Buying a fixer upper.
Make sure you think it though. It's a heck of alot of work.
I brought one and I'm on my going on my 3rd week of working.
I'm over these 18 hour days. Today I plan to make some phone calls and pull in some favors today. I have to get done.
My step mom wanted me to get windows so bad she went out and brought all 30 plus windows. After I told her I didn't want them yet.
The day she brought them was the day we pulled up all the carpets and find a huge section of the house that had floor water damage.
Let's see that's 20 dollars a board for osb, hmmm maybe she should have waited on the windows. I hate being right. You should always hold on purchases till after your done with all your deconstuction. Never know what your doing to find.
Anyway, anyone looking at fixer uppers. Get the best deal possible, because no matter how bad the place looks. Count on it being worst once you start tearing it apart.
And the money you save buying it. You will spend fixing it. Your going to pay for it sooner or later.
You can save a huge deal of money, if you do the work yourself.
Well since this post doesn't really make any sense and really doesn't have point. I guess I'm going to go. Back to the house to do more work.[:(][:(][:(]
I brought one and I'm on my going on my 3rd week of working.
I'm over these 18 hour days. Today I plan to make some phone calls and pull in some favors today. I have to get done.
My step mom wanted me to get windows so bad she went out and brought all 30 plus windows. After I told her I didn't want them yet.
The day she brought them was the day we pulled up all the carpets and find a huge section of the house that had floor water damage.
Let's see that's 20 dollars a board for osb, hmmm maybe she should have waited on the windows. I hate being right. You should always hold on purchases till after your done with all your deconstuction. Never know what your doing to find.
Anyway, anyone looking at fixer uppers. Get the best deal possible, because no matter how bad the place looks. Count on it being worst once you start tearing it apart.
And the money you save buying it. You will spend fixing it. Your going to pay for it sooner or later.
You can save a huge deal of money, if you do the work yourself.
Well since this post doesn't really make any sense and really doesn't have point. I guess I'm going to go. Back to the house to do more work.[:(][:(][:(]
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Experience has, and always will be, the best teacher of all.[:)] 0 -
Fixer uppers are character builders. Not that you aren't already a character[:D] 0 -
You MIL has some serious OCD about those windows but hey, if she is willing to pay for it, can't complain too much.
You're right about the money savings going right back into the house. I got a house for about $35k under market and have put over $100k into it already.0 -
Don't feel too bad about fixer upers 'cause even "move in ready" houses have their hidden problems. I have lived in 5 states and owned some 10 houses. I ALWAYS do work on them (improvements) after I buy and you would not even beleve some of the stuff I find. People run extension cords in wallsfor electric, garden hoses for water and dryer vent hse for A/C and heat. It is always something but it is what some of us like to do - get home work with our habds and improve our home and its value. I COMMEND you for your initiative and wish you the best of luck with your renovation! [:)] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by slipgate
You MIL has some serious OCD about those windows but hey, if she is willing to pay for it, can't complain too much.
You're right about the money savings going right back into the house. I got a house for about $35k under market and have put over $100k into it already.
I brought mine 90Kplus under market.
35K=100K
90K=[V][V][V][V]0 -
The only thing worse than a fixer-upper is an old fixer-upper.
I have a great deal of empathy for you.
Start checking wiring too it is normally a disaster looking for a place to happen.0 -
quote:Originally posted by hslaterpryce
Don't feel too bad about fixer upers 'cause even "move in ready" houses have their hidden problems. I have lived in 5 states and owned some 10 houses. I ALWAYS do work on them (improvements) after I buy and you would not even beleve some of the stuff I find. People run extension cords in wallsfor electric, garden hoses for water and dryer vent hse for A/C and heat. It is always something but it is what some of us like to do - get home work with our habds and improve our home and its value. I COMMEND you for your initiative and wish you the best of luck with your renovation! [:)]
I've seen some crazy stuff myself. I always wonder what people were thinking.
This house so far I've found, holes in the walls fixed with duct tape under wall paper. carpet laid down on top of carpet. It's had a new addiction that's not got a lever floor also with 1/2 inch floors. Windows painted shut.0 -
Been there and done that. You will survive. 0 -
count your blessings its not soaked with cat urine. 0 -
quote:I brought one and I'm on my going on my 3rd week of working.
I brought one and I'm on my going on my 8th year of working.
I'm on the absolute last project, ripping out three kitchen ceilings to gain 9.5" height,
and new circuits.
I installed a modern panel a few weeks ago, so I finally have room for more breakers.
Here on out, I'll do my day job, and hire out any projects.0 -
35K=100K
Thats about right; Rule of thumb multiply the estimated cost of fixing up a fixer upper by at least X2.0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
Experience has, and always will be, the best teacher of all.[:)]
I agree 100%0 -
ask her if she'll spring for plywood too, that'll send her runnin[8D] 0 -
I have bought 3 homes in my life. 2 were fixer uppers, 1 was a new home I built. The new home that I lost during hurricane katrina, never had and character. The 2 fixer uppers had and still tons of character. Its alot of work, but I would never build a new home again. Its a sense of acomplishment when your done fixing it up. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Cutiegirlracing
.....Well since this post doesn't really make any sense and really doesn't have point. I guess I'm going to go. Back to the house to do more work.[:(][:(][:(]
Working on old houses will do that to you....0 -
Good luck! 0 -
Ever seen the movie "The Money Pit"? 0 -
I started with a fixer upper,but decided it would be quicker and cheaper to teardown and start over. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by tomahawk
ask her if she'll spring for plywood too, that'll send her runnin[8D]
Have you check 1" solid Oak lumber lately. Over $10.00 a square foot at Lowes yesterday.
I could not believe that they wanted $109.00 for just one 1" x 12" x 10' Oak board..[:(!]0 -
ive been working on mine for 7 years now, DIY. NO HELP. 100 year old house. built very well. its gonna be nice when i finish. scafolding and set up take the most time and effort. doing the job is easy. its the prep. that wears you out. or that drill bit that snaps and you gotta stop and go get another one. or the famous, 'where did i put my hammer' game. 
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A friend of my just bought about a bunk of 1/2" OSB at Menards. It was on sale for about $8 a sheet. OSB is finally coming down in price.
Nice looking house there Bobski.0 -
quote:Originally posted by bobski
ive been working on mine for 7 years now, DIY. NO HELP. 100 year old house. built very well. its gonna be nice when i finish. scafolding and set up take the most time and effort. doing the job is easy. its the prep. that wears you out. or that drill bit that snaps and you gotta stop and go get another one. or the famous, 'where did i put my hammer' game.
You didn't by that from Norman Bates did you?
Just kidding. That's a great looking house. You really can't beat the look of an old house.0 -
quote:Originally posted by MVP
Fixer uppers are character builders. Not that you aren't already a character[:D]
If the house ends up looking like you do, when completed, character or not, it will be well worth it !!!!!
What a babe !!!0 -
anyone else experience these inthe fixer upper game?
1. you get so tired, you climb off the scafolding and have dinner. you fall asleep. it begins to rain about 10pm and you say, "ahh, rain. that will cool things off." and then about 1 am you wake in a panic, you remember all your power tools are still out on the scafolding.
2. you climb up the ladder and you reach for the board and you realize you set up the scafolding too far away.
3. you drop your hammer from the 3rd story....in bushes....and you cant find it....and you have to buy another one.
4. the battery on your power drill dies on the first screw, sitting on a 10/12 pitch roof fixing dormers.
5. you run out of primer. (apply this to any project anywhere inthe house.)
6. you prime with latex but bought 250.00 of custom mixed paint with oil base.
7. you paint to match existing interior paint and nail the color perfectly....but not in the right gloss....and it doesnt match.
8. you use your dads 30 year old brushes until there isnt any flex in the brissles. you keep cutting the old outside hairs that have paint stuck to them until a 4" brush is only 3". then you go shopping and faint at the cost of a new paint brush. (go ahead, i dare you to look!) then you say, "ehhh ill get one more job out of this old one."
9. nothing made today is made the way it was 100 years ago. back then a 2x4" was 2x4". a 6x6 was 6x6. today its 1 3/4"x 3 3/4". so, when you try blend a job, you have to shim everything.
10. you try to wire a light into an open circuit where all pos is on one side of the house and all neg is on the other and you keep blowing fuses until you get it right.
11. you get a 1600.00 water bill but only use water to shower or cook. come to find out theres an underground leak between the road and your house.
12. no one knows what glazing a window is anymore. no one knows what window dumb-bells are either.
13. you call to have a chimney sweep clean your chimney and he adverstises 125.00....but doesnt tell you its for a one story home per chimney. you have 7 fireplaces and the 4 chimneys are each 40 feet high. he wants 2 grand.
14. you cant run a vaccum cleaner or a microwave at the same time because the circuit board cant handle the load. you learn all about celler stairs and flashlights.
15. the old sink on the 3rd floor springs a leak underneath on the supply line and it leaks down thru your gun library on the 2nd floor and destroys all your nra amr's back to 1945. you dont even realize the leak until you see water coming thru the kitchen ceiling on the first floor days later.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Cutiegirlracing
quote:Originally posted by hslaterpryce
Don't feel too bad about fixer upers 'cause even "move in ready" houses have their hidden problems. I have lived in 5 states and owned some 10 houses. I ALWAYS do work on them (improvements) after I buy and you would not even beleve some of the stuff I find. People run extension cords in wallsfor electric, garden hoses for water and dryer vent hse for A/C and heat. It is always something but it is what some of us like to do - get home work with our habds and improve our home and its value. I COMMEND you for your initiative and wish you the best of luck with your renovation! [:)]
I've seen some crazy stuff myself. I always wonder what people were thinking.
This house so far I've found, holes in the walls fixed with duct tape under wall paper. carpet laid down on top of carpet. It's had a new addiction that's not got a lever floor also with 1/2 inch floors. Windows painted shut.
What's it addicted to? LOL0 -
I have been working on my place for 11 years. Every year I do one room. Some rooms are total tear outs. Others years are simple coat of paint. The worst one completed so far was the 100% redo of the kitchen. This year is the master bathroom. It's totally gutted but I'm not finding the will to put it back together yet. 0 -
odds are, i'll only remember all the work and never enjoy the finished product before i die.[:I] 0 -
Ah yes, the pride of ownership!
Hang in there Cutie, and take your time.
Step mom ought be fragged, sounds to me like!0
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