All Forum Posts by: Kathleen Leary

That carpet will collect every bit of drywall dust. Or sawdust. Or paint. Or caulk. Or putty. Or dirty shoes. Or nails. Or . . . . . . well, everything. You'll put two years' wear & tear on it before you're even done if you don't wait.

In a lot of areas (yeah, even out in the sticks!) there are state &/or local statutes which require abandoned wells, etc. be de-commissioned, i.e., filled & capped. There are specific guidelines as to how this has to be done - you can't just fill it up with dirt. Go talk to your county zoning office - they'll know exactly what needs to be done or can direct you to wherever you need to go. Having this open is a big liability - if someone falls in & gets stuck or injured, you will most likely be held at fault. NOT good. 

At least get all the information - what you do with it is up to you, of course.

(My own home is on a well, so I've had to deal with this issue.)

If they decide to make you remove the work, you'll wish you'd gotten the permit! Here, I know homeowners who've had to tear down brand-new decks & garages because they didn't play nice with the city. Every location is different, but I'd advise CYA & getting all the required paperwork. My personal experience is that if you try & meet them halfway, they'll work with you & not be a**holes. One guy gave me some excellent options concerning re-piering a porch that didn't have to meet code. And another one (very patiently!) went over several options for roofing materials. My dealings with the inspectors here has been pretty positive - but you've gotta play their game.

I load them to my iPod & listen while I'm sawing, sanding, hammering, drilling, painting . . . helps me realize there's light at the end of the tunnel!

Would it be worth a "cash for keys" offer to get them out a month earlier? Then you could get it cleaned up, shown & rented before school starts. Might be worth asking.

Yeah, looks like you're sending half the water from your roof onto his. I'd get a box of nice pastries, some good coffee, sit down with him & get this worked out immediately before it gets realllllllly ugly.

In the town where I have a rental SFR, if you're doing a plumbing reno or inspection & there is no ongoing water service at the property, the utility will allow you to turn the water on for a day to do repairs, etc. without going through all the paperwork. I've done this a couple of times so that we could check for leaks during plumbing work. It won't cost anything to ask - could be a very simple solution starting with a phone call!

#1. See what's going on - you do NOT want birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc. in your chimney. There are caps that can be installed that will prevent this in future. This does not mean you need the chimney cleaned, just checked. This is an expense you should cover - the tenants have no control over critters getting in.

#2. What does "bugs" mean? (First, you should have some signed acknowledgement from your walk-through that the premises were bug-free at move-in. If not, you may want to add that to your paperwork for the future.) Do they want everything sprayed "just in case" something decides to come inside? Or do they have a specific problem: roaches, fleas, silverfish? Your lease should have a clause that specifies who pays for extermination; i.e., if there weren't roaches (for example) at move-in, the tenant pays. 

In a SFR, (at least in these parts) the tenant assumes many of the maintenance duties & expenses that in a multi-family would be covered by the owner. If you do allow them to hire an exterminator, I would insist that you have final approval of who does it & how. Make sure they're licensed, etc. & try to be there when they do the application.

If you decide they just need to set off a couple of bug bombs, remind them that any damage to carpets, drapes, walls, etc. will be coming out of their deposit. 

And of course, make sure all the window screens are in good shape & they're not leaving the doors open! Check your exterior caulking, soffits & siding & make sure everything is bug-tight. CYA - or CYHouse, I guess. Good luck!

First: I, personally, think watering lawns should be illegal. That's just me - sorry for the soapbox.

As to your question, get on the internet & look up "xeriscaping," which is the term for low-water landscaping. The yard won't look so much like a golf course, but in many cases you can eliminate watering altogether. Go find a local nursery that specializes in native plants & see what ideas they have. Native plants are, in many cases, the best best for hardiness in low-water situations. Check out your local Extension service, botanical garden, Master Gardener group, etc. Many people are turning to no-water yards & I'm sure there are plenty of free resources in your area.

You may have to pony up some initial cash to start converting your area (you don't have to do it all at once, obviously) - you'll probably need to alter the hardscape & utilize some rock, ground covers, berms, etc. But if you're spending $150 a month for grass, you'll pay for it in a year, it won't have to be mowed & you'll be "eco-friendly." Go for it!

Recessed can lights are very popular now & they will be a feature for many years to come, since so many people have installed them. You might consider putting can lights in the back & a couple of more trendy pendant lights over the island. When it comes time to move, you can easily update them, if needed.