How do you "harden" your rentals?
Dear Pocketers,
How do you harden / bullet-proof your rentals?
While I've never had anyone utterly trash a rental of mine, I've seen the damage they can do first hand (typically when buying the rental and seeing what the previous occupants did to it). Here are a few of the things I do:
One of my favorites, and easiest to do, is that I "frame" all wire racks, their support rods, towel holders, toilet paper holders, etc. using backer wood that is mounted to studs. If it's very visible, we'll route the edges and paint it like trim. If it's in a closet, it just gets wall color. This way, if the kids hang off the coat racks or someone abuses the towel holders, they may yank the hardware down, but it doesn't leave holes in the wall. It's also much harder to destroy them in the first place. Note the towel holder mounting:
When first buying a property, if it's easily accessible, I'll replace copper with Pex (plastic) plumbing from the get go, even if the copper is OK. I don't have to worry about it freezing and it's not a crime target.
We cage all of our A/C units now using custom fabricated 2 inch square tube, typically mounting them into the wall so the bolts have to be released from inside. I also lock exterior A/C circuit boxes and label the units, cage and circuit box with A/C specific alarm stickers that I had made up.
I will frequently install an inexpensive alarm system (not monitored) which gives me peace of mind between tenants and acts as a selling point when showing the units.
I've doubled up on door stops (to prevent doorknobs from going into walls). While I use the standard springy ones that mount into baseboard still, they tend to be targets for kids and end up missing, so I back these up with the plastic circles that affix to the wall where the handle would hit. (These are also great for just covering a previously made hole where the door knob hit the wall) They're expensive though, so I've started buying large, bulk packages of plastic, foam-backed pads that you set furniture on, and simply using double sided tape behind these. These cost maybe 30 cents apiece where the purpose built ones cost $3 apiece.
If I have to renovate a bathroom, I no longer use the plastic/fiberglass shower inserts. I've seen people put holes into both the tubs and crack the walls of these. For just a couple hundred more I'll have an iron tub installed and we'll tile the shower. It's a lot more attractive and seems to be a lot more durable in the long run.
What tricks have you learned to "harden" your own rentals?
Best,
- Chuck
Originally posted by @Elisa Zhang:
Anyone has suggestions of what type of water heater? We own couple rentals and looks like water heater is a constant pain to replace. Each unit has one. Is it worthwhile to get a water heater with long warranty or lifetime warranty? Or is it better off to just get the cheapest (6 years warranty) and keep replacing? Thoughts?
Elisa
not even sure how that's remotely possible since they last for 6 to 15 yrs
I haven't read all of this yet, but I'm taking as many notes as I can fit on paper!!
Ones we are looking at are
6 years http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-Performance-50-Ga...
9 years http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-Performance-Plus-...
12 years http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-Performance-Plati...
And life time http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-Marathon-50-Gal-L...
Not sure if life time really means lifetime as parts are only covered for 6 years.
@Elisa Zhang I had a duplex that when purchased had two gas water heaters, one brand new water heater and one 25 year old water heater. Six years and three months later, I had to replace the "new" water heater and the old water heater was over 31 years old. I finally needed to replace the old water heater when it was around 35 years old. Not because the tank leaked, but because of a bad gas element. The plumber didn't recommend replacing the element due to the age so I replaced the water heater. I had a similar experience in my first home where the water heater started leaking after 7 years, just outside warranty. Newer water heaters now are poor quality and they have it perfected so they barely last through warranty.
Another thing I have learned is that the gas water heaters have shorter life than electric. They are also more complicated install, more complicated to repair and have more safety issues. Gas, fire and vent gases make them more dangerous. In my own home I installed an 80 gallon electric with lifetime warranty. True it costs a little more to run, but I calculated the cost of having to replace a gas water heater and determined the gas savings were not worth the safety/replacement costs. I got the lifetime type which has a non-metal tank so it will not rust through.
I have learned in rental properties it is better to spend money for good quality plumbing parts or you are stuck with added costs in the future. It is not just the water heater cost that needs to be considered. There is the labor to replace it, damage of a leaky tank and hassle to deal with the problem.
This may be relevant only to the Northeast where hot water boilers for heating are common, but if you have a "cold start" boiler in the home, getting rid of the hot water heating tank and using an indirect heat exchanger tank that's a zone off the boiler makes a lot of sense. These tanks last far longer than heaters, and because there's no flue, your standby losses, the heat lost even when no one is using HW, are far lower. I did this for my own apartment about 5 years ago and have been very happy with it.
I was just thinking that my 'answer' to the original question here is more along the lines of softening my tenants. <g>
I was reading in another thread that when replacing a kitchen sink, go with stainless so you don't have to worry about porcelains stains/chips. Also, sharpie makes a white oil-based paint pen that was really helpful in covering up knicks all over door frames and cabinets that were white. I've used wood pens for the same sorts of things. That's not hardening the rental, but it's an easy fix.
Originally posted by @Elisa Zhang:
Anyone has suggestions of what type of water heater? We own couple rentals and looks like water heater is a constant pain to replace. Each unit has one. Is it worthwhile to get a water heater with long warranty or lifetime warranty? Or is it better off to just get the cheapest (6 years warranty) and keep replacing? Thoughts?
Elisa
I have been wondering the same. Also considering tankless as well due to the new energy efficient requirements... a standard 40 gallon will no longer fit into the space we have carved out for it.
Originally posted by @Marcia Maynard:
Originally posted by @Bob Mesenbrink:I love this thread. Thanks for all the great suggestions.
Here's one we learned the hard way. Put pad locks on crawl space access doors or else copper pipe and wiring can get away.
Also the locks on attic doors and crawl spaces will keep curious children from playing in those off limit areas, as well as adults who don't have a need to be in there.
First off, love this thread! I have read every post!
One of the biggest killers of HW heaters is no one does maintainence on them. Once every two years (at my house) or once every time a tenant moves out a plumber goes in and drains the bottom water out, so as to remove most of the gunk that gets stuck at the bottom of the tank. Whether it be sand, a rusting water tank, stuff missed by the water treatment plant, ect. My HW heater in my house is now 15 years old and was only warranted for 6 years.
To "harden" my rentals every time a tenant moves out I send in a team of HVAC, Plumbers, Electricians, Painters, and appliance repair workers to bring the unit to as good as it can be. That means servicing the HVAC, making sure there are no leaks in any water lines, make sure all lights still work and repair any damaged electrical wires, spot painting the place, and servicing the appliances. Sure this costs me a little bit, but it will make sure I get every dollar out of the equipment I put in the unit and it helps with extending the life of the unit. If the unit is rented for more than a 1 year lease I will send the same people to the unit to do the same thing at the 1 year mark. This gives me peace of mind that I am not giving my next tenants a place that might crap out on them, and I know I am doing what is best for the tenants, the home, and my pocket book. I would rather pay a few hundred dollars a year for preventive maintenance then wait for something to fail, and have a huge problem like HW heater breaking and flooding the entire downstairs and having to replace the entire bottom floor, because it happened at 2 am, and the tenants didn't notice till the next morning... Plus having the cost of putting them in a motel till rehab was done. Sure insurance covered it, but I would rather know that a 6 y/o HW heater won't break at any moment. I of course add $15 to the rent, plus anything I add to the rent to increase it over market value I explain to my tenants.
@Chuck B. Can you post a link to where i could find these door stops you mentioned that are 30 cents a piece.
@Eddie T. - The cheapies I mentioned were not door stops, though I used them that way, and I got them at Lowes or Home Depot a number of years ago. They were thin plastic pads on one side with a rubber pad on the other side and were used to protect floors and help in moving furniture. You would put your furniture legs on these pads and that would protect the floors and allow you to move furniture around easily on hard surfaces. I just added some double sided tape to the rubber side and stuck them right to the walls where the door handles would hit. They make door stops that are just hard plastic discs with the double sided tape already on one side of them but they charge something like $2.00 or $3.00 apiece.
I've found this style of door stop to be far more durable and trouble free in the long run as you can't guarantee that the rigid or spring-based ones that go on the baseboard trim won't be knocked off by a vacuum or bent by small kids and then the next time the door is pushed too hard you have a dent in your wall anyway.
Where is everyone shopping for kitchen cabinets? What do you prefer particle board sides or plywood? What are you typically spending on cabinets?
there is a thread for kitchen cabinets... look it up.. I love kitchen kompact from home depot.. with 2 k's
yeah, find the thread, I posted lots of details and pics on Fabuwood, an importer based in Jersey City.
Originally posted by @Eddie T.:
Where is everyone shopping for kitchen cabinets? What do you prefer particle board sides or plywood? What are you typically spending on cabinets?
I am avoiding particle board in favor of plywood. Chinese made stuff I am getting has the plywood sides (and most of structure is also plywood), and drawers are dove tailed, and doors and drawers have soft close mechanisms.
As others have already posted, there are other threads that specifically go into cabinets, so you might want to search for them. And when you find your answer, post back in this thread with the links to the threads with the answer, to help out the next guy (as others have already done for other items).
JSI cabinets. Plywood, dove tailed, soft close drawers and doors.
Bump for the new users
Originally posted by @George P.:Bump for the new users
Bummer. I got the email saying there was a new post, and it's just "bump." :(
I'm looking forward to any new ideas people share! I always learn a lot here. (Which is why these "bump" posts are so disappointing/frustrating.)
Look at the bright side (rather than be disappointed) yhe "bump" at least gets a post back to the top of the queue - where there is a better chance of it being noticed and responded to.
Originally posted by @Rich Schmidt:
Originally posted by @George P.:
Bump for the new users
Bummer. I got the email saying there was a new post, and it's just "bump." :(
I'm looking forward to any new ideas people share! I always learn a lot here. (Which is why these "bump" posts are so disappointing/frustrating.)
not sure if i wrote about this, but if you have trees on the property, it's worth installing these gutter guards....
they can be cut with snips and are super awesome. screw them in with stainless steel screws and never have clogs again.
and as always, use a commercial downspouts... 4x3 and not the residential 2x3!
Yeah but if we don't bump the posts every now and then they will die. Then new users on the sight will not get a chance to see all the great knowledge and entertainment contained in them.
Originally posted by @George P.:
Originally posted by @Rich Schmidt:Originally posted by @George P.:Bump for the new users
Bummer. I got the email saying there was a new post, and it's just "bump." :(
I'm looking forward to any new ideas people share! I always learn a lot here. (Which is why these "bump" posts are so disappointing/frustrating.)
If you want to be Sheldon, be my guest. :) I've been away from these forums for a while. On others where I participate, "bumps" like those are deleted, and people are asked not to do them. Because they're annoying (like Sheldon!) and waste people's time. If people want to "bump" a thread, they're asked to come up with a worthwhile contribution to the topic instead.
Thank you all