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2014-03-26 9:08 AM

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Subject: Fixing up a house

So I just bought one (well still haven't settled yet) and it needs a bit of fixing up. Any tips/tricks/things I should be scared of? First things first the entire place is getting a new coat of paint and a DEEP cleaning, but beyond that I'm not sure what direction to go in first.



2014-03-26 9:26 AM
in reply to: dmiller5

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Subject: RE: Fixing up a house
before painting, I would look are there any places on the walls that need repair, windows that may need to be replaced etc...you don't want to do all the painting (cosmetic), to find out there are other issues that should have taken priority...I learnt my lesson there

focused on painting the kitchen while my dad was around for a week (on vacation), right towards the end we decided to pull up the wallpaper that was in the basement...found water damage underneath and windows that need to be repaired...but I have to save my pennies for that first
2014-03-26 9:41 AM
in reply to: austhokie

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Elite
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Cleveland
Subject: RE: Fixing up a house

Go room to room and make a hit list of things that you NEED to do and things you'd LIKE to do.  Figure out which things in each room need to be done before you can do other things on the list.  Also, be mindful of what you know how to do yourself, what you might be willing to try yourself, and know when to back off and call a contractor to do it for you.

 

Nothing makes a home feel like a wreck quicker than having construction projects going on in every room at once, so focus on working on one room at a time and finish it before moving on to the another.

2014-03-26 10:05 AM
in reply to: cgregg

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Regular
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LHOTP
Subject: RE: Fixing up a house

Originally posted by cgregg

Go room to room and make a hit list of things that you NEED to do and things you'd LIKE to do.  Figure out which things in each room need to be done before you can do other things on the list.  Also, be mindful of what you know how to do yourself, what you might be willing to try yourself, and know when to back off and call a contractor to do it for you.

 

Nothing makes a home feel like a wreck quicker than having construction projects going on in every room at once, so focus on working on one room at a time and finish it before moving on to the another.

This.  Perfect advice.

You may then want to prioritize those things that hlep improve value/resale.  Even if you have no intention of selling any time soon, your home being worth more (and consequently lowering your debt to worth ratio and increasing equity) can help you financially.

2014-03-26 10:42 AM
in reply to: switch

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Subject: RE: Fixing up a house
Doing the room by room inventory is your best bet and, as already mentioned, prioritizing afterwards. Don't forget to check things out in any yard/outside space you have as well in case there is anything you need to include there as well (rodent removal in the crawl spaces/closing access points, new roof, chimney repairs, new gutters, check drainage around the property etc.) Also check places like storage closets and the attic, if you have one, for updates or needed repairs there too. forgetting any of those "non living spaces" and then having some big issues come up that could have been preventable but now costs tons of money can really stink.

From my own experience, having been in my own house now for a little over 2 years, we cleaned everything before painting and then I fixed several small plumbing issues (leaky faucets, needing new fixtures in the bathrooms, replacing some of the cabinetry under a leak that had rotted and fixing the leak etc) while my father in law who, lucky for me, is a licensed electrician, repaired and replaced most of the lights in the house and put in about 15 new lights as well as a new circuit box for us. Once that was done my wife painted while I did some more repair work around the kitchen and bathroom (new back splash in the kitchen and redid all the calking around the sinks, bathtub, and showers.

Doing all of this can be a very slow process so don't rush and give yourself as much time as you think it will take, then add on an extra few weeks for good measure.
2014-03-26 10:47 AM
in reply to: bel83

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Elite
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Boise
Subject: RE: Fixing up a house
I definitely recommend double checking the roof first. I bought my house as a fixer upper 2 years ago and and less than 2 months after closing, a roof leak caused some drywall to fall off the ceiling. After that, just make a list and try to keep the order of things in mind, i.e. don't paint then rip off drywall afterwards.


2014-03-26 10:48 AM
in reply to: dmiller5

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Champion
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the alamo city, Texas
Subject: RE: Fixing up a house

Originally posted by dmiller5

So I just bought one (well still haven't settled yet) and it needs a bit of fixing up. Any tips/tricks/things I should be scared of? First things first the entire place is getting a new coat of paint and a DEEP cleaning, but beyond that I'm not sure what direction to go in first.

don't paint first, but definitely paint before you move in.  so much easier when there is no furniture in the place!

2014-03-26 11:20 AM
in reply to: switch

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Sensei
Sin City
Subject: RE: Fixing up a house

Originally posted by switch

Originally posted by cgregg

Go room to room and make a hit list of things that you NEED to do and things you'd LIKE to do.  Figure out which things in each room need to be done before you can do other things on the list.  Also, be mindful of what you know how to do yourself, what you might be willing to try yourself, and know when to back off and call a contractor to do it for you.

 

Nothing makes a home feel like a wreck quicker than having construction projects going on in every room at once, so focus on working on one room at a time and finish it before moving on to the another.

This.  Perfect advice.

You may then want to prioritize those things that hlep improve value/resale.  Even if you have no intention of selling any time soon, your home being worth more (and consequently lowering your debt to worth ratio and increasing equity) can help you financially.

I agree as well.  Also be on your toes if you can work out deals or bulk services...  I'm sure that's not clear, but I'll give an example:

We were getting our kitchen done with granite counters and realized we had to buy entire slabs, even if you only used 10% of one, you bought the whole thing.  We were able to put some in some bathrooms and top our bar with it at the same time.  We were planning to do the baths and bar at a future time, but found we could utilized leftovers and have the contractor mobilize ONCE and saved thousands.

Same with new cabinets in the kitchen...  We had them do some vanities as well at the same time  (so one trip for the plumber as well).

I agree with only having one room destroyed at a time.  That's how we did it growing up in our house we were rehabing.  But I sort of broke it up by project.  Did all the flooring, then cabinets, followed by tops.  Some of it years apart when we had the cash or found a deal/special.

2014-03-26 11:34 AM
in reply to: Kido

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Maryland
Subject: RE: Fixing up a house

Thanks for the advice everyone. Splitting it up by room or project makes a lot of sense. The real problem is that I might only have a week between settling and getting kicked out of my current apartment! Am trying to get moved in in time, but may have to crash with my parents (the horror) for a little while from what it sounds like.

2014-03-26 12:36 PM
in reply to: dmiller5

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Champion
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Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Subject: RE: Fixing up a house

My advice is to do NOTHING (voluntarily) for at least 6-12 months.  

During that time, you'll figure out how you *live* in the house and what you most want to change.  Keep a journal with lots of notes and pay attention to your mood fluctuations etc.  You'll be looking for subtle changes in yourself throughout the year that may be influenced by light and color especially but also how you feel doing your everyday things.  You can slap 10 different coats of paint on the bathroom wall and still not like the results because the problem is where the sink is located relative to the toilet...

2014-03-26 1:29 PM
in reply to: McFuzz

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Master
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MidWest
Subject: RE: Fixing up a house

Originally posted by McFuzz

My advice is to do NOTHING (voluntarily) for at least 6-12 months.  

During that time, you'll figure out how you *live* in the house and what you most want to change.  Keep a journal with lots of notes and pay attention to your mood fluctuations etc.  You'll be looking for subtle changes in yourself throughout the year that may be influenced by light and color especially but also how you feel doing your everyday things.  You can slap 10 different coats of paint on the bathroom wall and still not like the results because the problem is where the sink is located relative to the toilet...

 

This is good advice, but if you have a So then they have to buy into it too! Reluctantly I waited knowing that I really wanted to strip the woodwork in the dining room and get it refinished to its original glory.  It took me 7-8 years to finish the project.  

Now that I have total control over projects, paying for them and choosing them I am making lists for establishing priorities.  Need to prove that the house won't need to be sold out from underneath me like is being predicted and that I can make good choices.



2014-03-27 4:57 AM
in reply to: 0

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, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Fixing up a house

I recently painted my house.  One of my BT friends convinced me to purchase paint samples and splash them on the walls in various locations of light and darker areas of the room, then just leave it for a week to see  how it reflects at different times of day.  I definitely noticed what looked perfect in one area did not look so perfect in another area.  For instance, I wanted my kitchen and bathrooms all the same shade of yellow, but what worked in the bathroom with a window, did not work as well in the bathroom without a window, and the kitchen was better in a deeper shade of yellow altogether.

I don't live with a significant other, so I have free range.  I like to have control over the outcome, so prefer to paint alone.  That way I have no one to blame but myself if it doesn't turn out perfectly (which it did not!).

Definitely start with the deep cleaning!  Take your time and have fun with it.

 



Edited by Maria527 2014-03-27 4:59 AM
2014-03-27 7:24 AM
in reply to: Maria527

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Veteran
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New Hampshire
Subject: RE: Fixing up a house
I own 3 houses, 2 which are rentals, one which we live in permanently. If you're handy and like to do stuff yourself (Like I find myself) and it's going to be a somewhat major renovation (down to the studs in a certain area) just plan around how that construction area will affect the rest of the house. If you're doing the kitchen chances are you're going to want to get it done pretty quickly as it's hard to function without a kitchen, but if you're finishing the basement that can usually be done on weekends over a few months because you can live without a basement. Whatever time you think it will take to do something, add at least 50% to it. Straight up double it if it's your first time doing it and you're doing it by yourself or you're the most skilled person doing the work.

I definitely agree with previous comments on the roof. Seems like everyone sells a house just when the roof is about to go.
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