Moving into a real fixer-upper; several issues

[CZroe]

Pic from before it got as bad as it is:

It actually much bigger than it looks because it was expanded in the back.

My roommate and I are renting a house in a nice neighborhood but it was clearly abused by the previous tenant and the expansions done decades ago by a previous owner were obviously unprofessional/DIY. I've never been very handy but the landlady [lives very far away and would rather] reimburse us for improvements/repairs than handle it directly. Unlike "problem tenants," I want to fix as much as I can myself, so I'm coming to you guys for help.

If the hot water pressure is low in one bathroom faucet but pressure is fine everywhere else, what should I check first? The knob? The line? Am I looking for clogs or kinks? Being the hot water line I imagine that any grit would be in the hot water tank and not slowing down one particular faucet. How do I test the water pressure from the line?

There is a poorly-built[, uneven, cracked-up] retaining wall outside that doesn't seem to have any drainage. It runs along the driveway and master bedroom and is CRAWLING with those giant roaches that people around here ignorantly call "water bugs." The wall is very close to the house so I also see them running all over the side of the house. The master bedroom smells musty and the owner described standing water [right outside] when it rains, so the problem is much more serious than outdoor pests, but that's my roommate's room so I'll let him worry about most of that. My concern is that I see the bugs running across the wall, house, and front door every time I pull in the driveway. I bombed the heck out of the inside for roaches and fleas so I could start moving stuff in but I'm still finding them around the windows, doors, and vents. Clearly, I need to take care of the outdoor infestation. [I used a bottle of Bug Barrier with the motorized sprayer but I think I need to get some pesticide that you put in one of those pump/spray devices with a hose. What should I buy?]

Compounding the retaining wall situation is a missing piece of gutter that dumps water right on the side of the house. It's all green and that part of the porch is clearly rotten. There's another missing on the back side, but I already know that gutters are beyond my comfort level. I think I'll just have to pay for this and pass the bill on to the landlady.

By "bombed the heck out of" I mean that I used 12 cans on a 4 bedroom house and risked an explosion, but I forgot to put one in the crawl space like the landlady suggested so I came back 6 hours later and bombed again (one in crawl space and three more inside). I've been finding small and medium-sized roaches for the last three days so even now I haven't really begun to move my stuff in. Each can treats 2,000 cubic feet. [I have some professional bug bomb that I'm probably not supposed to have/use but I don't know what else to try before calling an exterminator.]

The back yard has a huge partially-deconstructed deck from a pool that no longer exists. I'm supposed to get rid of it [for a big credit on my rent] but there are eight super-sturdy metal pieces that once supported two walls of the pool. They may as well be skyscraper I-beams anchored deep in the ground because there is no reasonable way to get them out without construction equipment. I'm pretty sure I need to rent a chainsaw and some kind of digger machine (Bobcat? Ditch Witch? Seems like I need a straight-up bulldozer from Caterpillar). Anyone here ever done anything like that? I wouldn't know where to start.

Actually, before I do anything else with the back yard, I need to clear the vegetation. It's almost all poison ivy so mowing or cutting with a machete is not reasonable. Is there some kind of herbicide I need to use? What precautions do I need to take so that I can have a lawn when I'm done?

I think the backyard or the crawl space is infested with fleas... I think. Bombing seemed to take care of them inside but I found three on me after coming back to put a bomb in the crawl space (had to go through the back yard to get there). I guess I already asked about outdoor pest control, but I genuinely don't know where to start. I used a whole bottle of that Raid Bug Barrier stuff with the motorized sprayer to treat along the wall, doors, windows, and exterior but I still see the roaches clustered inside around treated windows and doors, alive and well. There must be something I can use on the yard and the crawl space for roaches and fleas.

One ceiling fan has a cracked blade holder that scrapes as it turns. Can I just buy a replacement at Lowe's or does it need to be the same make/model/brand/material for balance? I don't see where the brand would be marked.

The kitchen sink had the cold water turned off. We turned it back on and didn't immediately notice anything wrong but we did check back later and found moisture under the sink. I can't tell exactly where it's coming from but clearly someone knew it was a problem if they turned the water off. While it was on I tested the sprayer and found that using it doesn't turn off the main spout (water continues to flow). I don't have a clue how that works to know what might be wrong, but I can live with it as long as it isn't related to the leak.

Done:
Clear bathroom drain with Mister Plumber (Drain-O wouldn't do it)
Replace cracked toilet seat
Replace set screws to secure toilet paper holder
Replace pull-chain on ceiling fan
Bomb for roaches/fleas (still a problem?)
Sweep away rotten debris from alley/retaining wall
Eliminate mosquito breeding areas
Treat outdoor areas for pests (still a problem?)

To do/do again/do better:
Bomb for roaches/fleas
Clear back yard of poison ivy/overgrowth
Remove deck
Remove protruding/buried metal supports
Replace doors on tool shed
Replace doors on laundry room
Fix hot/cold handles on master bath's hot tub (both turn forever; difficult to turn off)
Fix gutters
Replace rotten wood on porch
Sand and paint porch
Fix ceiling fan blade holder
Fix hot water flow
Fix leak in kitchen sink
Refinish hardwood floors (future)
Clean the carpet
Replace the carpet (future)

Any advice is appreciated. I can't afford to do everything at once but I need to get the pests and weeds situations under control ASAP.

 

[Greenman]

The first question is: Are you being paid for the hours you put into this place, as well as material? If not, the nice owner could toss you out when the work is done, jack up the rent, and make some money off of your sweat.
The roach infestation would be a deal breaker for me, get an exterminator and do it right.

The rest is far to large a list to respond to, so I'll tackle the faucet. Did you try removing the aerator and cleaning the screen behind it? They do plug up, and will cut water flow.

 

[lxskllr]

That's a lot of crap. Start with the water issues. Water's relentless. It causes lots of damage, and draws bugs. IOW, fix the gutters first, and make sure the water drains away from the house.

For the fleas, they might be part of your life now. Some areas are just infested, and you can't really keep them away. Get them out of the house, and they hitch a ride back in.

 

[Carson Dyle]

That has to be one of the most amazing things I've read in these forums in quite some time. Good God, what a nightmare! What could possibly have made you sign a lease on such a dump?

You don't rent a "fixer-upper". From a renter's perspective there is no such thing. You're never going get any return on your investment of time or money that comes from fixing up a home for someone else.

Your assumption that this place was abused by the previous tenant is ludicrous. It's been a dump for a very long time, you can be sure of that. The owner doesn't care about the place. Hell, it sounds like it's barely inhabitable.

The mere fact that the owner would trust brand new tenants to do repairs to a home, beyond maybe doing some basic painting, should itself be a red flag. If you're really prepared to get into something like that, because you're either a sucker or you're just plain dumb, start by doing something cheap and easy and seeing whether or not you get reimbursed before you lift another finger. Maybe buy a couple cans of paint. What about tools? If you have to buy brushes and rollers, or you need to buy or rent construction tools? I have a feeling you're going to be in for an unpleasant surprise.

To start, you're going to need a plumber. There's no way in hell you should ever have to pay a plumber or any service and be reimbursed. They should just bill her.

Whatever you do, make sure the owner is on board with the repair/upgrade before you spend a dime on it. It's absolutely ridiculous, though, that you would be fronting the owner any money for major repairs or upgrades. Not even to mention your time because she can't be bothered.

This isn't going to end well.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

That has to be one of the most amazing things I've read in these forums in quite some time. Good God, what a nightmare! What could possibly have made you sign a lease on such a dump?

You don't rent a "fixer-upper". From a renter's perspective there is no such thing. You're never going get any return on your investment of time or money that comes from fixing up a home for someone else.

Your assumption that this place was abused by the previous tenant is ludicrous. It's been a dump for a very long time, you can be sure of that. The owner doesn't care about the place. Hell, it sounds like it's barely inhabitable.

The mere fact that the owner would trust brand new tenants to do repairs to a home, beyond maybe doing some basic painting, should itself be a red flag. If you're really prepared to get into something like that, because you're either a sucker or you're just plain dumb, start by doing something cheap and easy and seeing whether or not you get reimbursed before you lift another finger. Maybe buy a couple cans of paint. What about tools? If you have to buy brushes and rollers, or you need to buy or rent construction tools? I have a feeling you're going to be in for an unpleasant surprise.

To start, you're going to need a plumber. There's no way in hell you should ever have to pay a plumber or any service and be reimbursed. They should just bill her.

Whatever you do, make sure the owner is on board with the repair/upgrade before you spend a dime on it. It's absolutely ridiculous, though, that you would be fronting the owner any money for major repairs or upgrades. Not even to mention your time because she can't be bothered.

This isn't going to end well.

This x 1000. OP, why would you rent such a place?? If I were you, I'd be looking elsewhere. Carson is right - the idea that the previous tenants somehow were responsible for many of these issue is insane. The house is a dump and is no good. It has major water issues and that is what is causing the bugs to infest it. Trust me, "bombing" them is a temporary fix - they'll keep coming back until the root cause is fixed and I suspect the true fix will cost thousands of dollars in regrading, crawl space work, and other remediation. Have you seen any large ants yet? If so, those are likely carpenter ants and they love eating wet, damaged wood. Don't ask me how I know.

Oh, and don't think the master bedroom is "your roommate's problem." That musty smell is mold and while it is hard to tell where it is coming from (could be from the crawl, the walls, the carpet, etc), it can cause both of you health issues if not properly fixed. Open all the closets and examine the walls to see if you see any visible indication of mold - because they're often dark, mold can flourish in closets and that is a good indicator of severe moisture issues in the crawl. I bet the joists in the crawl also have mold growing on them.

A rental is not a "fixer upper" for a tenant, nor would this house be a "fixer upper" if you bought it - it is a complete dump from your description.

 

[Ancalagon44]

Aren't there building codes in your local area that would prevent such a place from being rented? I mean, is it safe for people to live in?

I'm being serious. I don't know why you want to do the owner a massive favour, but I'd think seriously about your health before doing so. Has the structural integrity of the house been compromised in a way you don't know of?

With all of the bugs that were drawn to the house, predators would have followed them. What if you get bitten by something? Will she pay your hospital bills?

I'd think very seriously before continuing to live there. At minimum, I'd want a signed agreement upfront that she takes responsibility for anything that happens to, and that you are exempt from paying any rent at all until the agreed upon list of renovations is done.

 

[lxskllr]

I'm guessing the rent's dirt cheap. That's the only way I'd take something like that on.

Just reread part of the Great Wall of Problems, and noticed the poison ivy. There's no reason it can't be cut with a machete, and mowed. That's what I do here. Once you've gotten it cleared, it's easy to keep up with the sprouts.

 

[tracerbullet]

You won't replace the ceiling fan part with a generic piece, it'll be specific tot he fan or at a minimum that brand for their stuff made in that time frame.

Try just unscrewing the aerator on the bad faucet and see if that helps, sometimes bits of crap from the line can get stuck in it.

Generally agreed time to move elsewhere. Wow.

 

[boomerang]

I've never been very handy

That statement right there should be resonating in your head. Why in the world would you take on something of this magnitude? Drainage problems, musty smell and infested with bugs. Sounds like the home should be condemned. This place cannot do anything good for you from the perspective of your health and in the litigious society we live in, I'd be worried about what the roommate is going to come after you for in the future.

 

[DrPizza]

...the expansions done decades ago by a previous owner were obviously unprofessional/DIY. I've never been very handy

Not handy, and expect to bring it up to professional quality repairs? It's possible, provided you watch a lot of youtube videos to learn how to do things right, and are willing to invest a lot of time - what a pro can do in minutes could take you hours. E.g., making drywall repair look perfect.

For the fleas - I might be mistaken, it's been at least a decade since we've had problems - but I think the bombs kill the adults, but not the eggs. Rather than bomb with an excessive amount each time, you're better off bombing, waiting 4 or 5 days, bombing, repeat, repeat, repeat. Personally, if it were that bad, I would seriously consider a professional - and the professional will likely be able to tell you what the best steps are to take which will reduce future problems.

 

[CZroe]

Thanks for the advice/concern.

Google Street View pic from before it got as bad as it is:

It actually much bigger than it looks because it was expanded in the back.

I don't think I explained it well, but the landlady lives very far away and would rather reimburse us for improvements/repairs than handle it directly. Think of it as having a property manager who also lives in an apartment complexes they manage. I've actually worked for property managers before and this is extremely common. Mr. Miyagi, anyone?

I used a bottle of Bug Barrier with the motorized sprayer but it looks like they came back and treated with something else outside. I don't know what they used but I think it's working. If it proves to be effective I'm going to ask what they used so I can use it for future treatments (maintaining it as pest-free is my responsibility; it's in the lease).

Hopefully getting the outside under control I can just bomb again to get control of the inside. I had to bomb three times when I moved into my last apartment. If I still have problems after I bomb again I still have options, like calling an exterminator. I also have some professional bug bomb that I'm probably not supposed to have/use and I'm tempted to try that before calling an exterminator.

People act like she's saddling me with big repairs/projects. She's not. She keeps talking about having her husband make multiple trips from hours away to get rid of the deck/pool remains but is offering a big credit on my rent if I can take care of it. Because I literally have three friends/family members already chomping at the bit for the scrap lumber I have no doubt that it's the better option. Have any of you ever rented the kind of equipment I might need? What requirements were there and how expensive was it? Will I need a truck/trailer or do I rent that with the equipment?

The first question is: Are you being paid for the hours you put into this place, as well as material? If not, the nice owner could toss you out when the work is done, jack up the rent, and make some money off of your sweat.
The roach infestation would be a deal breaker for me, get an exterminator and do it right.

The rest is far to large a list to respond to, so I'll tackle the faucet. Did you try removing the aerator and cleaning the screen behind it? They do plug up, and will cut water flow.

Yes. The agreement is that I will be compensated for any improvements by taking it off the rent. If a gutter service would have charged $900 and I did it myself then I could ask for a $900 credit. I can do "improvements" and get compensated too, like refinishing the floors and carpet (that's something I added because they look terrible).

I don't think the owner was aware of the extent of the infestation because she only visited a few times since the previous tenant left and there wasn't much to see in an freshly-empty and cleaned house. The fleas probably only hatched once people started coming around again but after bombing they don't seem to be a problem indoors for now. If I can't get rid of the pests this week then I will call an exterminator and send her the bill.

I checked but it's not the aerator screen because the cold water flows through the same faucet with a ton of pressure.

That's a lot of crap. Start with the water issues. Water's relentless. It causes lots of damage, and draws bugs. IOW, fix the gutters first, and make sure the water drains away from the house.

For the fleas, they might be part of your life now. Some areas are just infested, and you can't really keep them away. Get them out of the house, and they hitch a ride back in.

Yeah. The previous tenants were clearly treating their pets because they left a pack of uneaten flea tabs for dogs but they were clearly infesting a carpeted room that was added on. It's the biggest bedroom but we are using as a living area since we don't need 4 bedrooms. There is an impressive bathroom expansion attached to the original master bedroom, so that will continue being the master bedroom.

That has to be one of the most amazing things I've read in these forums in quite some time. Good God, what a nightmare! What could possibly have made you sign a lease on such a dump?

It just seems to have had one bad tenant and I'm sure most is reversible. The landlady had no idea that the family was going to have a nasty break up almost as soon as the last tenant moved in. She's I'll-equipped to deal with it directly because she lives so far away but she's more than willing to compensate me for taking care of anything that needs to be taken care of.

You don't rent a "fixer-upper". From a renter's perspective there is no such thing. You're never going get any return on your investment of time or money that comes from fixing up a home for someone else.

I'm not investing. I get compensated for my expense/time. Moving is expensive: I'm currently paying three rents and multiple utilities and I have to pay to clean those places too along with truck rentals and carpet cleaners. That's why I can't cover much immediately. Some stuff has to be taken care of immediately, which is why I'm doing anything I can do.

Your assumption that this place was abused by the previous tenant is ludicrous. It's been a dump for a very long time, you can be sure of that. The owner doesn't care about the place. Hell, it sounds like it's barely inhabitable.

It's not an assumption. I've known the current owner since we were kids and she lived there herself until a few years ago. My current roommate for the last two years is her brother. I've known the previous owners since around 1993 and my older brother knew them back in the '80s, though I don't know if they were the ones who did the expansion ~four decades ago.

The mere fact that the owner would trust brand new tenants to do repairs to a home, beyond maybe doing some basic painting, should itself be a red flag. If you're really prepared to get into something like that, because you're either a sucker or you're just plain dumb, start by doing something cheap and easy and seeing whether or not you get reimbursed before you lift another finger. Maybe buy a couple cans of paint. What about tools? If you have to buy brushes and rollers, or you need to buy or rent construction tools? I have a feeling you're going to be in for an unpleasant surprise.

We trust each other. Our families have been close for about 25 years. We had sleepovers and camping trips together out as kids. The land lady's brother has been my roommate for years. I've been asked to house-sit for them multiple times. *I* spear-headed the move when I heard that the house was available.

To start, you're going to need a plumber. There's no way in hell you should ever have to pay a plumber or any service and be reimbursed. They should just bill her.

I don't intend to pay a plumber for anything I can do myself or live with, so paying a plumber will be admitting failure for me, though I will readily do so when something goes too far outside of my comfort level.

Whatever you do, make sure the owner is on board with the repair/upgrade before you spend a dime on it. It's absolutely ridiculous, though, that you would be fronting the owner any money for major repairs or upgrades. Not even to mention your time because she can't be bothered.

Yep. We're in constant communication. She's aware of everything I'm aware of and we discussed all of it. Thanks for your concern.

This x 1000. OP, why would you rent such a place?? If I were you, I'd be looking elsewhere. Carson is right - the idea that the previous tenants somehow were responsible for many of these issue is insane. The house is a dump and is no good. It has major water issues and that is what is causing the bugs to infest it. Trust me, "bombing" them is a temporary fix - they'll keep coming back until the root cause is fixed and I suspect the true fix will cost thousands of dollars in regrading, crawl space work, and other remediation. Have you seen any large ants yet? If so, those are likely carpenter ants and they love eating wet, damaged wood. Don't ask me how I know.

No ants yet. Neither you nor Carson realize how I know because the post was long enough without going into how I know about the owner and the house, but almost all the serious issues are from the previous tenant or the previous owners' poor DIY expansion. Obviously, the problems caused by the previous owner's expansion were manageable because they didn't have a pest problem or poison ivy before. The previous tenant had a nasty break-up which is why all the doors and screens had to be fixed (they were kicked in/broken by the husband). After that, she couldn't afford upkeep or rent, which is why she's gone. She couldn't even keep the power/water on and she had a school-aged daughter with her so pest control and gutter repair for someone else's property that she was being evicted from was the last thing on her mind.

Oh, and don't think the master bedroom is "your roommate's problem." That musty smell is mold and while it is hard to tell where it is coming from (could be from the crawl, the walls, the carpet, etc), it can cause both of you health issues if not properly fixed. Open all the closets and examine the walls to see if you see any visible indication of mold - because they're often dark, mold can flourish in closets and that is a good indicator of severe moisture issues in the crawl. I bet the joists in the crawl also have mold growing on them.

Oh, it very much is his problem. He said he want the master bath with the hot tub so he gets the master bedroom with the nasty carpet. I theorized that there might be mold but it could just as easily be nasty spills and pets over the last few years if the condition of that carpet indicates anything at all. The standing water right outside is obviously responsible for the pests but it was managed before and I'm just trying to find out how to manage it again now that it's my responsibility. I theorized that it MIGHT be making the musty smell, but it's up to my roommate (land lady's brother) if he wants to rip out the carpet and take a look. Most of the floors are hardwood but the two small carpeted areas have carpet so old that I want to replace it sometime in the near future.

A rental is not a "fixer upper" for a tenant, nor would this house be a "fixer upper" if you bought it - it is a complete dump from your description.

The major issues aren't my problem. I'm not renovating or rebuilding the retaining wall. Some of the resulting issues like pest control, are. I already know that they can be managed because they have been managed for decades until the last tenant.

Aren't there building codes in your local area that would prevent such a place from being rented? I mean, is it safe for people to live in?

I'm being serious. I don't know why you want to do the owner a massive favour, but I'd think seriously about your health before doing so. Has the structural integrity of the house been compromised in a way you don't know of?

With all of the bugs that were drawn to the house, predators would have followed them. What if you get bitten by something? Will she pay your hospital bills?

I'd think very seriously before continuing to live there. At minimum, I'd want a signed agreement upfront that she takes responsibility for anything that happens to, and that you are exempt from paying any rent at all until the agreed upon list of renovations is done.

Other than the outdoors the pests are no worse than any other place that gets neglected around here. I had to bomb my last apartment three times to get rid of the prior infestation because the property management company just kept sending pest control instead of exterminators (a spritz here and there wasn't going to cut it). Building codes mostly apply to new construction and this place was built in the 50s or something. Structure seems fine. There is evidence of an old roof leak before the metal roof was put on but my biggest roof concern is that it 100% blocks cellular service. Again, she is responsible for all of it. Because she lives hours away and I know her personally, I am acting like a local property manager, deciding what to do myself and what to pay a professional for. She might have asked us to do this even if she had a completely different tenant.

I'm guessing the rent's dirt cheap. That's the only way I'd take something like that on.

Just reread part of the Great Wall of Problems, and noticed the poison ivy. There's no reason it can't be cut with a machete, and mowed. That's what I do here. Once you've gotten it cleared, it's easy to keep up with the sprouts.

The rent is a pretty good deal even before we split it three ways. She's not even getting enough from us to cover the mortgage.

I made the mistake of cutting with a hatchet and machete when I was a kid. Even without directly touching it I got it ALL over me. It's like little bits go airborne and get everywhere. You can't burn it either because it gets in your lungs and eyes (I know a guy who was hospitalized for that).

You won't replace the ceiling fan part with a generic piece, it'll be specific tot he fan or at a minimum that brand for their stuff made in that time frame.

Try just unscrewing the aerator on the bad faucet and see if that helps, sometimes bits of crap from the line can get stuck in it.

Generally agreed time to move elsewhere. Wow.

Since I made the thread I found parts that look like they fit at Lowe's and The Home Depot. I'm pretty sure that these are Harbor Bay (Home Depot) brand but it looks like the Lowe's brand will work. Their names sound like knock-offs of each-other!

Why in the world would you take on something of this magnitude?

I didn't. Like I said: I'm more than happy to have professionals do anything I can't. If I can unclog a drain or replace a toilet seat or spray herbicide myself, then I will. I'm not hanging gutters or anything like that. I'm embarrassed to even mention half of those things because they are as trivial as mowing the lawn or taking out the trash. The only major thing I want to do myself is get rid of the deck and I can do that over a year or two. I have friends begging me to let them do it for the scrap wood but we still don't have a plan for the isn't metal anchors, which is why I'm asking here.

Drainage problems, musty smell and infested with bugs. Sounds like the home should be condemned. This place cannot do anything good for you from the perspective of your health and in the litigious society we live in, I'd be worried about what the roommate is going to come after you for in the future.

A puddle in the yard after it rains is not a drainage problem for me. A retaining wall with improper drainage is the property owner's problem, and it's been that way for probably 60 years. I don't own the place. Seeping inside would be a problem for us but I have no evidence of that other than a musty smell that is just as likely to be the old filthy, stained, disgusting carpet that my roommate will not be replacing right away that my roommate has volunteered to live with in exchange for the master bathroom with hot tub. The bugs were managed before and they will be managed again. I came here for advice about that because I am not experienced with managing them outdoors. Since then the landlady's husband came by and sprayed something around outside that seems to have done the trick. I'm going to find out what it was for future upkeep because asking here just gets "ZOMG! Burn the place!"

 

[Carson Dyle]

Where is this dump located?

What's wrong with the roof? It shouldn't look like that.

Maybe being friends with the owners is good, maybe not. If hubby is able-bodied and some of the larger tasks can actually be handled by the two of you, then he should make the trip and you should tackle them together. He can put tools and materials on his own credit card and you'll be less likely to get screwed in the process.

You think you're going to take a chainsaw to some metal supports? Try not to kill yourself.

 

[Greenman]

Where is this dump located?

What's wrong with the roof? It shouldn't look like that.

Maybe being friends with the owners is good, maybe not. If hubby is able-bodied and some of the larger tasks can actually be handled by the two of you, then he should make the trip and you should tackle them together. He can put tools and materials on his own credit card and you'll be less likely to get screwed in the process.

You think you're going to take a chainsaw to some metal supports? Try not to kill yourself.

Looks like a standing seam metal roof to me, what am I missing?

 

[Carson Dyle]

Looks like a standing seam metal roof to me, what am I missing?

What's the hump/break in the roofline from? Unless it's just a glitch in the photo.

 

[CZroe]

Where is this dump located?

I specifically cropped that out.

What's wrong with the roof? It shouldn't look like that.

Nothing. You're looking at the peak that goes perpendicular over the added-on kitchen and master bathroom. It has a very nice, very high ceiling. My only complaint is that their interior finishing leaves much to be desired: you don't make a dual wall plate for a dimmer knob and light switch by cutting two single plates!

Maybe being friends with the owners is good, maybe not. If hubby is able-bodied and some of the larger tasks can actually be handled by the two of you, then he should make the trip and you should tackle them together. He can put tools and materials on his own credit card and you'll be less likely to get screwed in the process.

I've actually never met him particularly because they met/married when I lived in another state and now they live hours away. Must be doing well if they can afford two mortgages.

You think you're going to take a chainsaw to some metal supports? Try not to kill yourself.

The deck is wood. We can handle that. I only brought up chainsaws because it's my friend's plan to get the wood and I'm wondering if there's a better way. The metal supports remaining are what I am really concerned about (never suggested a chainsaw for them). FWIW, these supported the pool, not the deck. They aren't even attached.

Looks like a standing seam metal roof to me, what am I missing?

It looks buckled but that's just the tip where it meets another perpendicular roof.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Again, why would you rent a place with that many issues and make those repairs? It makes no sense.

When I said the moldy MBR wasn't only his problem, what I meant was that it could affect YOUR health too. If he doesn't do anything about it, you'll have to.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I specifically cropped that out.

Jeezus... What state? What kind of weather and bugs do you have to deal with?

Nothing. You're looking at the peak that goes perpendicular over the added-on kitchen and master bathroom. It has a very nice, very high ceiling. My only complaint is that their interior finishing leaves much to be desired: you don't make a dual wall plate for a dimmer knob and light switch by cutting two single plates!

Must have been the previous tenants. Because if the owners used to live there and took care of the property back then, they wouldn't have stood for something like that.

I've actually never met him particularly because they met/married when I lived in another state and now they live hours away. Must be doing well if they can afford two mortgages.

This place could be paid off if they've owned it for years. But it's pretty common to keep and rent out an old residence. And they've spent pretty close to zero dollars on upkeep while renting it out.

The deck is wood. We can handle that. I only brought up chainsaws because it's my friend's plan to get the wood and I'm wondering if there's a better way.

Umm.... take it apart? Screws and hammers and prybars. Maybe a sawzall if you just want firewood. Take a chainsaw to it and hit a nail or screw and see what happens.

The metal supports remaining are what I am asking for advice on (never suggested a chainsaw for them). FWIW, these supported the pool, not the deck. They aren't even attached.

"Metal supports" doesn't tell us much.



.

 

[CZroe]

Again, why would you rent a place with that many issues and make those repairs? It makes no sense.

When I said the moldy MBR wasn't only his problem, what I meant was that it could affect YOUR health too. If he doesn't do anything about it, you'll have to.

First, no one has confirmed mold. I'm just as likely to be smelling dog piss soaked into the carpet. Like I said: it looks disgusting, but that's his problem.

Now, I used to work for property managers. Do you have ANY idea how over-blown this "dangerous mold" BS is? My sister screams about mold in every place she lives and coughs and hacks psychosomaticly and claims that it is the cause of all her ailments without ever even confirming that it exists. She complains of having these problems within minutes of entering any place she's ever suspected of mold and yet she can go OUTDOORS into the wet, rotting, MOLDY world just fine. Sit next to a pile of wet rotting leaves after a rainstorm? No problem. Walk the dog through a freshly-fertilized row of bushes? Also fine. Hands and knees in the dirty with old potting soil and plants? Still fine.

There's a King of the Hill episode all about mold hysteria and people over-reacting and threatening to condemn places for it. Wants reaction in Breaking Bad was also supposed to be too much (he was distracting himself from bigger issues). I was told not to even mention the word when responding to leaks and organizing restoration contractors for the property management company I worked for.

I'm not oblivious and very familiar with this "issue." The standing water she mentioned outside is where all those plants are growing in the picture. There is no reason to suspect ingress into the room other than my description of it smelling musty, which would be NO SURPRISE TO ANYONE looking at that nasty carpet. The only reason anyone is jumping to that conclusion is because one person who doesn't think that's the problem (me) mentioned a smell that has a perfectly good alternate explanation. Am I concerned that it MIGHT be from bad drainage and water ingress causing mold? Sure. That's why I mentioned it, but even in the worst case scenario it just means we'll tolerate it until we don't and it remains the landlady's problem.

 

[Carson Dyle]

If you're going to be repairing and painting the front porch, the first thing I'd do is rip out that wheelchair ramp. Unless you or your roommate is in a wheelchair. It's just an eyesore.

Can't see the back, but looks like it's probably pretty overgrown. You may have a LOT of debris to dispose of by the time you're finished, and if you have any large trees that should be removed, you'll need some professional help. Or, you could let your buddy drop some trees this way or that with his chainsaw.

The front yard looks like someone just ran a mower over the brambles and weeds. It should be nuked and started over from scratch. Much of that vegetation next to the porch and house should probably go, too.

The driveway actually looks like it may be in half decent condition. Which is surprising.

 

[CZroe]

Jeezus... What state? What kind of weather and bugs do you have to deal with?

I was sure it was right there in my profile but it looks like someone had some fun and changed it on me. I didn't notice because I'm using Tapatalk. The last thing I did was change it back from my "Mayne Name."

Location: Newnan, GA. South-West Atlanta Greater Metropolitan Area. Like the rest of Georgia, it's basically a jungle swamp without development.

These are the weeds I need to kill:

Everywhere in that area that isn't poison ivy has poison ivy hidden underneath. I want to find something I can spray to kill the whole patch because I already know what happens when you take a lawnmower, weed eater, machete, or gas can to it.

Must have been the previous tenants. Because if the owners used to live there and took care of the property back then, they wouldn't have stood for something like that.

I don't understand the point/joke. I'm not the one acting like the place is ruined for trivial things like that. I'm just pointing it out as evidence of a previous owner's DIY expansion. It's amusing, not repulsive. The repulsive things are all from the previous tenant:
ruined screens (brand new windows a year ago)
broken/missing gutters
pest infestation
yard overgrowth
broken fixtures
ruined carpets
the half-deconstructed deck (previous tenant declined in lieu of rent credit just like I did)

All of these things can be addressed, I just need to prioritize and find out what I can do myself which is why I'm here. So far: The screens are getting fixed under warranty because they were brand-new a year ago and were supposedly super-durable. I have a friend who does gutters professionally but I'm not sure if I want him doing it since I will be passing the bill on to her. I haven't seen a pest inside or out since they treated the alley/wall outside a few days ago and I bombed a couple days earlier. I still need to kill the weeds/poison ivy but that's one thing I'm still looking for help with. We already fixed one fan and bought parts for the other. Only two rooms even have carpet and I'm moving a huge rug over mine now that I got the fleas out of it (between the shelves and the furniture, the rug pretty much covered the entire floor of my 16x16x16 accessory building).

I think you are trying to imply that these issues always existed because I described the retaining wall and assumed exterior drainage issues. I mentioned them to describe the environment that that the pests were obviously thriving in so I could get advice on maintaining it (as it once was). It wasn't always in the unkempt state. It doesn't matter anyway because they came by and took care of it for now. I haven't seen any pests in days. I'd still like to know what they used so that I can DIY in the future, but I will be asking them. I asked here first because I had never had to do exterior pest control and didn't know where to start. Heck, a big part of what I was seeing may not be due to drainage issues at all: the previous tenants trash had not been picked up and the bins were between the wall and the house. I took care of the infestation they left inside but their trash could've been causing an unchecked infestation outside until it was finally picked up a few days ago and the area was sprayed with my Bug Barrier and whatever they used. If my roommate wants to tear out the nasty carpet to see if there is an additional problem due to drainage, he can. Until then, I assume it was the pets/tenant ruining that carpet and making the musty smell because it wasn't like that a few years ago while the wall has been there for decades. I'm not going to assume it has anything to do with the drainage/pest problem right outside until I see something else to indicate that it still is/ever was a problem. Heck, there's something that looks like spray paint on some parts of the disgusting/musty carpet and I KNOW that didn't come from the retaining wall.

Crooked wall plates at seemingly random heights/distribution, amateur tile work (still looks good at a distance), and this DIY wall plate amuse me, they don't repulse me. I don't see why you're having such a strong reaction to it. It's just an example showing that the previous owners who did the expansion were amateurs. I'm no pro myself. The expansion predates the previous two occupants and possibly the ones I know before them (I know their son but it was likely before he was born). How does the funny wall plate imply neglect from any previous tenant? I never said that the landlady renovated when she lived there. I said that she didn't neglect it and that it was much better and had none of the serious issues cause by the last tenant. The wall plate doesn't change that.

This place could be paid off if they've owned it for years. But it's pretty common to keep and rent out an old residence. And they've spent pretty close to zero dollars on upkeep while renting it out.

She got the house only a few years ago when it was still in good shape so, no, it's not paid off yet. It was still fine when she left just over a year ago just before the nightmare tenant so, no, it wasn't cheap because it was a dump.

This place is MUCH bigger than it looks like and it's in a nice neighborhood next to a school. Directly across the street is a much smaller house with the same roof and an Audi. This house was not out of place next to theirs at all a year ago. I just found out that the previous tenant had two big pit bulls, which explains a lot about the stains and damage I'm seeing from the last year.

As for the finances, she's not been making any money off the place and her only goal is to pay the mortgage with rent until it's paid off, then sell it. I don't see how she's going to do that when rent is so cheap and her expenses will be pretty high. For example: she had the A/C repaired/serviced two weeks ago and I found that it wasn't working last night. After that and the gutters and all the other expenses I'm sticking her with, she's not going to be making money off of it any time soon. She's used to it though: The last time the previous tenant paid rent was with her tax return in February and she was already several months behind. She only rented it a year ago right before her husband split and left her taking care of the kids and two dogs.

Umm.... take it apart? Screws and hammers and prybars. Maybe a sawzall if you just want firewood. Take a chainsaw to it and hit a nail or screw and see what happens.

It's very easy to keep cuts away from nails/screws. Is there some reason not to use a chainsaw? Only reason I can think of to remove each board individually is to have more salvageable wood, but it looks like plenty to me:

"Metal supports" doesn't tell us much.

You're right, but that's not nearly all I said about it.

The pic above shows them. There are only eight (the additional things are just tin covers of some kind). They are anchored DEEP into the ground. One is barely bent after they tried to remove it. I think she said that they tied it to a truck and couldn't pull it out. They intended to finish the job but the previous tenant's husband said he would because he wanted the wood. My understanding is that they split up almost right away and it never got done. The owners said they would take it all away unless I also wanted it, prompting interest from my friends and family. It looks like better wood than the porch.

There is a rotten board where the gutter is broken and it looks pretty crappy to begin with so I might use some of it on renovating the porch. To be clear: I'd be doing that because I want to, not because I have to. I don't think pressure-washing will help much and it just doesn't seem to be worth sanding/repainting.

If you're going to be repairing and painting the front porch, the first thing I'd do is rip out that wheelchair ramp. Unless you or your roommate is in a wheelchair. It's just an eyesore.

Agreed. It's nice not to deal with stairs moving things in and out, but once we are done with that it's just ugly. Furthermore, the rest has significantly dilapidated since. The guard rails look like my mom built it with boards pointlessly attached to other boards, and then there's this:

The gutter above is missing the endcap and thoroughly rotted the vertical board and a couple slats (somehow the horizontal boards are fine even though they are green with algae). I'm not going to bother replacing the rotten board when neither pressure washing nor repainting will help with the rest of that eyesore. The gutter will be fixed ASAP and the rest is a long-term "because I want to" project. If I were the owner I'd be seriously angry that the tenant just broke the gutter and let the rest of the porch get ruined like that.

Can't see the back, but looks like it's probably pretty overgrown. You may have a LOT of debris to dispose of by the time you're finished, and if you have any large trees that should be removed, you'll need some professional help. Or, you could let your buddy drop some trees this way or that with his chainsaw.

Overgrown and treacherous from all the deconstructed deck lumber. There's already a LOT of debris and it's going to take many, many truckloads to get it out of here. Her husband was not looking forward to it but I have a couple locals who are.

The front yard looks like someone just ran a mower over the brambles and weeds. It should be nuked and started over from scratch. Much of that vegetation next to the porch and house should probably go, too.

My thoughts exactly, especially because it's much worse than the old StreetView picture. There are ankle-spraining holes where the plants used to be and it's all clover (no grass).

The driveway actually looks like it may be in half decent condition. Which is surprising.

The wall on the right is cracked in a couple places with gaps in the bricks big enough to put your fingers through. It looks like someone just stacked cinder blocks and mortar but any retaining wall that size is supposed to have professionally engineered drainage (or so I've heard on the radio). Who knows? Maybe it does. Doesn't look like it and poor drainage might explain why it had giant cockroaches running all over it every time I looked.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Again. All of that didn't happen due to one bad tenant in just over a year. Your're kidding yourself if you believe that. The owner moved out just over a year ago??? That's frightening.

The fact that you're hesitant to call in anyone to fix some things that are beyond you is telling.

It's little wonder that the rent is low. She should thank her stars that she could find a friend and a family member to occupy it and pay _anything_ at all. That place is dangerously close to being rentable only as a meth lab.

 

[NetWareHead]

Even section 8 doesn't look as bad as that. Your house looks dangerous close to being condemned. You must either have a masochistic streak to want to live there or you can't afford to pay rent anywhere else. How in the world are you going to have friends or the opposite sex over in that mess? I promise you that this is only the tip of the iceberg you see here and many more issues will surface once you really start to get elbows deep. This is a quagmire that will consume all of your available spare time and money.

 

[Charmonium]

I didn't read everything but spotted the poison ivy issue which is something I've had to deal with. Bayer makes a product called Brush Killer that is amazing on all kinds of ivy but not so good for other stuff. It only sort of kills other plants.

But you probably want to go with something like Ortho's Ground Clear. That will kill everything and get absorbed into the soil so it keeps anything from growing for "up to a year" as the package says.

But you have to be careful that you don't poison other nearby plants. Their root systems extend beyon the leaves. Be sure to read the instructions.

 

[Carson Dyle]

It's very easy to keep cuts away from nails/screws. Is there some reason not to use a chainsaw?

Only reason I can think of to remove each board individually is to have more salvageable wood, but it looks like plenty to me:

You want to do work, but you don't want to do too much work, is that it?

If your friends are willing to do the work for the lumber, let them do it. Preferably while you're at work or out fishing. Then you don't have to worry about how it's done.

The pic above shows them. There are only eight (the additional things are just tin covers of some kind). They are anchored DEEP into the ground. One is barely bent after they tried to remove it. I think she said that they tied it to a truck and couldn't pull it out.

If you can't pull them out, they'll need to be dug out. What other options do you have? You could cut them off with a torch, but you'd be leaving something really nasty buried that could be dangerous.

There is a rotten board where the gutter is broken and it looks pretty crappy to begin with so I might use some of it on renovating the porch. To be clear: I'd be doing that because I want to, not because I have to.

From the sounds of it, you don't have to do anything. The owner was perfectly willing to rent a dump like that to you without doing even the most basic of repairs or cleaning. There was actually someone living there before you moved in. It's probably a health hazard, but people do live in such places, hard as that may be to believe.

Agreed. It's nice not to deal with stairs moving things in and out, but once we are done with that it's just ugly. Furthermore, the rest has significantly dilapidated since.

If they aren't under the ramp, or they're also in poor shape, you'll need to replace the front steps that were removed. Might even be just a single step.

 

[CZroe]

Again. All of that didn't happen due to one bad tenant in just over a year. Your're kidding yourself if you believe that. The owner moved out just over a year ago??? That's frightening.

"All of that..."
All of what?

I'm perfectly capable of distinguishing what happened when. I made a neaT little list of just what the previous tenant was responsible for in the last year. It sounds like you are lumping everything together and referring to them broadly, which makes no sense. Only certain specific things happened in the last year which I pointed out.

The fact that you're hesitant to call in anyone to fix some things that are beyond you is telling.

Is that really what you think?

I said I was going to call in professionals for anything I didn't think I could do myself and you think that is factually hesitant to call anyone? I was already looking up exterminators in case I couldn't DIY even though I have always done my own pest control, even in apartments. Are you saying that I should call someone to clip on the new pull-chain for the ceiling fan? Are you saying that I should call someone to replace a toilet seat? Are you saying that I should call someone to replace the fan blade holder? Are you saying that I should call someone to seed/mow the lawn? They sell all those things at Wal-Mart, Lowe's, and Home Depot specifically because most people are capable of doing it themselves. Indeed, it's expected of many people that they do it themselves. This isn't the first time I've replaced a pull chain or a toilet seat and there's no way I'm going to ask a family friend to drive 5 hours round-trip to do it when she's perfectly willing to reimburse me.

"Leave EVERYTHING to the professionals." Good Lord! I just imagined that you expect me to call for landscaping every time I need weed/mow and carpet cleaners every time I need to vacuum/sweep.

So, let's not beat around the bush: are you saying that I should have hired an exterminator and pest control service for an issue that appears to have already been taken care of far more quickly and easily without having to schedule anything or take time off from work? After her husband treated it, it seems to have been nothing outside of the usual from when they lived here. It's perfectly normal for people to treat their own residences here. The problem was that it hadn't been treated in the last year and I wanted to know what products/tools to use to get it back to normal and maintain it, same as everyone else.

Are you saying that I need to have professionals do the gutters? Great! Because that's been the plan all along.

Are you saying that I need to have a professional landscaper?! LOL! Leases here make it the tenant's responsibility to mow the lawn and I'm sure I can handle this patch of weeds. I planned to ASK if there's a better way before I do something stupid like burn poison ivy but it looks like you just want to shame me for asking. Whatever makes you feel better, man. I can probably mow right over it and spray Round-Up, but I'm also probably going to have an allergic reaction with mulched up bits of poison ivy flying everywhere. I'm looking for alternatives before I pick one. I might as well get used to yard/lawn care and this is part of it.

It's little wonder that the rent is low. She should thank her stars that she could find a friend and a family member to occupy it and pay _anything_ at all. That place is dangerously close to being rentable only as a meth lab.

It needs the gutter fixed and the yard cleaned up with minor fixes. OMG! The hot water pressure is low on ONE sink! Condemn the place! The freebie microwave is missing the rotation plate?! WHO DO I CALL?!

Just having a little fun with you.

Remember: We asked HER to let us take care of the deck and not to have her husband do it. She didn't burden us with it. She just asked if we knew anyone who might want to help while explaining that her husband could do it. She said it would make many trips and a few weeks but if we knew anyone who could do it then she'd be willing to knock off a huge amount from the rent (thousands). It was the same offer the previous tenant's husband had accepted... and obviously abandoned when the couple split up. I had a friend with me who was already asking for the wood, so it only made sense to accept. The next time we met my older brother was visiting from out of state and, again, she said her husband would take care of it. My older brother, who IS handy and build his own rooms, extensions, porches, roofs, etc, volunteered to go several states away to get his truck and do it himself because he also wanted the wood. My mother ALSO wants the wood. The first friend has been begging me to let him know when to start because he wants to beat both of them to the punch. With so many people trying to take care of this for me I would be a fool not to accept her offer. I asked how best to do this because I'll be damned if I'm just going to sit back and watch and, well, I wasn't too sure of my friend's plan to use a chainsaw for the bulk of the work.