grow, so will the problems. Same stuff really, just more zeros. But this is progress. 

You've got this! 

Use a couple more coats of the stain blocking Kilz and it shouldn't come back, just let it dry in between coats!

@Justin Dziedzic

With the pictures on something like this, it's always good to give an establishing shot, too, so someone looking at the problem has a better idea of where it is and what's around it.

I honestly have no clue what this is. But pick up a quart of shellac-based Zinsser B-I-N primer, too. Do TWO BRUSHED coats of that -- it dries a bit faster than Kilz and works great for problem areas. If whatever it is goes through that, too, then you probably do have something funny going on. If you have to cut out and replace and then refinish the drywall, it's really a lot easier than some would have you believe.

Worry less about mold. Every structure ever built by human beings has mold in it. If the basement is too damp, yes, that can be addressed (not fixed) with a dehumidifier.

The anxiety gets better as you gain experience, Justin. You're not sitting on the sidelines anymore, like half the people here in these forums. There's a lot to be said for that. You'll be fine.

Need to kilz and paint again, and possibly another time. That much smoke is hard to deal with! Only had to do this a couple of times with heavy smokers. I actually did an ozone machine first, then removed carpet and pad, treated the floor with special enzyme cleaner. I did have to replace some of the drywall at one unit because it would have been useless to kilz and paint