CAG home owner topic. Buying or selling a home? Have a maintance issue? Help is here!

MSI Magus

MSI Magus

CAGiversary!
Feedback
83 (100%)
Ok so this topic was initially created to help myself with a few home maintenance issues I was having, however I feel it has grown in to something a little more, so I am turning this in to a general topic. Anyone that has a question related to home ownership can ask their question here. It is also appreciated if anyone that feels they have valuable knowledge on a home ownership issue from maintenance to selling to keeping your home safe posts!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If you see a small problem, fix it now rather than waiting. Small problems can develop into larger problems. If you see a nail pop, go ahead and fix it. It might require some Spackle and paint, but it'll be worth it in the long run.

Clean your dryer vent at least once every 6 months. I'm not talking about the vent on the dryer itself. I'm talking about the vent from the dryer to the outside. So much gunk can build up in that passageway.

Pressure wash your home at least once a year, if not more. Be mindful of the tips and the pressure you are using. I would not use a pressure washer on a treated deck unless you know what you're doing. You run the risk of splintering the wood, or making it "fuzzy".

Try and maintain any shrubs that border your home.

I completely agree with the gutter thing. Having clogged gutters can absolutely ruin your landscaping, as well as cause major runoff issues. I can speak first hand about that one.

I would have your AC unit inspected at least yearly as well. I have a newer house, but I still have this done. The piece of mind is worth the small cost.
 
Same issue here on the return vents, ceiling fans help a tad but to put them in I had to pop for a new electrical panel box and wiring upgrade ! so fun !.....I know it seems little but the HVAC filters is so true.best advice I got is check your waste disposal services in your area ,in mine they have a paint and household chemical drop off where you can pickup free gallons of paint (a fresh coat of paint in a room is the bomb) so there a little tip on saving a buck.
Remember, exterior too...even a little paint missing here or grass to long the the city LOVES to nail you with citations ,so watch out there and never under estimate insurance (I know I hate it to but it is a nessecery evil) owners policey should cover contents as well , don't forget flood (costs a ton) and even applience warrenties are good.
Well that's a short list, good luck, welcome to the financial nightmare of home ownership.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']If you see a small problem, fix it now rather than waiting. Small problems can develop into larger problems. If you see a nail pop, go ahead and fix it. It might require some Spackle and paint, but it'll be worth it in the long run.

Clean your dryer vent at least once every 6 months. I'm not talking about the vent on the dryer itself. I'm talking about the vent from the dryer to the outside. So much gunk can build up in that passageway.

Pressure wash your home at least once a year, if not more. Be mindful of the tips and the pressure you are using. I would not use a pressure washer on a treated deck unless you know what you're doing. You run the risk of splintering the wood, or making it "fuzzy".

Try and maintain any shrubs that border your home.

I completely agree with the gutter thing. Having clogged gutters can absolutely ruin your landscaping, as well as cause major runoff issues. I can speak first hand about that one.

I would have your AC unit inspected at least yearly as well. I have a newer house, but I still have this done. The piece of mind is worth the small cost.[/QUOTE]

What is pressuring washing? I have never heard of it.

Anyways, yeah me posting here should show I do not intend to let little problems ride for years on end. My parents did that shit and I watched as the house literally fell apart. Me and my wife(then girlfriend) actually moved out from my parents house a few years back even though we were not 100% sure we could afford it largely because we could not take the health risks and mental strain of watching the house fall down around us. I recall seeing a crack in the bathtub and telling my dad about it...then watching it become bigger.....and then become a hole and then we left. When I went back about 6 months later they had just bought some large bathmat and glued it down over the hole...

My family was seriously crazy with money and just any type of responsibility in life in general. Thankfully while it did help fuck up one or two facets of my life, I learnt from MOST of their mistakes vs repeating them like most kids do.
 
[quote name='bluu']Same issue here on the return vents, ceiling fans help a tad but to put them in I had to pop for a new electrical panel box and wiring upgrade ! so fun !.....I know it seems little but the HVAC filters is so true.best advice I got is check your waste disposal services in your area ,in mine they have a paint and household chemical drop off where you can pickup free gallons of paint (a fresh coat of paint in a room is the bomb) so there a little tip on saving a buck.
Remember, exterior too...even a little paint missing here or grass to long the the city LOVES to nail you with citations ,so watch out there and never under estimate insurance (I know I hate it to but it is a nessecery evil) owners policey should cover contents as well , don't forget flood (costs a ton) and even applience warrenties are good.
Well that's a short list, good luck, welcome to the financial nightmare of home ownership.[/QUOTE]

How much did it cost you to do the return vents/ceiling fans? We are debating what route to take because as it stands the AC is just junk up stairs. It was 85 here in our part of Ohio last night and yet it was nicer with the damn fan in the window upstairs then it was with the AC on. The downstairs works pretty well and there are 2 ceiling fans down here that help, but christ we had to sleep naked with blankets off and a fan blowing on each of us last night.
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']What is pressuring washing? I have never heard of it.
[/QUOTE]

Your local hardware stores sell pressure washers. They're basically machines that connect to a water source that emits a high pressure blast of water. You'd use this to clean any surface (concrete, stone, vynil siding, etc). They're fun, but dangerous. heh.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']Your local hardware stores sell pressure washers. They're basically machines that connect to a water source that emits a high pressure blast of water. You'd use this to clean any surface (concrete, stone, vynil siding, etc). They're fun, but dangerous. heh.[/QUOTE]

Ermmm is there any point to it then other then to make the outside of the house look cleaner?
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']Ermmm is there any point to it then other then to make the outside of the house look cleaner?[/QUOTE]

That's the whole point of it. You use it on your house, brick, driveway, etc. Believe me, you'll notice a difference.

The previous owner of my house never did it. I did it first to my driveway and it made it look brand new.

You WANT your house to look new and clean on the outside. It's important to blast away any of the dirt that will build up month after month. No one wants to buy a house that looks dirty on the outside.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']That's the whole point of it. You use it on your house, brick, driveway, etc. Believe me, you'll notice a difference.

The previous owner of my house never did it. I did it first to my driveway and it made it look brand new.

You WANT your house to look new and clean on the outside. It's important to blast away any of the dirt that will build up month after month. No one wants to buy a house that looks dirty on the outside.[/QUOTE]

Thing is that I am not trying to sell my house. If I go to sell it I could just do it then. In the mean time I will be here for at least 5 years if not 10-15, so less I care about keeping the outside of my house looking pristine, what does it matter?

How much does it run too? If it is something I can pick up for $50 and run once or twice a year for a buck or two id be cool with that. But if you are talking about a $150+ expense as I am guessing, then it just does not seem worth it to me.
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']Thing is that I am not trying to sell my house. If I go to sell it I could just do it then. In the mean time I will be here for at least 5 years if not 10-15, so less I care about keeping the outside of my house looking pristine, what does it matter?

How much does it run too? If it is something I can pick up for $50 and run once or twice a year for a buck or two id be cool with that. But if you are talking about a $150+ expense as I am guessing, then it just does not seem worth it to me.[/QUOTE]

You're missing the point. You have no idea how much crap builds up on the outside of a house year after year. I keep the outside of my house maintained well and it still gets coated in dirt. If you let that build up, no amount of pressure washing is going to blast it off. It's going to get baked into surfaces. It's just something you do when you own a house. You have it pressure washed or you do it yourself. It doesn't matter if you're not going to sell it for 5, 10, 15 years. It matters that you keep the exterior of the house in clean shape. Birds will shit on your windows. Pollen will stain your siding. Bad weather will cause dirt to stick to surfaces. It's just something you need to do every 6 months to a year.

A good machine starts out about $250. If you pay someone to do it, I would expect at least $100 minimum, depending on the size of your home. I bought my machine at Lowes on clearance for $220 and it's already paid for itself in 15 months.
 
[quote name='necrojustice']Life doesn't live by your conditions OP. One day you might try to sell the house and wish you hadn't let it end up looking like a Pueblo outside.[/QUOTE]

Yes but if all it does is use high pressured water to blast dirt off the house then not using it for a few years should not make that much difference. Other issue is that we plan to live here for 10-15 years anyways...so chances are in that period of time we would end up painting/re paneling anyways. I am welling to put money out for things that maintain home value or my appliances....but I am not willing to spend money now on things that are not needed. If people can list good reasons why doing this yearly is important and its reasonable priced I will indeed do it, for now I am just inquiring because it sounds to me like people that use carpet cleaners all the time(a nice touch to keep the house looking nice, but hardly something that is basic required home maintenance.
 
Hate to be the bearer of bad new guys, but return ventilation is about 40 percent of the heating and cooling battle. My wife and I upgraded our Heat/AC unit and had all new duct work re-run and new returns made to get the most out of our 95 percent efficiency system. Shopped about two years before dropping the dime to do so. Now the power bill is lower, the 1955 1600 sq ft home is cooler, the finished basement room is ventilated and moisture free and the resale value is maintained. PM me with specific questions... and curse the idiot who disconnected the returns in our house before we purchased it.
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']Thing is that I am not trying to sell my house. If I go to sell it I could just do it then. In the mean time I will be here for at least 5 years if not 10-15, so less I care about keeping the outside of my house looking pristine, what does it matter?[/QUOTE]

To me it would be pride in my home. I would want to it look nice on the outside all of the time, not just when I am ready to sell it. From a more practical angle, your neighbors may be wanting to sell their house. If your house looks nicer, they will get more money for theirs. You would expect the same from your neighbors when you are ready to sell yours.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']To me it would be pride in my home. I would want to it look nice on the outside all of the time, not just when I am ready to sell it. From a more practical angle, your neighbors may be wanting to sell their house. If your house looks nicer, they will get more money for theirs. You would expect the same from your neighbors when you are ready to sell yours.[/QUOTE]

My neighbors are not a concern. The neighbor on one side keeps to himself and his house has a half fallen over garage being propped up by boards and he keeps exercise equipment that he does not use on his roof(no kidding). The other side is inconsiderate of neighbors having a party every weekend where they show little regard for others, they also took down part of the privacy fence that belonged to the prior owner before she blew up at them. They are not bad people and everyone else on the block seems nice enough, but there are enough dingy houses that me not washing the outside of my house(something I have NEVER seen anyone do)hardly makes me a jackass.

As for pride in my own home. I have pride in it, but its on the inside. I could give a crap if the outside looked like crap as long as it is physically sound. Just like with people, the inside of a house is what matters to me. And when you walk inside my home its pretty clean and organized, I intend to keep things running and the first impression people get are all the books, video games and board games we own.

I will drop the subject after this. Like I said before if this is something that for maintenance reason i need to do I will do it. And if this is something that I let sit for 5 years and it would become caked on to the point I can not get it off, id do it. However the prior owners(who we knew)never did it and the house despite being 100 years old and the paneling being 10ish years old looks great. I was not trying to shoot people down for no reason, just saying I did not see an immediate need to do that ONE suggestion.
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']Yes but if all it does is use high pressured water to blast dirt off the house then not using it for a few years should not make that much difference. Other issue is that we plan to live here for 10-15 years anyways...so chances are in that period of time we would end up painting/re paneling anyways. I am welling to put money out for things that maintain home value or my appliances....but I am not willing to spend money now on things that are not needed. If people can list good reasons why doing this yearly is important and its reasonable priced I will indeed do it, for now I am just inquiring because it sounds to me like people that use carpet cleaners all the time(a nice touch to keep the house looking nice, but hardly something that is basic required home maintenance.[/QUOTE]

You plan on living there for 10 years, but life can and will throw you a curve ball. You never know when your life situation is going to change.

Again, see my other post, but over the years of not cleaning your home, that dirt will get built up. It's cheaper to pay $250 and clean your home yourself than to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to repaint or re-side your home.

Would you rather pay $250 up front and maintain the outer beauty of your home, or pay $5000 to reside your house in 5 years?

The same applies with carpet cleaners. You can get a nice cleaner for $140. Replacing carpet in your home can run anywhere from several hundred dollars to several thousands depending on the size of the home, carpet type, etc. Cleaning your carpets is a necessity as well.

Edit: It sounds like you have renters mentality when it comes to your home. You have no pride in it, nor will you, when you have an attitude that "my neighbors don't maintain their homes, why should I?" Good luck with your home. I'm done.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']You plan on living there for 10 years, but life can and will throw you a curve ball. You never know when your life situation is going to change.

Again, see my other post, but over the years of not cleaning your home, that dirt will get built up. It's cheaper to pay $250 and clean your home yourself than to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to repaint or re-side your home.

Would you rather pay $250 up front and maintain the outer beauty of your home, or pay $5000 to reside your house in 5 years?

The same applies with carpet cleaners. You can get a nice cleaner for $140. Replacing carpet in your home can run anywhere from several hundred dollars to several thousands depending on the size of the home, carpet type, etc. Cleaning your carpets is a necessity as well.

Edit: It sounds like you have renters mentality when it comes to your home. You have no pride in it, nor will you, when you have an attitude that "my neighbors don't maintain their homes, why should I?" Good luck with your home. I'm done.[/QUOTE]

If I had no pride in my home why would I be posting here? Just because my pride is not the same as yours you are wigging out, insulting me then leaving? I never understand people here, sites like gamefaqs are full of trolls and kids, but man CAG is full of people that if you do not 100% believe what they do/take their exact advice they wig right out. I was trying to take your advice, I just questioned you on ONE thing.

I take pride in my home, but this will be a learning experience for us. As I said I grew up in a house that my parents did not take care of and watched it fall apart as a result...I do not want that to happen. But, at the same time of all the friends houses I grew up idolizing because they had parents that actually maintained the home....I never saw one blast down the house with any tool like the one you are describing. I have never seen anyone do it either out walking every night. So forgive me if I take ALL of your suggestions to heart except one. Forgive me for not instantly thinking every idea you give is brilliant and 100% required. Forgive me for inquiring into cost and usefulness like an intelligent person would do vs just instantly running out like most stupid Americans do these days and spending money that for all you know I may not have(which after buying your first home money for most and for us IS tight) for results I was not sure of.

*rolls eyes*

Anyways, back on topic. If anyone else has anything constructive to add to the topic that is either new or in addition to the suggestions(pro or con)it is greatly appreciated.
 
Get a shopvac best $100 I ever spent, great for cleaning your car and anything in your house

Lawn care at all? There's more to it then mowing. You gotta use fertilizer, weed killer, grass seed, if you have UGS you gotta keep an eye on that, and blow it out in the winter. Make sure the lawn is getting enough water etc. Id get a weed eater as well.

As for carpet cleaning, carpet steamers are cheap to rent, once to twice a year is a good idea. Lucky for me 90% of my house doesn't have carpet I've got fake wood floors.

Its also a good idea to get up in your attic/crawl space a few times a year and look around just to inspect things


Pressure washer huh? I've owned my house for a year I think I need to get one of those. Anyone have a brand recommendation?
 
[quote name='kube00']Get a shopvac best $100 I ever spent, great for cleaning your car and anything in your house

Lawn care at all? There's more to it then mowing. You gotta use fertilizer, weed killer, grass seed, if you have UGS you gotta keep an eye on that, and blow it out in the winter. Make sure the lawn is getting enough water etc. Id get a weed eater as well.

As for carpet cleaning, carpet steamers are cheap to rent, once to twice a year is a good idea. Lucky for me 90% of my house doesn't have carpet I've got fake wood floors.

Its also a good idea to get up in your attic/crawl space a few times a year and look around just to inspect things


Pressure washer huh? I've owned my house for a year I think I need to get one of those. Anyone have a brand recommendation?[/QUOTE]

The attic thing is a good suggestion. I intended to go up there tonight anyways to check some of the vents and look into installing an attic fan(which a lot of people have said is a good way to help keep the second floor of a house slightly cooler)but I guess going up there every few months to make sure nothing is leaking or out of wack is a good idea. Thanks!
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']If I had no pride in my home why would I be posting here? Just because my pride is not the same as yours you are wigging out, insulting me then leaving? I never understand people here, sites like gamefaqs are full of trolls and kids, but man CAG is full of people that if you do not 100% believe what they do/take their exact advice they wig right out. I was trying to take your advice, I just questioned you on ONE thing.

I take pride in my home, but this will be a learning experience for us. As I said I grew up in a house that my parents did not take care of and watched it fall apart as a result...I do not want that to happen. But, at the same time of all the friends houses I grew up idolizing because they had parents that actually maintained the home....I never saw one blast down the house with any tool like the one you are describing. I have never seen anyone do it either out walking every night. So forgive me if I take ALL of your suggestions to heart except one. Forgive me for not instantly thinking every idea you give is brilliant and 100% required. Forgive me for inquiring into cost and usefulness like an intelligent person would do vs just instantly running out like most stupid Americans do these days and spending money that for all you know I may not have(which after buying your first home money for most and for us IS tight) for results I was not sure of.

*rolls eyes*

Anyways, back on topic. If anyone else has anything constructive to add to the topic that is either new or in addition to the suggestions(pro or con)it is greatly appreciated.[/QUOTE]

I wasn't insulting you in any way. You have no idea about home ownership and I was providing even more insight about why you need to maintain the outer appearance of your home. I speak from experience. I speak from owning a home for over 5 years. I'm not trying to sell you on something you don't need here. You know nothing about me, nor the pride I take in my home. You asked for advice and when you knew nothing about it, still couldn't just listen to myself and others giving reasons why it was important.

You asked what home maintenance tips people recommend and I provided plenty. Just because you haven't seen someone do something when you're out walking at night doesn't mean it's not important. You really have a lot to earn not only about your home, but life in general. Like I said, good luck to you and your home.
 
[quote name='kube00']
Pressure washer huh? I've owned my house for a year I think I need to get one of those. Anyone have a brand recommendation?[/QUOTE]

Do NOT get a Karcher. They are complete crap. They'll work once, then never again. You might be enticed by the $99 price, but it won't hold up. I've got a Troy Bilt, which hasn't given me any problems. John Deere makes some nice ones also.
 
MSI Magus, I remember your topic about buying a house. So you finally picked one, eh? Mind if I ask for details? Still in the Toledo area? Newer or older? Approximate price?
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']MSI Magus, I remember your topic about buying a house. So you finally picked one, eh? Mind if I ask for details? Still in the Toledo area? Newer or older? Approximate price?[/QUOTE]

Still in the Toledo area, but it is kind of a weird area of town right at the border of Oregon and Rossford so it is not as ghetto as a lot of the parts Toledo is known for. You go 10 mins down the street one way your in the classy part of Rossford, 10 mins the other way you start hitting some lower class but not gunshot side of Toledo. I am sure living in Columbus you can understand the whole good neighborhood close near both a rich and poor neighborhood thing ;)

We bought the house for around $35k but if we wait 15 years to pay it off(which is the loan length)it will run around $45-$48k I believe. We are debating if we want to buckle down and pay it off in 5-6 years instead or if we want to let the loan run its course and focus on pumping money into either my wifes 401k and IRA or if we want to pay her student loans down.

The house actually belonged to my wife's step dads parents, so we actually know a lot about it. It is about 100 years old, but received a major remodel 40 years ago when her grandparents bought it. Within the last 2-3 years they put in new energy saver windows, new central heating and cooling, a new hot water heater, new shower and they completely tore the roof off and put a new one on. It also came with a newer refrigerator and while they are older the washer and dryer also stayed.

Probably could have got it just a little cheaper(maybe another $3-4k off)but we knew her Grandparents were over a barrel, so with the market being what it was when they countered our initial offer we thought it was close enough to what we wanted to pay and a great starter home. Hey maybe not fighting over the price will end up being good karma ;)

Edit - Should add its a 3 bedroom 2 story house with a finished basement, 2 car garage and a fenced in side/back yard. Not the biggest house(we would love to knock a wall down to convert it to 1 small bedroom and 1 big one) or yard but not the smallest either. Decent starter home as I said.
 
tip

get a good tool set,duct tape, liquid nails, anmd spare scerews and nails

also a toilet snake and a sink snake

when all else fails and you are at wits end ask an older neighbor (the old guy on the block) they will give you some sage wisdom....sometimes
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']
We bought the house for around $35k but if we wait 15 years to pay it off(which is the loan length)it will run around $45-$48k I believe.

Edit - Should add its a 3 bedroom 2 story house with a finished basement, 2 car garage and a fenced in side/back yard. Not the biggest house(we would love to knock a wall down to convert it to 1 small bedroom and 1 big one) or yard but not the smallest either. Decent starter home as I said.[/QUOTE]

Son of a fucking bitch, that's a hell of a deal and pretty much the type of house we'd get whenever we get around to buying one. I could have paid off the house outright at that price and still had a ton of money left over. The only problem is I'd be living in Toledo.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']Son of a fucking bitch, that's a hell of a deal and pretty much the type of house we'd get whenever we get around to buying one. I could have paid off the house outright at that price and still had a ton of money left over. The only problem is I'd be living in Toledo.[/QUOTE]

Well there has to be at least 3 or 4 houses for sale on my block. Then from walking my dogs in the afternoon and walking with my wife at night I know I have seen another 30 signs ;)

Could always use another gamer in the neighborhood ;) A block or two back there is a block where every house looks huge and really nice, then a block or two the other way and you have crap tons of houses smaller and not quite as nice as ours. Right now in this area you really can find anything you want and there are just so freaking many houses to chose from. The realator we were working with used this program to find out what other houses on the block sold for and only one other then the one we ended up buying had sold in the last year. It is just that kind of market, especially around here.

We felt as though we could not afford to NOT buy. I mean honestly our mortgage even with taxes and insurance added in is $300 cheaper then what we were paying for rent!
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']Well there has to be at least 3 or 4 houses for sale on my block. Then from walking my dogs in the afternoon and walking with my wife at night I know I have seen another 30 signs ;)

Could always use another gamer in the neighborhood ;) A block or two back there is a block where every house looks huge and really nice, then a block or two the other way and you have crap tons of houses smaller and not quite as nice as ours. Right now in this area you really can find anything you want and there are just so freaking many houses to chose from. The realator we were working with used this program to find out what other houses on the block sold for and only one other then the one we ended up buying had sold in the last year. It is just that kind of market, especially around here.[/QUOTE]

Again, the problem is Toledo. Columbus is bad enough and we are looking to get out sooner rather than later. Also while I'm sure I could find a job there, my husband, not so much.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']Again, the problem is Toledo. Columbus is bad enough and we are looking to get out sooner rather than later. Also while I'm sure I could find a job there, my husband, not so much.[/QUOTE]

What do you mean the problem is Toledo? That it is too far or that you do not want to move someplace with this rep? If its the rep thing then that really as I said before is based on where you live. As I said the part of town I live does not have the same ghetto atmosphere thanks to being so close to Rossford and Oregon, the casino they are building like 5-10 mins from the house should help too. Whats your husband do btw? The factory my wife works for is hiring like crazy right now, they are even building an entire new wing on to the factory to hire more people.
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']What do you mean the problem is Toledo? That it is too far or that you do not want to move someplace with this rep? If its the rep thing then that really as I said before is based on where you live. As I said the part of town I live does not have the same ghetto atmosphere thanks to being so close to Rossford and Oregon, the casino they are building like 5-10 mins from the house should help too.[/QUOTE]

Well we don't have any family in Ohio except my crazy mom and my dad. Everyone else is in Washington state and New England, and we like those areas better. It's not about being ghetto or anything, we just don't seem to really "fit" in Ohio.
 
[quote name='chimpian']tip

get a good tool set,duct tape, liquid nails, anmd spare scerews and nails

also a toilet snake and a sink snake

when all else fails and you are at wits end ask an older neighbor (the old guy on the block) they will give you some sage wisdom....sometimes[/QUOTE]


Forgot to respond to this. First off thanks for the help. We planned on buying some of that and already own a lot of it. What are Liquid nails though? Also the old person thing is a double edged sword. First off old people are terrified of me since I have mohawk and tats on my hands and neck and what not ;) Second off though even when they give me a chance and find out that I am a nice guy and really old school dispite my look....I end up wishing I never talked to them! Ya they can help and they have a lot of good advice...but god damn are they hard to get rid of. Being old with nothing but time and loneliness means they start showing up every day!
 
Wow the price you guys paid for your house would hardly be a down payment in the northeast. By the way doesn't vinyl siding make pressure washing kind of unnecessary?
 
[quote name='willardhaven']Wow the price you guys paid for your house would hardly be a down payment in the northeast. By the way doesn't vinyl siding make pressure washing kind of unnecessary?[/QUOTE]

That was what I thought. I would not even say unnecessary, just not 100% vital. If you get some gunk on your house just spray it off with the hose, it does not seem like it would require a $250 tool to do that. If I am wrong I am sure tons of people will correct me though.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
[quote name='willardhaven']Wow the price you guys paid for your house would hardly be a down payment in the northeast. By the way doesn't vinyl siding make pressure washing kind of unnecessary?[/QUOTE]

I was thinking the same thing. In NJ, a moderately priced home in a nice town probably starts at $300,000.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']I was thinking the same thing. In NJ, a moderately priced home in a nice town probably starts at $300,000.[/QUOTE]

Heh if you go over to Rossford which is the nice area and bought the same house we bought in Toledo it would run $90k-$130k. Funny how the area of the nation you live in can make such a huge difference. Given yes there are $500k and even multi million dollar homes over there, but that and the school system is what makes the big difference over there. Everyone told us we were stupid to live in "ghetto Toledo" vs Rossford, but living just 10 mins down the road from the area those people live in saved us more then double the price of the house!
 
Hey, I'm currently doing some remodeling projects of my own. The number 1 advice I could give you is take care of your bathroom. If your bathroom walls isn't glossy finish, then you might want to think about repainting. It glossy finish helps to prevent from moisture absorbing through the walls. If not, you may help molds and mildew grow. Molds and mildew is NOT fun, not healthy, and very costly to have it treated. Also, always use the fan (if your bathroom has one) to suck out the moisture out.

Congrats on your new home. :)
 
Just since people asked a bit more about the home here are a few pics I found on a website that still had it listed as for sale. Little more info too. Shows that it is small as I said, but I think for a starter home we got a good price and will be happy.

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 1
Sqft: 968
Lot size: 3,200 sq ft / 0.07 acres
Property type: Single Family
Year built: 1919

3506rv4.jpg


21ngwef.jpg


15gs67r.jpg


nfirz6.jpg
 
Didnt bother reading the other posting but let me give you a few tips since Im in the construction industry:

Check your roofing .. make sure no leaks comes into the attic .. once the leaks hit the beams and rots away, well your house is done for .. if you going to need a roof replaced, and you plan to stay there for a quite a long time (20 + years) then DONT skimp out on the roofing materials

Insulate your attic with blown insulation .. good at 12 inches high .. best at 18 inches .. rolled can only cover where it lays .. blown insulation can get into the nook and crannys where the air tends to escapes

weatherproof the hell out of your house .. save you loads of money on the long run especially if you bought a house that is more than 20 years old .. it deals with windows, doors, insulation, weatherstripping

talk about old houses, check the house for lead paint .. we got enough dumb kids running into walls and doors in this great nation, so no need to add to the count

and above all, dont use family "handyman" to fix your home problems unless they got years of experience dealing .. just trust me on that .. the horror stories with that .. and just about every major roofing jobs I contracted for start out something like "my cousin went up there and .."

Good Luck and Congrats! ^_^
 
I think the interior paint needs to be changed but otherwise, looks good. The square footage is probably too small for most people but I could definitely live with that.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']I think the interior paint needs to be changed but otherwise, looks good. The square footage is probably too small for most people but I could definitely live with that.[/QUOTE]

Hehe yeah we intend to paint. It is actually worse then you can imagine. THe living and dining room are that horrible blue, it then leads in to the kitchen which is pepto bismal pink! As you go upstairs it stays the same blue and then one of the rooms is a decent purple, one a horrible pink and the third....is wood paneling! It is such a mis mash, but its a cheap fix. And yeah as I warned its a bit on the small side, but for the price and for 2 people with small dogs and no intent to have kids its close to perfect(Just a little more space for our books and games would have been nice!).
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']I think the interior paint needs to be changed but otherwise, looks good. The square footage is probably too small for most people but I could definitely live with that.[/QUOTE]

2nd on the interior paint needed to be change.

The house is way bigger than mine. Twice the square footage. LOL Nice house. I always wonder what's it like to live in a middle America home.
 
[quote name='willardhaven'] By the way doesn't vinyl siding make pressure washing kind of unnecessary?[/QUOTE]

People put siding on a home so that the home doesn't have to be PAINTED. You still have to clean it. Gunk will build up. You have to get that off there or over time it will not come off.
 
I've never cleaned out the vent behind my dryer...It's been there at least 5 years and still seems fine. Is that really necessary?
 
[quote name='Capitalizt']I've never cleaned out the vent behind my dryer...It's been there at least 5 years and still seems fine. Is that really necessary?[/QUOTE]

Yes. Should make the dryer more efficient, and a clogged vent is one of the leading causes of fires.
 
[quote name='onetrackmind']If you do any landscaping avoid using mulch, especially bordering the home.[/QUOTE]

Why is that? I see mulch or straw used nearly everywhere...
 
Vinyl still needs to be washed. If you wash it with a hose regularly you probably don't need a pressure washer, but if you let it build up, all that dirt, pollen, tree sap etc is going to be like glue. Pressure washers can be handy though. great for cleaning off lawn equipment (for when all that grass builds up under the lawn mower), can be useful for washing cars too so long as you don't raise the pressure too high. Also makes washing windows easier.
 
[quote name='Clak']Vinyl still needs to be washed. If you wash it with a hose regularly you probably don't need a pressure washer, but if you let it build up, all that dirt, pollen, tree sap etc is going to be like glue. Pressure washers can be handy though. great for cleaning off lawn equipment (for when all that grass builds up under the lawn mower), can be useful for washing cars too so long as you don't raise the pressure too high. Also makes washing windows easier.[/QUOTE]

That was kind of what I thought, that it would be usefull but if I was not lazy and just sprayed the house down periodically with a hose it would be effective enough. /shrug
 
Depends on the water pressure of your outdoor spicket. If the house is pretty clean now, and it's decent pressure you can probably get buy with just hosing it down a few times a year.

If it's dirty already or, the pressure is low, then it won't cut it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top