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Thank you very much for the information. Do you have any guess as to how much it costs to test the extent/severity of a mold infestation and/or to get an estimation of the cost of remediation? Im sure the price can vary, but something so that I can tell if I'm getting ripped off or that something is too cheap to be possibly useful would be helpful. Any simple things to look for in an inspector/person evaluating damage danger and/or cost to fix? Or just a good site to find this info, since Google is unfortunately clogged with buzzword sites these days, and one can't really use it without first knowing how to filter out untrustworthy or otherwise unusable site
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Apr 17, 2018 16:22
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I spent about $700 on an airborne mold test with 3 samples plus the outdoor control. That was fine (possibly excessive) for a 3 storey, 3500sqft house. I got results back in about a week, with both control and sampled concentrations. The tester also used a FLIR thing to look for signs in the walls. He was also great about explaining the process, the limitations of Health Canada’s guidance, etc I’m in Toronto. They were the best reviewed one I could find, and talking to them ahead of time gave me confidence. They offered references, but I didn’t bother. Several others didn’t seem to do a control sample even.
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Apr 17, 2018 16:30
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I found a 3 bed/2 bath house yesterday that I really liked. The master bedroom is upstairs, along with one of the smaller bedrooms. The only issue I have with the house is that the two share a bathroom, which is a dealbreaker for me. Seriously if the master had its own bathroom I would put in an offer. The master bedroom is huge though... Not knowing anything about renovations, I'm assuming building a small bathroom in there would be very complicated and expensive. Am I correct?
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Apr 17, 2018 16:38
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I think it depends a lot on how the house is built and what’s run where. You can probably get someone to come out and give you a rough estimate if you can get access to the place again.
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Apr 17, 2018 16:42
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Hauki posted:welp, against my better judgement i bought a house today And you'll be back like five times, don't worry. Sign up for the credit card, the discounts and easy returns are worth it. \/\/ Oh, yeah, should have led with that. But if you can safely get the card, do so. If you cant, KEEP RECEIPTS YOU CAN RETURN ALMOST EVERYTHING\/\/ Suspect Bucket fucked around with this message at 17:12 on Apr 17, 2018 |
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Apr 17, 2018 16:44
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Suspect Bucket posted:And you'll be back like five times, don't worry. Sign up for the credit card, the discounts and easy returns are worth it. Having said that, if by "bought the house" you mean "had your offer accepted and are now under contract"...don't open up a new credit card before you close on the purchase.
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Apr 17, 2018 16:45
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gtkor posted:Having said that, if by "bought the house" you mean "had your offer accepted and are now under contract"...don't open up a new credit card before you close on the purchase. Nah, I closed yesterday. Got keys and started work right away.
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Apr 17, 2018 18:20
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It took me way too long to learn this lesson: when you're at Home Depot, just buy extra everything and return it if you don't end up needing it. Plumbing fittings in multiple sizes, two similar tools but one is more expensive, an extra box of screws, anything. Their return policy is 90 days, plenty long to finish most projects. And they can return stuff from multiple receipts very quickly- this is the key thing for me. I installed a sprinkler system a couple of years ago and by the end of it, I had probably 5 receipts and a ton of extra stuff to return. They just scanned all the receipts, then all the stuff and that was it.
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Apr 17, 2018 20:28
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The correct method is to buy more than you need. Stick the extras in your garage. Wait a few decades. Die. Have stuff sold off at your estate sale.
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Apr 17, 2018 20:55
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"Buyer waives the opportunity to conduct a risk assessment or inspection of the Property for the presence of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards." lol, nice try fuckers
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Apr 17, 2018 21:23
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If they did a gut renovation and there's basically nothing left then sure, or the house is relatively new (post 80s), then waiving it makes sense. Otherwise, lawl. Friend of mine brought one of the quaint century old townhouses prevalent in my city and overlooked the lead paint disclosure. Guess who had to strip out three stories worth of paint, with like a dozen layers in each room 
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Apr 17, 2018 21:53
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SpartanIvy posted:The correct method is to buy more than you need. Stick the extras in your garage. Wait a few decades. Die. Have stuff sold off at your estate sale. I am currently building a project out of lumber that my grandfather salvaged 50 years ago from the old factory he worked at. I am also using the garden tools and scrap lumber left in the house we bought by the deceased former owner. My grandpa and this other late grandpa have saved me thousands of dollars so far. Thanks dudes.
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Apr 17, 2018 22:50
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enraged_camel posted:"Buyer waives the opportunity to conduct a risk assessment or inspection of the Property for the presence of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards." Standard and unavoidable in some areas. It's basically a statement that there is probably old lead paint and they are not willing to do the mitigation for you, and they don't want the inspection because you'll find lead and then back out of the purchase and then the sellers will have to disclose the lead because they'll know about it. So we do this dance. There's lead paint, but they don't officially know there's lead paint, and you're not allowed to officially find it. The good thing is that if it's just old paint under five layers of new paint it's harmless until/unless you decide you need to scrape it all off. e. If you are buying a house built before like 1978 (when it was officially banned), you should just assume there's lead paint at the bottom layers. Houses built in a few years following might still have some if someone wanted to use up their old paint, but the odds are lower. The chances someone bothered to scrape everything down to the wood since then are almost zilch. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 23:32 on Apr 17, 2018 |
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Apr 17, 2018 23:30
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Argh I forgot to save my HD receipt. I hope they take exchanges!
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Apr 17, 2018 23:45
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I always just opt for the additional “email me a copy” option. Then you can just search your inbox for the sku.
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Apr 17, 2018 23:46
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Mandalay posted:Argh I forgot to save my HD receipt. I hope they take exchanges! They can look it up by credit card!
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Apr 17, 2018 23:56
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HEY NONG MAN posted:I always just opt for the additional “email me a copy” option. Then you can just search your inbox for the sku. Yeah they make this super easy since you can associate an e-mail address with a credit card. You just press the "e-mail me" button instead of the "no" button and it's done
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Apr 18, 2018 07:28
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Really dumb-rear end zoning question: I'm looking at a lot that is 100x125, has a 50 foot front setback, 25 foot rear setback, and a total of 20 foot of side setback (i.e., the setbacks on each side must sum to 20). That means there is a 80x50 piece of that property that I can actually build on, right? Yes, I am getting professionals involved, but just wanting to double check.
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Apr 18, 2018 19:22
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Depends on where you live, every city/county defines setback in different ways and some places actually let you build on them. Consult a local builder/real estate attorney. I know that the burbs have been hurting lately, but I didn't realize just how drastic the shift to cities was: quote:Here’s the simple number: since 2000, home prices in city centers have outperformed those in suburbs by 50 percent http://cityobservatory.org/dow-of-cities2018/ (Almost) every large American city is thriving, and people who own real estate close to city centers have made a shitload of money off of that.
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Apr 18, 2018 20:36
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I'm a first time home buyer looking at a house that I really like. Everything about it fits my needs and I really like the layout, yard, etc BUT in the disclosure the current owners list some basement fire/smoke damage that happened more than 30 years ago. They attached a contractor's estimate from one month ago totaling about $11,000. The listed work to be done: -Temporarily support floor -Demo rotten foundation stem wall at rear and sides of house (12 feet on each side) and haul away -Replace stem wall framing and sheathing with pressure treated lumber and plywood -Replace cedar siding and trim -Sister damaged joists as needed -Build new plywood door for basement How much of a reg flag is this? Does it sound like something that could wait a year or two to fix? Or no way to tell without actually getting it inspected? "Rotten foundation stem wall" sounds pretty bad to me, but I obviously don't have a lot of experience in this. The house's list price is $20,000 under my budget. Just wanted to get some other opinions before I commit to something way beyond my comfort level/budget.
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Apr 19, 2018 16:18
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Beanz posted:I'm a first time home buyer looking at a house that I really like. Everything about it fits my needs and I really like the layout, yard, etc BUT in the disclosure the current owners list some basement fire/smoke damage that happened more than 30 years ago. Huge red flag. Trust your gut. You need an engineer to look at the foundation. You should expect to spend a grand just to find out how many more dollars you need to spend on fixing it more. (or to find out it's all good now, yay.)
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Apr 19, 2018 16:34
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Thoughts on sloped backyards? 
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Apr 19, 2018 18:34
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It's useless and a pain to mow?
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Apr 19, 2018 18:52
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You could terrace it, that’s what everyone in LA seems to do
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Apr 19, 2018 19:02
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Ghostnuke posted:It's useless and a pain to mow? Actually it is very useful for looking down on your neighbors down the hill. A MIRACLE posted:You could terrace it, that’s what everyone in LA seems to do Yeah, I think this is something I would do slowly over time. I’m just wondering if there are any other gotchas I should be aware of. Like, would there be risk of the house slowly sliding downhill over time, over several decades? Would insurance cost more? Etc.
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Apr 19, 2018 19:18
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enraged_camel posted:Thoughts on sloped backyards? I have a house on a hill (my driveway has switchbacks). The main benefit I've found is enhanced privacy. Mowing sucks but it's also good exercise. I feel generally confident about never having basement water issues, and I also won't worry about a flood unless a large part of the region is underwater. Erosion is a minor concern. edit: Looking down on the neighbors is great. Never came up as a risk factor for insurance.
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Apr 19, 2018 19:37
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I have a sloped backyard but 75% of it is wooded ravine. At least in my area the big drawback is that it’s listed as a “critical slope” and I can’t legally do vegetation maintenance between October and April when it’s rainy. And then all summer I’m out there with a sawzall taking down huge ivy growths that choke the trees. And then sometimes you gotta clean up the errant trash and bottles the transients leave behind and that’s a drag. I guess what I’m saying is Ravine Life is a mixed bag.
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Apr 19, 2018 19:44
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I'm gonna pull a number out of a hat and say $150k to terraform, level and finish that large of a backyard. My tiny California backyard cost over $20k to do the same last year and it was only 3 feet of "slope" lol.    
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Apr 19, 2018 20:00
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Keyser_Soze posted:I'm gonna pull a number out of a hat and say $150k to terraform, level and finish that large of a backyard. Yeah, the nice thing about it is that I don't particularly care about having a "usable" backyard anyway, as I don't have much use for a backyard to begin with, but it's nice to have. So I figure I can work on it slowly over the years and terraform, level and finish it in bits and pieces. Anyways, I put in an offer yesterday but it's looking insanely competitive, and we won't find out until Sunday, so I'm gonna kinda forget about it and look at other houses in the meantime.
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Apr 19, 2018 21:15
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I'm looking for a house with an in law apartment, or space to add one in. I'm talking fill kitchen, eating space, living room, one to two bedrooms. I really have no idea how to go about finding what I'm looking for aside from going on Zillow or some such and using "in law" as a search term. Has anyone added an office n law suite to a house? How much did it cost? How long did it take? How much of a pain in the rear end was it? Do I have any chance of finding a house with one already built or if it going to be a long shot? How stupid am I for wanting to buy two houses in one?
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Apr 19, 2018 23:12
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cinnamon rollout posted:I'm looking for a house with an in law apartment, or space to add one in. I'm talking fill kitchen, eating space, living room, one to two bedrooms. I really have no idea how to go about finding what I'm looking for aside from going on Zillow or some such and using "in law" as a search term. Has anyone added an office n law suite to a house? How much did it cost? How long did it take? How much of a pain in the rear end was it? Do I have any chance of finding a house with one already built or if it going to be a long shot? How stupid am I for wanting to buy two houses in one? It depends on where you are. It's quite common near me. It also depends on if you want it actually attached to the house or, as is often common here, the upstairs portion of a large shop/garage.
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Apr 19, 2018 23:14
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cinnamon rollout posted:I'm looking for a house with an in law apartment, or space to add one in. I'm talking fill kitchen, eating space, living room, one to two bedrooms. I really have no idea how to go about finding what I'm looking for aside from going on Zillow or some such and using "in law" as a search term. Has anyone added an office n law suite to a house? How much did it cost? How long did it take? How much of a pain in the rear end was it? Do I have any chance of finding a house with one already built or if it going to be a long shot? How stupid am I for wanting to buy two houses in one? The other term is "backhouse". Common around here in houses built during a certain period that are now worth >$1MM.
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Apr 19, 2018 23:54
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cinnamon rollout posted:I'm looking for a house with an in law apartment, or space to add one in. I'm talking fill kitchen, eating space, living room, one to two bedrooms. I really have no idea how to go about finding what I'm looking for aside from going on Zillow or some such and using "in law" as a search term. Has anyone added an office n law suite to a house? How much did it cost? How long did it take? How much of a pain in the rear end was it? Do I have any chance of finding a house with one already built or if it going to be a long shot? How stupid am I for wanting to buy two houses in one? I think ADU (accessory dwelling unit) would also cover what you're looking for, and they're pretty common here in the pacific nw.
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Apr 20, 2018 00:31
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Just be aware that some lenders classify properties with two homes as multifamily and offer different rates. The classification can be at the level of the tax authority so there is no way to slip it past your lender. Realtors on Zillow will still list the homes as single-family, but you get a nice surprise when your lender jumps in and discovers it's classified differently. Alternatively, the buildings may be classified as workshops and are not permitted by state or local authorities as being meant for habitation. This doesn't stop people from illegally renting them out, it just makes your home insurance void when a fire injures the 3 college students you jammed in there and the company plays a recording of you saying you aren't renting the property. Again, this doesn't actually deter any of the people in California I've met so far who do this. EDIT: Realtors will still call them in-laws suites or additional homes when selling the place, they don't give a poo poo about permits or the law anyway. Anonymous Zebra fucked around with this message at 00:40 on Apr 20, 2018 |
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Apr 20, 2018 00:38
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Getting close to a contract on a dream home (walking distance to the best elementary school, great layout, perfect location, etc.). It looks like the total price will be $250k - we have 20% and are getting a good deal. So, how do you pay off a 30-year conventional in 15-20 years? It's 4 extra payments a month, right? The rate is 4.5% on 200k financed.
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Apr 20, 2018 00:43
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cinnamon rollout posted:I'm looking for a house with an in law apartment, or space to add one in. I'm talking fill kitchen, eating space, living room, one to two bedrooms. I really have no idea how to go about finding what I'm looking for aside from going on Zillow or some such and using "in law" as a search term. Has anyone added an office n law suite to a house? How much did it cost? How long did it take? How much of a pain in the rear end was it? Do I have any chance of finding a house with one already built or if it going to be a long shot? How stupid am I for wanting to buy two houses in one? In our MLS, it’s listed as an Additional Living Suite.
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Apr 20, 2018 01:27
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IT BURNS posted:Getting close to a contract on a dream home (walking distance to the best elementary school, great layout, perfect location, etc.). It looks like the total price will be $250k - we have 20% and are getting a good deal. So, how do you pay off a 30-year conventional in 15-20 years? It's 4 extra payments a month, right? The rate is 4.5% on 200k financed. Look up any of the plethora of amortization calculators online that allow you to add principal payments and play with it. Make sure when you pay that the excess is "extra principle" and not an "extra payment" - the latter just pushes your next due date forwards without reducing your interest. Add $250/month to do it in 20 years. H110Hawk fucked around with this message at 02:39 on Apr 20, 2018 |
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Apr 20, 2018 02:37
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Ghostnuke posted:It's useless and a pain to mow? Just start at the top and roll a long cylinder of spinning blades down foolproof
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Apr 20, 2018 07:47
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Tunicate posted:Just start at the top and roll a long cylinder of spinning blades down Goats.
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Apr 20, 2018 12:50
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Subjunctive posted:Goats. Better hope the poop rolls downhill.
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Apr 20, 2018 15:09
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