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Homeowners: tell me how I should allocate money on remodeling
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:27 PM Author: big stead kitty cat i'm buying a house and it needs a little work.
here's the possible upgrades and current condition:
- double pane windows. home still has original metal windows from the 70s. (~$12k)
- repaved and retiled pool with PebbleTec. the pool is disgusting right now, but we will only use it in the summers. (~$10k)
- concrete in the backyard needs to be redone as it's deeply cracked. (~$3k)
- previous owners neglected landscaping, so we'll need to put in some plants and pavers around the house. (~$4k)
$20k budget. |
Date: April 18th, 2018 4:29 PM Author: aphrodisiac metal keepsake machete halford take out an equity line, bet not on black, now afford everything. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869212) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:29 PM Author: Sienna Titillating Institution Ladyboy 1. Windows
2. Concrete
3. Landscaping
Deal with the pool when you can. Just keep it clean in the meantime. |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:32 PM Author: Amethyst regret This. Also you can fix landscaping yourself, not the others. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869240) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:35 PM Author: big stead kitty cat brother, i would have no idea how to fix the landscaping myself. putting in a sprinkler system, etc. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869262) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 5:03 PM Author: Amethyst regret you can at least trim bushes, pull weeds, etc to make it look presentable. That should be the last item on your priorities. Fix the other stuff first. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869450) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:33 PM Author: big stead kitty cat ty brother. would you say the windows are more important than 2 and 3? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869243) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:34 PM Author: razzle location aesthetics is the only thing that matter for resale value (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869251) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:37 PM Author: Sienna Titillating Institution Ladyboy Yes. Window upgrades are underrated, but it is a good point for resale, assuming the buyer knows what they are doing. Also, from a day-to-day perspective, your home will be quieter and cheaper to heat and cool. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869281) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:42 PM Author: big stead kitty cat double-pane look better too (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869315) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:59 PM Author: diverse nighttime filthpig gunner window upgrades are overrated (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869420) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:32 PM Author: razzle location spoiler: you're going to end up doing the pool (because your wife NEEDS to go swimming all the time this summer in her new pool omg and have ppl over for swim & bbq omg!) and landscaping (because when ppl come over for swim/bbq the yard NEEDS to look great) and then you'll do the concrete (bc when ppl are hanging out in the backyard by the pool the concrete looks SO BAD and its also a safety issue what if someone trips on it??) you clearly want windows the most, but you won't get them. hth. |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:35 PM Author: big stead kitty cat actually my wife is being more reasonable about the pool than me. it's just such an eyesore right now. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869266) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:38 PM Author: marvelous jewess water buffalo I enjoyed reading this (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869288) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:36 PM Author: duck-like effete sanctuary Windows will improve temperature regulation, soundproofing, etc. Your estimate seems low, but windows should be done first. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869274) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:38 PM Author: big stead kitty cat will have a better estimate on saturday. i agree it seems low as we also need sliding doors for the patio. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869290) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:48 PM Author: duck-like effete sanctuary Expect it to at least double. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869357) |
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Date: April 22nd, 2018 7:08 PM Author: big stead kitty cat (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35896029) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:51 PM Author: Floppy jade antidepressant drug always windows first
probably pool #2 for utility
landscaping can come with time
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:56 PM Author: diverse nighttime filthpig gunner from a monetary cost-benefit analysis, these are all shitty investments except the landscaping.
the windows are probably the next best investment, but the energy savings are overrated and it would take longer than the lifetime of the windows to recoup the investment. if they're single-glazed, just get storm panes for the outside and you'll get 85%-95% of the efficiency of a double-glazed. |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 4:57 PM Author: Balding Box Office Don't do anything for a year that you can't do yourself. You'll be amazed at what you can get done or used to (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35869414) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 5:13 PM Author: Deep Slate Indirect Expression Garrison Skip the pool - you've gone this long without it and can go another year or two. Just don't let it get disgusting. See if you really even want it. They are money pits and lots of times are barely used. Cool if you have kids, though.
The other estimates seem really low, but in SV everything is jacked to hell because people will pay it. I can't possibly see how the windows will cost that little unless you have 10-12 and they're all standard-sized.
Re: landscaping and irrigation: Can you hire laborers to do it? In CA these people are everywhere and will do the work for $15-20/hr. Buy them lunch and a 6-pack at the end of the day and they'll work their asses off and know what they're doing. Better than paying a landscaping company to do the same thing (with similar laborers) for 3x the price. |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 7:41 PM Author: big stead kitty cat where do i find laborers? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35870300) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 7:51 PM Author: Deep Slate Indirect Expression Garrison http://hireadaylaborer.org/locate-a-day-labor-center-near-you/
They also hang out outside the Home Depots here, but I don't know enough Spanish to make that work. |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 8:00 PM Author: opaque gaming laptop plaza Don’t bother with windows. New windows suck.
You can fix the pool and back concrete cheap. Just patch and call it a day.
DIY the landscaping.
All done for a couple grand. |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 8:28 PM Author: jet hell pervert Windows, concrete/landscaping, pool last.
Landscaping can cost less if you do drought resistant stuff or if you use the cheap grass or hire day laborers. But if you need to install a whole new sprinkler system and jack up the concrete, don’t hire the day laborers obviously.
Our windows sucked and were original wood frames, all cracked from the 1930s, didn’t stay open, etc and we replaced them all with Milgard windows. Helps a lot with the soundproofing and they just look a lot better. |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 8:33 PM Author: opaque gaming laptop plaza So prole. Fitting new windows rather than restoring originals. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35870641) |
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Date: April 22nd, 2018 7:12 PM Author: Bearded Burgundy Stage Partner (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35896049) |
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Date: April 22nd, 2018 9:59 PM Author: Heady round eye (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35897146) |
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Date: April 18th, 2018 8:31 PM Author: Claret misunderstood theater stage mad cow disease Can you shutter the pool for a while? That should be a very low priority.
The windows are another low priority.
Of the projects you listed I would go for the concrete and the landscaping first. |
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Date: April 22nd, 2018 7:00 PM Author: big stead kitty cat UPDATE:
Invited all inspectors and estimators to the house yesterday.
Window company is best in area, 100+ Yelp reviews straight 5-stars. Came to the house to take measurements, and then we went to his showroom. We need 20 windows, including 4 large art (custom) windows, plus 4 sliding doors.
For the concrete, I spoke to a bunch of flame contractors that wanted to charge an arm and a leg just for grinding out cracks and coating the concrete. Wife and I realized that we'd rather just have new concrete if we could.
I ended up finding a concrete supplier, and she referred me to someone they work with frequently, who's unlicensed. He came to the yard yesterday, took measurements (2100 sq ft of concrete needed), and since he was Hispanic, I asked if he could also do the landscaping.
He got back to me today and is willing to do everything for $17k.
The windows (and doors) we were able to get for $14,500 for the whole house. PlyGem Pro Series 200. Initial price was $18k, but we talked them down. MSRP was something like $28k. Pretty happy with this deal as I know that installation is just as important if not moreso than window quality, and these guys are apparently very good.
Trying to decide if we want to do the whole yard (landscaping + concrete) for $17k. I will of course try to talk him down but seems like a fair price for a large yard.
Altogether that's $31.5k, but we're hoping sellers will give some credit towards that. |
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Date: April 23rd, 2018 1:54 PM Author: big stead kitty cat thoughts? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35901311) |
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Date: April 22nd, 2018 7:17 PM Author: Bipolar know-it-all mediation Ignore the pool or do it last because nobody actually uses their pools. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35896100) |
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Date: April 22nd, 2018 7:23 PM Author: big stead kitty cat cr (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35896137) |
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Date: April 22nd, 2018 8:39 PM Author: big stead kitty cat (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3953105&forum_id=2#35896587) |