Our current project / disaster in progress (non pond)

[addy1]

Loose drain pipe far far away......

 

[sissy]

OId house the wood is so much thicker than all the new houses and also much harder .They were built to last ,like an old battleship.I remember my first house (a bungalow ) really old and under cracker (meaning step on it it sounded like crackers )like carpet that was as old as the hills I found 3 inch thick flooring and found out all the flooring was mahagony flooring .I had to ask my dad what it was .When it cleaned up and got finished it was really pretty .1500 sq. ft. house and the only things that did not have it was the kitchen ( which originally was a porch ) and the front porch .Both were closed in and used as living space some time long before I bought the house .I also found all the gas pipes for the lights and found out in past history that it was a speak easy .My 30 thousand dollar fix up had a shady past .Township even had pics of it and all the arrests .I used all that as a resale advantage .10 years after I was done I sold it for 139 thousand .It amazed what a little history makes for a fast resale and it was on a busy highway across from Metro train tracks .Route 27

 

[j.w]

I don't think I can do a thing today after reading your post @addy1 , too tired from just reading about all that hard labor you guys are going through!
But hey I don't see one roach in that last photo
There really is a light at the end of that tunnel

 

[sissy]

Back then I rewired all the gas lamps I found stored in the attic from the old owners .I just wish I had made a more than 1 of the framed stuff of the history of the house .I made only 1 with all the pics and the history and the pics of the lamps before and after I restored them and electrified them and put them back up where they were supposed to be .Addy you should see if you can find out the history of your place from the town archives .You may be amazed at what you find out .I left it hanging on he wall of the dining room because the new owner loved it

 

[Tula]

Whew........countdown to LISTING !!

 

[addy1]

I found 3 inch thick flooring and found out all the flooring was mahagony flooring .

We would have loved to leave the original flooring but it was in terrible shape, had to level it out just to lay the first layer of laminate. We left the older laminate to have a level surface for the new.

There are so many row houses in Baltimore, no real history of any specific ones. Ours was built in 1920. Our area is called Greek town. There are some stuck in a row house, neighborhood restaurants. Have not been brave enough to try them yet.

Lots of gentleman clubs within driving distance. Once place called Chaps Pit Beef makes the best beef sandwiches, full of meat. We treat ourselves to one now and then. Next door is the Gold Club.............Mark said the entertainers are sometimes pretty! Before me............he would stop in for a beer when working there.

http://chapspitbeef.com/

Sissy the wood is thick and dense, the few times we have had to hack through it, takes a bunch of work.

But hey I don't see one roach in that last phot

I think we have beaten them, no new live ones in about a week. We are putting bait EVERYWHERE, before we replace trim molding we add bait, back in walls, under cabinets. Small sugary granular they carry away or eat.
Also spraying. We will fumigate one more time, catch any of the hatching eggs. Have not seen any tiny ones, and we look constantly.

 

[addy1]

There really is a light at the end of that tunnel

As long as we have no other surprises........................

 

[sissy]

That is the problem with older places ,the surprise factor .But they are worth it because you know back then they were built to last by builders who cared .New houses they just slap together with crappy 2x4's and sometimes I think ducktape .People always say I want a new house because there will be no work and I laugh to them .Mine is a modular home so figure it was built in a dry factory and if it can do 60MPH down the road with no big damage then it would last better than I see some of these stick built houses these days .It was my first new house and still involved lots of work and love

 

[addy1]

Our kitchen ceiling.....first test the repairs before patching

 

[MitchM]

Thanks for posting the realities of house rentals.
I remember those tv shows that show how to buy a place, fix it up and rent it out to a nice quiet couple.
Reality is much different.

 

[sissy]

Had 2 friends here that went through horror rental stories .Took the 5 months to get the tenants out with no rent from them and court costs and destroyed house .They sold the house as is ,to much to repair it .The people even stole the toilets and doors .Anything they could steal they stole .I think at the time I posted it on here as it was 4 years ago .Lease said no dogs and they ended having 3 big dogs and the smell was bad .Realtor that was supposed to have gotten references did not do her job .Sad people like that make it bad for good tenants

 

[j.w]

We have a real nice respectable retired fireman living alone in our rental. He's been there for years and if he ever leaves we will be in trouble cuz we have been through the horrid renter thing in the past. We want to sell it but won't while he is in there.

 

[addy1]

Sigh.......the upstairs bath mixer valve leaking....bought a new one. Well pipes in wall broke. Luckily before I did tile.

Chopped hole in wall.

With previous hubby had two rentals. He made it my job to gather rent. I am the worse at that. Hate confrontation. Well bad renter finally moved. Left a female pit and 7 pups without water or food. When we checked on house stuff everywhere. Poop pee all over stuff. Stunk. Poor things skin and bones. The mother had ribbons from shows. We were calling the pound when someone drove up to get the dogs for ex renter. Sold that sucker after cleaning it up.

Swore I would never have rentals again. Then married man with rentals.

 

[addy1]

Thanks for posting the realities of house rentals.
I remember those tv shows that show how to buy a place, fix it up and rent it out to a nice quiet couple.
Reality is much different.

We do have good tenants. But when you get a bad one it smacks you.
We are trying to sell one a year.

Florida you can get them out in less than a month. Here months....

 

[Lisak1]

I don't think it's just renters who destroy homes. Several homes that have been foreclosed in our neighborhood have been gutted by the "owners" before they left - holes smashed in walls, toilets and light fixtures stolen, one guy even plugged up the sinks and left the water running to flood the place. Trash is trash.