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All Forum Posts by: Karla Villanueva

Karla Villanueva has started 4 posts and replied 10 times.

Post: How Many Killowatts Does A 3 Bed Midterm uses on Average ?

Karla VillanuevaPosted
  • Investor
  • Houston
  • Posts 10
  • Votes 1

First Midterm rental, will be renting each bedroom to one per per bedroom, I am trying to sign up an electricity provider but do I choose 100, 500 kw.. looks like If  I use more or less than the agreement per kw the rate goes up.. I wish they did not make it so complicated. Houston tx location. gas stove and gas heater

I know rhino is used and they charge a monthly fee to tenant, but is none stop through out the lease and most clients don't want an extra payment. I found The Guarantor which not only offer a deposit insurance bond but also a rent insurance bond, meaning they will pay rent in case of eviction or lack of payment from tenant. With them it is a one time upfront fee which could be low or as high as one months rent, it is paid by tenant and covers thought out the initial signed lease for the rent insurance and the deposit insurance covers even if they renew without them having to pay again. Just wonder anyone has file a claim to know if they are easy to work with.

Post: Plumber Negligence? New sewer

Karla VillanuevaPosted
  • Investor
  • Houston
  • Posts 10
  • Votes 1
Quote from @Dan H.:
Quote from @Karla Villanueva:
Quote from @Dan H.:
Quote from @Colleen F.:

@Karla Villanueva  Can you bypass the water line in the ground between the front and the back house and see what happens.


 The OP indicated they have one shutoff to the 2nd unit.  This shutoff is on the source side of the water UG (but OP description).  At worse they could add a second shutoff at destination side (2nd unit) and be able to eliminate the underground (UG).  Then they can buy a male to female spigot converter (available on Amazon) and can use a hose to run water to the second unit (connecting it via the adapter to any spigot and opening the spigot valve).  if the water meter spins with all valves off the leak is not in the UG.  Conversely if the water meter does not spin with the UG out of the loop, then the leak is in the UG and somehow it was missed when looking for it.

BTW this would have been easier than doing any significant digging.  First verify that it is under ground.  Many plumbers have tools that can measure water in the ground or in foundations for finding leaks.  This also possibly should have been done before digging up any significant area.

Good luck


 The company hired a digging crew and let them do ALL the work including sewer line installation, they didn’t even get a permit which I asked plumber company and they unnecessary.. this is why I say negligence the company supervisor who quoted me never even went back to inspect before they closed the digged area or after.. even after I told him my meter was running fast same day 


 It likely is the plumbers fault, but my suggestion was a way to prove it is in the UG.  If it is in the UG, the plumber is almost a certainty to be the cause of the issue.  I suspect they would not even try to deny responsibility.

I regularly have plumbing repairs without permit.  It is one item that you are virtually certain not to get a red tag as the repair is not visible.  In my jurisdiction, water heater replacement is supposed to have a permit.  No one gets a permit fro a new water heater.  The plumbers do not even ask if you want to get one, they assume you do not.  In addition, I have never seen a red tag for a water heater replacement without a permit.  It is a required permit that is never enforced.  Such never enforced permits are stupid.  Not knowing what lack of permits are enforced versus those that are never enforced requires tribal knowledge.

Permit or no permit, they should have checked the UG thoroughly before backfilling the trench. I could argue not doing this is negligent.

Good luck

What’s UG? 

Post: Plumber Negligence? New sewer

Karla VillanuevaPosted
  • Investor
  • Houston
  • Posts 10
  • Votes 1
Quote from @Dan H.:
Quote from @Colleen F.:

@Karla Villanueva  Can you bypass the water line in the ground between the front and the back house and see what happens.


 The OP indicated they have one shutoff to the 2nd unit.  This shutoff is on the source side of the water UG (but OP description).  At worse they could add a second shutoff at destination side (2nd unit) and be able to eliminate the underground (UG).  Then they can buy a male to female spigot converter (available on Amazon) and can use a hose to run water to the second unit (connecting it via the adapter to any spigot and opening the spigot valve).  if the water meter spins with all valves off the leak is not in the UG.  Conversely if the water meter does not spin with the UG out of the loop, then the leak is in the UG and somehow it was missed when looking for it.

BTW this would have been easier than doing any significant digging.  First verify that it is under ground.  Many plumbers have tools that can measure water in the ground or in foundations for finding leaks.  This also possibly should have been done before digging up any significant area.

Good luck


 The company hired a digging crew and let them do ALL the work including sewer line installation, they didn’t even get a permit which I asked plumber company and they unnecessary.. this is why I say negligence the company supervisor who quoted me never even went back to inspect before they closed the digged area or after.. even after I told him my meter was running fast same day 

Post: Plumber Negligence? New sewer

Karla VillanuevaPosted
  • Investor
  • Houston
  • Posts 10
  • Votes 1
Quote from @Sergio A. Chucaralao:
Quote from @Karla Villanueva:
Quote from @Sergio A. Chucaralao:
Quote from @Karla Villanueva:

I hired a big known company to check a clogging issue, I have a 1 acre lot with two homes on it, the home towards the back had the continues clogging issue, so company said I need it new sewer line, I installed it but after installing my water bill went from $200 to $800!! When front house has water and back house water valve is off, the meter stops spinning, it starts spinning like crazy once I open water valve for back home where the sewer line was installed. Plumber did not find any leaks inside the home and I know they broke a water line while digging , I made them dig again to expose water line, they dig only the back where they did the work  and still no visible leaks! I don’t know what could gone wrong but meter running high  happened the same day of the sewer installation. Water pressure is good but is also not as strong .

If they did dig the area they worked on and there is no leak wouldn't that proof they didn't break it? When you say you close the water are you closing before the meter or after the meter. If you are closing before the meter it won't give you a accurate result to know if the meter is working properly. 


 They admitted to breaking water line, and fixed it. There is one water meter at the front of the lot by the “main house” the house on the back has it’s own shut off valve - that’s the one when closed meter stop running meaning the issue is on the back house but no leaks found, only change was the new sewer line.

If they did admit breaking the line did you confirm it was fix properly? If you close all the valves in the ADU. You should be able to grab the supply line and feel the water running if you have a decent  leak.  Do you have more than one bill high? If it is only from the incident , it would be the water that was left running during the time that the incident occurred. I am not sure how long ago it was I would also back track the water line from the main house to the back house.  Look for any moist on the soil as well as disturbed soil which will show that either equipment or tools were placed in that area.  Sometimes people don't trench below frost depth to run the supply line to ADUs and can easily be damaged by weight .  Just trying to give you some ideas.  Best of luck!

 Soil is wet from where they water dirt- the problem is not just the high water bill .. which first I doubt they used 2500 gallons.. that’s how much extra based on my average usage was recorded .. total of 4400 gallons in August … main problem is better keeps running at almost one gallon a minute when no water is being used and there is no visible leak anywhere 

Post: Plumber Negligence? New sewer

Karla VillanuevaPosted
  • Investor
  • Houston
  • Posts 10
  • Votes 1
Quote from @Sergio A. Chucaralao:
Quote from @Karla Villanueva:

I hired a big known company to check a clogging issue, I have a 1 acre lot with two homes on it, the home towards the back had the continues clogging issue, so company said I need it new sewer line, I installed it but after installing my water bill went from $200 to $800!! When front house has water and back house water valve is off, the meter stops spinning, it starts spinning like crazy once I open water valve for back home where the sewer line was installed. Plumber did not find any leaks inside the home and I know they broke a water line while digging , I made them dig again to expose water line, they dig only the back where they did the work  and still no visible leaks! I don’t know what could gone wrong but meter running high  happened the same day of the sewer installation. Water pressure is good but is also not as strong .

If they did dig the area they worked on and there is no leak wouldn't that proof they didn't break it? When you say you close the water are you closing before the meter or after the meter. If you are closing before the meter it won't give you a accurate result to know if the meter is working properly. 


 They admitted to breaking water line, and fixed it. There is one water meter at the front of the lot by the “main house” the house on the back has it’s own shut off valve - that’s the one when closed meter stop running meaning the issue is on the back house but no leaks found, only change was the new sewer line.

Post: Plumber Negligence? New sewer

Karla VillanuevaPosted
  • Investor
  • Houston
  • Posts 10
  • Votes 1

I hired a big known company to check a clogging issue, I have a 1 acre lot with two homes on it, the home towards the back had the continues clogging issue, so company said I need it new sewer line, I installed it but after installing my water bill went from $200 to $800!! When front house has water and back house water valve is off, the meter stops spinning, it starts spinning like crazy once I open water valve for back home where the sewer line was installed. Plumber did not find any leaks inside the home and I know they broke a water line while digging , I made them dig again to expose water line, they dig only the back where they did the work  and still no visible leaks! I don’t know what could gone wrong but meter running high  happened the same day of the sewer installation. Water pressure is good but is also not as strong as it was 

Post: Landlord Friendly Contractors

Karla VillanuevaPosted
  • Investor
  • Houston
  • Posts 10
  • Votes 1

Hello BP! 

Looking for recommendations on contractor that work with landlords, to do walk through after tenant moves out - to create list of repairs that will be charged to deposit and take care of make ready after that 

Quote from @Nathan Gesner:
Quote from @Account Closed:

The rules do not allow me to share who I use for collections, but you can send me a DM and I'll give you their contact information.

I do not use Small Claims court. It takes time and money but doesn't produce any results. I send it straight to collections. They send a demand letter. If Tenant doesn't pay, the balance is reported to the credit reporting agencies. There's a pretty good chance you'll never see a dime of it, but you can at least have the satisfaction of knowing it may make their life a little more difficult and it may prevent them from taking advantage of the next Landlord.


 trying to send dm to you but It keeps giving me error message. I wanted to know  what collection company you use

I had a tenant who broke lease, and repairs to make ready home were over the deposit amount

I want to put on her credit as I don’t have a forwarding address

Any tips are appreciated

Thanks!

Trying to send dm/connect but it is giving me an error message .. wanted to ask
what collection company you use

I had a tenant who broke lease, and repairs to make ready home were over the deposit amount

I want to put on her credit as I don’t have a forwarding address

Any tips are appreciated

Thanks!