I bought a house!
14So, I just bought a house! Its big, way more space than we need considering were in a 1br apartment right now, but we got a good deal cause its used.
I'm looking for advice: Homeowners, what is your biggest regret for something you didn't buy/fix/take-care-of or otherwise do before moving in to your house? We already plan to replace all the flooring, paint the really bad walls, replace/upgrade the electrical systems (its fuses) & get a good cleaning service to scrub it all clean. Oh, and buying the first vacuum Meh puts on sale.
So, your advice? What am I missing? What crazy horror story do you have about home buying?
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Congrats on your new home. I don't know where you live so I will ask - basement, or crawl space?
p.s. a home inspector brought in by the agent is not a good thing.
@mfladd Basement (New Jersey).
Home inspector was recommended by the agent, but was one of 3 choices & the agent is a family friend.
@MrGlass not clear if you've already had the inspection, but it is really critical to be there and walk thru with the inspector.
You'll learn stuff and be able to ask questions that would not be possible looking at a report.
True story: when we bought our first home I was there with the inspector. He did his carbon monoxide test down around the base of the (gas) water heater. I asked, what happens when the test probe detects CO - can you stick it in the heater flue? (I could hear it firing.) He did - no alarm. His face turned a deep red. I'll bet he now pre-tests that instrument.
@RedOak Yeah, I was there for inspection - as well as all but one third party estimate for repairs. You definitely learn a lot during those walk throughs.
@MrGlass Ah. Not in the same situation I was (crawl space nightmare - now fixed). Glad you had an inspector from a friend, but still be cautious. With a basement inspect it closely for a history of leaks. Please make sure everything is tight and dry. Also, if you have septic rather than City, please have that checked by a professional. The small cost saved us a lot of cash. Sellers paid for it - even though on their paperwork they said it was all good. (don't trust a seller). Congrats again on the new home. .
@mfladd Yeah, previous buyer (who backed out) was very concerned about leaks. Seller had special drains & a sump pump put in, as well as repairs on one side of the house that got messed up. Had my inspector look as well, what we have now should be good to stop basement leaks. Plus, I have leak frog equivalents just in case!
@MrGlass as @mfladd commented on a septic system - if you have one make sure you use the right kind of toilet paper.
Thorough inspections! Worth the cost, you don't want expensive surprises. And congratulations!
@KDemo agreed. Just don't use you agent's inspector. Too much relationship going on there.
Make friends with your neighbors. I can't tell you how many times my neighbor and I have helped each other out.
Someday you'll probably enjoy before and after photos of your improvements.
@KDemo not only make friends with your neighbors after you move - do it before! I learned and have shared info with others before buying in the neighborhood.
Third vote here for inspection. Also, plant a love tree or whatever. Like 10-20 years from now, your tree will be so cool and you might think--hey connorbush thanks for that recommendation.
@connorbush Perhaps I should plant a bush in your name
@MrGlass awe Connor's bush
@connorbush great idea. But make sure they plant the tree properly. We planted a maple in our yard 20+ years ago and while I was qualified to plant it, we paid the "expert" nursery to plant it in order to remove excuses. That tree is now choking itself to death. It is root bound. We'll be prematurely taking out that tree this fall.
Get the furnace/heat pump inspected. First thing. If your local utility company offers it, have an energy audit done; they're free. Before you move in, have all exterior caulk (window and door) replaced, and add weatherstripping to the doors. That will pay for itself immediately. Go through and replace every incandescent bulb with LED bulbs. You won't believe the difference in the electric bill. If you can possibly manage it, paint every single wall, not just the bad ones, BEFORE you replace the floors. And congratulations!
@OldCatLady - definitely paint before flooring!
@OldCatLady Energy audit somehow fell off my list - thanks!
I want to paint all walls, wife doesn't want to bother. We'll see how much $ is left after the more important bits. Floors are harder to do so we're focusing on that - though the carpet int he basement was replaced while the house was on the market, so we're not bothering replacing that.
@MrGlass absolutely paint all the walls prior to moving in. Very easy to do compared to having to move everything later.
And you make that "used" home shiny new by covering the old paint.
Side point on color: dark colors can be dramatic. But you'll hate yourself if you want to go lighter later. Will likely take extra coats of paint to cover it. And resist the temptation to do anything that leaves a texture on the walls - whether that be faux looks or masking to do designs. Again, painful to cover later.
If you'd like to see what wall colors look like, instead of paint company chips, look at http://www.houzz.com/, which is free. Back in the old days, we used to buy magazines and tear out the pretty decorating pictures. This is much easier. And as @RedOak pointed out, it takes three coats of Toasted Almond to cover a French Blue bathroom.
@RedOak This is all true, but a good primer will cover up all but the worst in a single coat. It's extra expense and time, no doubt.
And really, faux finishes are the worst. I repainted one of my apartment bathrooms because someone did some terrible green crap and it was so much damn work.
@minivanmegafun I respectfully disagree on the single coat. I use only top quality paint (labor is more valuable than paint). Had a medium gray (not dark grey) room that took 3 coats to cover.
@RedOak I recently covered up dark grey w/ a nice turquoise blue in BR and it took one coat. I used some decent paint. Looks great.
Don't forget your ceilings when you paint. They can look so nice and really make the room. ( I often paint them a nice color, I don't like white ceilings much too boring)
I have a little advice... If meh has a handheld shark or off brand I wouldn't get that as your main vacuum... I'd say get a dyson.
@sohmageek Pfft get a bagged machine:
http://www.amazon.com/Eureka-Smart-Vac-Upright-Cleaner-4870MZ/dp/B0015ASJIY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1444952908&sr=8-2&keywords=Eureka+Bagged+Vacuum
Never have to clean a vacuum cleaner again. And if you get the cloth bags (vs paper) they dont loose suction.
@sohmageek Yeah, I really want a dyson. Need something with the proper amount of suction!
@MrGlass - Depends. If you aren't going to have carpeting, you won't really need to spend the money on a Dyson. And if you do some research, you'll see @darkzrobe is right, bagged vacs are more efficient.
@MrGlass We have this one... Don't laugh, Dyson stick animal is what we got last year for christmas (It was on sale and I think a refurb... I think we paid $199- $250 for it... with 6 months no interest financing.)
It's sad but we got a good bag vac that we paid more for and we thought it was good... but we haven't used it since we got the stick.
We actually used the full vacuum then the stick and it got a lot of things that the other vacuum missed. I'd love to get a dyson ball too so I don't have to do vacuuming in 2 room increments then take 1-2 hours off to charge it up again.
@MrGlass Dysons may look flashy, but vacuum repairmen suggest against them.
Wow, lots of Dyson haters here, I had no idea. I picked up a Dyson Animal off Woot back in 2008-ish. I've had to do minor repairs to it (We have cats and one of the vortex things had gotten clogged, so I googled videos on how to disassemble and it wasn't too hard), but the thing is a tank.
@Bogie I don't hate them. The Dyson DC07 I'm using is the best $15 vacuum I ever bought!
@sohmageek my Dyson sucks. It sucks most excellently.
Inspections, inspections, inspections! Set aside a few grand right now for something unforeseen, trust me, you'll need it.
Go through the whole house and make sure of the following: every switch does something, every door opens and closes all the way, same with windows - test window locks/latches, fill up every sink/tub with water and see if they drain properly... I'm sure there's more - but that's my quick list!
And buy some damn leak frogs! (really - leak frog alerted us to a surprise plumbing issue in the basement before it was an emergency - worth it!)
@Thumperchick Got some of those leak thingies that were on meh a few months ago. Sadly, I have never managed to buy a leak frog or get one in my many BOC/Fukus
@MrGlass whaaaaaaaaaaaat? no leaks frogs? We will keep a look out for you when they come up again. They really are the bomb.
Congrats! I also say a thorough inspection. Whether you'll be like me and have the agent write an addendum stating the buyer acknowledges all faults and is proceeding with the purchase is another story. That, BTW, included the non-functional a/c, water heater, microwave, dead receptacles, sinks that were rusted through, an underground main leak, and a furnace that has a last serviced date in 1982.
Also, budget double for each home improvement project.
Agreed on the floors & painting first.
Figure out who locally you're going to give an extra key to -- no landlord to let you in, and I guarantee you'll lock yourself out. Maybe multiple times. And then fight about it.
If you had an inspection, I'm assuming they did a radon test (might depend on where you are).
Learn what size air filter your furnace takes. Take a picture for when you forget.
If you're already upgrading electrical, it's a good time to assess the number of outlets in all the rooms, whether you want ceiling fans or new light fixtures. While you've got the electrician onsite, bundle together everything you need done by him/her. And build up some other contacts - plumber, HVAC... if you don't need one right away, get to know your neighbors and ask for recommendations or check AngiesList. It's helpful to have a small project here or there for them to do so you can get an idea of how reputable they are before something major goes wrong and you need them.
If you need to buy any furniture, measure, measure, measure. And then measure again. The room and the pieces. It's harder to get rid of it than never buy it in the first place. And if it's an older house, measure your entry doors and every doorway throughout. My husband had to return the first fridge he bought because at 29.5" with the doors removed... they literally couldn't get it in the house.
And even from a 1-bedroom, it's a good chance to declutter. Less to move, less to put away.
@kyroka If you are upgrading electric... it may be a good idea to install wired cat5e/6 I know this seems stupid... but My mother in law had the electric upgraded in the house she purchased 10 years ago, and it was a house from the 50's. (Horrible wiring BTW) But something in the walls (I suspect the insulation inside the walls has a filler that is metal.) makes WIFI suck ass... I'm having to do a wired backbone and do 3 wireless routers... Just to get coverage. The house isn't that big! But it's something to do with the walls. Moca/Powerline can be your friend... but it's also nice to have hardwired spots. If I was to do her wiring for wired ethernet, I'd have it all route to the closet under the stairs ideally, but that wouldn't be easiest/cheapest... so I'd have it route to the attached garage (it's the lowest part of the house) and put a small rack in http://www.instructables.com/id/8U-Rack-Case-From-IKEA-RAST-Table/
Get a good 16 port rack mount switch and make it all pretty. It's not too hard to make sure wired internet is everywhere in the house, and then you can put wifi wherever it works the best for signal and it doesn't matter (as much) better connection than moca and/or Power line too for a fraction of the cost. Only if you're installing yourself however.
@sohmageek Wired ethernet has been on my want list for forever... but now half the laptops out there don't even have a jack. I'm probably gonna get a nice wifi router and see how that works out, for now. If it doesn't.... I setup enterprise grade networks when I was in college.
@MrGlass awesome, yeah most of the end nodes are wireless, it's just the whole getting wireless signal. The top floor is 3 bedrooms on one side a kitchen dining area and another bedroom, Basement is the 2nd floor where laundry garage and living room are. Router is currently in the Living room due to it also being an office and needing a wired jack there. However, it's going to move to the one bedroom which will then cover 3/4 of the items there. Or I may just do the Moca and decide that the Router stays, and the other router becomes a repeater... Currently it's Airport extreme --> airport expresses repeating the signal, which leads to very slow network...
@MrGlass Since you're replacing the panel, go to a 200 amp service if you can. Conversions from fused panels often wimp out at 100 amps. Gives more future flexibility. Might also require a back of house to utility pole upgrade, but if that line is old, it might be a good idea to replace it anyway. Key is convincing your utility the line would have needed to be replaced soon anyway -- to get that upgrade free.
@kyroka Better idea about the key since you don't know the neighbors yet. I had mine in a zip lock, dug a small hole in the dirt by the corner post of the fence and put it there.
Just remember once you start opening walls you are going to need to fix all the problems you see, be prepared to spend more money then you expect.
Since you are doing electrical you mine as well put a outlet next to the toilet, because you may want a bidet someday.
Also, don't worry about furnishing it right away, live in it for awhile before deciding what you need.
@MrMark or you want to plug your phone in while sitting. come on it's disgusting, but everyone does it
@MrMark hah! on the futuriture, but yep. Since new furniture has crazy markups ideally you want to time your purchase to the best sales. Or watch estate sales on estatesales.net - if you're in a metro area.
In the meantime, boxes under plywood works fine for tables. And box springs/mattresses aren't any less comfortable sitting directly on the floor!
I agree with @MrMark, take things in stride, and be prepared that things will not be as easy/cheap to repair as they seem. There is always more to fix on a house, and you don't have to do it all at once.
Congrats on your new home!
I'm assuming you're going to have a few things in your new home that will need some fixing or updating. I've owned a couple of homes, both of which were fixer-uppers, and over the years, I've accumulated a plethora (yes, I used that word) of tools for just about every single job you can imagine, from changing and electrical outlet to building kitchen cabinets. Of all of the tools that I've used and get used on a regular basis, there are a few that I highly recommend every homeowner buy.
First off, a good standard set of screw drivers are a must. You need to spend at least $25-30 to get a half-way decent set. You'll want a P1, P2, and P3 screw driver. Using the right driver for the job will prevent stripping a screw and save you a headache.
Everyone should own a good 16-18 oz hammer. A standard 8 oz "wife's hammer" just won't do if you ever plan on using it for anything more than a nail in the wall to hang a picture
Tape measure. There is a huge difference between the $8 tape and the $15 tape. Stanley makes a pretty good standard tape
Level - when you do hang those pictures, you don't want them to be crooked
Cordless drill - I'll probably catch a lot of flack for this, but they are incredibly handy and well worth it. If you want a good entry level drill, DeWalt has the 18 volt or 20 volt sets starting around $100. Crafstman C3 is good for the average user and starts around $65 on sale, and about $90 when not on sale. Both sets are available with Li-Ion batteries for an additional cost.
A good socket set. A simple 1/4 driver and a set of metric and standard sockets are a must. I can't tell you how many times I've ended up using them. Box wrenches are great (and gear box wrenches are even better), but they don't replace a good set of socket wrenches.
A ladder. This was something I dreaded buying because they're expensive and take up a lot of space. However, a good adjustable step ladder is a must. You're going to have to get on the roof to clean out some gutters at some point or another. A good ladder will help you do it safely and will last you the rest of your life.
Depending on how much you plan on rolling up your sleeves, an air compressor can be a great investment. My brad nailer has had about 10,000 nails put through it in the past 8 years, so it's earned its keep. Adding air tools to your toolbox can be expensive, but will make things a lot faster for you down the road. They're also great if you need to put air in your tires or rotate the wheels on your car.
I'm sure there are more that I'm just not thinking of right now, but that's for another time.
@capguncowboy I own a bunch of screwdrivers & electrical tools already, along with tape measure & hammer. I have a PORTER-CABLE PCL120DDC-2 cordless drill coming in the mail (it had the top reviews), along with a very extensive bit set. I feel like the rest of the tools I'll purchase as I need - though possibly not the ladder. With my balance, getting up on a roof is risky business.
@capguncowboy To tag on to this, the one of the top tools a new homeowner should have is a really good 12-16 gallon shop vac, especially as you're putting all of the initial work in. I'm rocking Home Depots Ridgid WD1450 WetDry Pro Vac which upgraded me from an old Shop Vac brand. So far so good.
If you're upgrading your electrical outlets you may as well get some of those outlets that have USB ports built in. That way you're not blocking up outlets with USB chargers.
@jqubed I looked into those, but it seems slightly early. Every year, phones/tablets seem to need more amps and/or a new super charging standard. All the charger/outlet combos have negative reviews that report weird noises or other issues. There was a kickstarter that looked promising, but last I checked it wasn't shipping yet. In a few years, I might replace some outlets with ones that have USB (which as a tech guy I am thinking of officially renaming to 5v power plug), but for now I'm sticking with normal 3 prong outlets (and GFCI outlets near water).
@MrGlass I think you can also get surge protectors with USB ports built in, if you are concerned about number of outlets. Not sure how well any of them work though.
If your appliances are older, you may want to check if your local power company has something like we have called a HomeSmart plan. Additional cost per month on the electric bill but they come out and repair anything on the plan whenever needed (including replacing parts). We've used them for the Air Conditioner, Furnace, Washing Maching and Water Heater in the last 4 years saving us tons of money.
don't throw stones
@Lotsofgoats
Check insulation and windows. You'll spend a lot on energy costs if it's bad.
Check to see if your state has any energy rebates. Massachusetts has a good program...
http://www.masssave.com/residential/mass-energy-rebate
If you have a yard, stay ahead of yard work. Pulling weeds sucks.
Check the dates on the back of your smoke detectors. They expire, usually after 10 years. Get new ones. I recommend getting a mix of ionizing and photo-electric (or better yet, the dual ones).
For everyone else here, check yours too.
@G1 Great advice. To add to this, current codes requires one in every bedroom; depending on what year the house was built, hard wired and/or interconnected may be required too.
Also if you have gas, at least one carbon monoxide detector.
`Because you older house still has fuses, check to see if the plumbing has been updated. You might still have some old galvanized pipes and old clay crock sewer pipes, which is more of a problem if you have lots of trees in your yard. Your furnace, check for proper maintenance. Make sure you go into the attic and see that it has proper ventilation. Keep enough spare paint to fix the scratches on the walls, after the new flooring is put down, and folks are right, paint it all now and get it out of the way. Hire a company to clean out the furnace air ducts. @redoak is right on with the 200 amp service and get an outside input for a generator into the electrical box, best thing ever when the lights go dark. Get a copy of the survey of your property, so you know exactly what your properties lines are. The very best advice came from @narfcake "double your budget" cause everything is going to cost more than you think. Owning your own home brings much comfort and stability and lots of upkeep! But, I like it alot. Wishing you much happiness in your new home!
@mick tree roots + clay pipes = pain in the ASS. Especially in February, a month after you've moved in...
If there is a large tree in your yard - know that the root system is twice as large as the canopy, assuming your canopy has never been cut back. Worth checking on.
@Thumperchick - Exactly. It cost $8000. to replace mine.
And speaking of yards, make sure the yard is properly graded to run water away from the property and prevent puddling, especially next to the house.
And make sure that you have something at the end of the gutter downspouts that directs the rain coming out of the downspout several feet from the foundation. When I did that it stopped my basement leak (well it still needed fixed but it was a good temporary measure).
once you get thru the inspections/repairs/upgrades, the best advice I can give is to consider wiring and electrical panel breakers. I know, everyone thinks that a 20 amp breaker is enough- but seriously- bump everything you can to 30 amp.
The reason is simple: if you are like most people, you are going to have multiple electronics plugged in everywhere. If you overload an outlet with 2 power strips with 6 outlets per, you stand a great chance of toasting the wiring and consequently BBQ'ing the house, all your stuff, and possibly you.
By upgrading the wires and breakers- it lessens that chance dramatically and only costs a few grand initially- well worth the investment.
And you can plug in a space heater without blowing the circuit while watching TV at the same time.
@MrGlass @alacrity
You aren't supposed to do this. You CAN, if your wiring is rated for 30 A - but it isn't.
If you do this anyway, make sure your smoke detectors are up to date, and buy that FLIR camera, so you know where the fire is going to start.
@G1 sorry- I figured the electrician would kinda insist on that, unless you think it's a DIY project like an appendectomy or something... and do read the preceding sentence:
it might help your contextual comprehension and avoid more embarrassment for you in the future.
@alacrity @G1 I once read the NEC because I was bored. Anyone who knows what they're doing will NOT be bumping up any breakers, using the wrong gauge wiring, etc. And I don't doubt that @MrGlass knows what he's doing, whether it's DIY or hiring out a contractor to do the electrical work.
@narfcake at what point anywhere was it suggested doing the job incorrectly? just curious where the douchery is coming from...
I paid $5,300 to have my house re-wired professionally and above code req's and kinda hoped that doing it right was a given here.
Maybe I over estimated y'all
@alacrity Uh, douchery? I think you're reading things differently here.
You cited bumping everything up to 30 amp ... which isn't a proper approach since standard receptacles aren't designed for such use and proper 30 amp receptacles aren't designed to allow "regular" plugs to plug in. And to do it after inspection too?
The purpose of a circuit breaker is to PREVENT overloading the weakest component. In this case, it'd be a 15A/20A receptacle.
@narfcake look, you're missing the point- the receptacles are standard 20amp. The wiring is 10g.
The reason? There have been too many times I'd blown the breaker while working on my desktop and my wife runs the vacuum cleaner while the space heater is going and the TV is on- all on the same circuit.
We don't have that problem anymore.
We're not using anything that has a 25amp draw (except the dryer and that's dedicated) on a common circuit- we're using too many high-amp draw electronics and had everything bumped to handle our e-vices.
@alacrity So ALL the receptacles are T-slotted?
I'm not missing the point- but you don't seem to understand my line of thought either -- where having a 30 amp breaker covering a circuit made up of 15/20a receptacles is the wrong approach. Why didn't you have multiple circuits wired instead, akin to how kitchen counter receptacles are required in the NEC? All plug in items can still function fine, and there'd be no chance of overloading the weakest component.
FWIW, there's a reason why the back wiring on most receptacles are only designed for 14 or 12 gauge.
@narfcake lol... yes, all are t-slotted. the county wouldn't sign off on the job unless they were. space constraints didn't allow any other option unless we started ripping out dry wall, and once we explained what we wanted, the contractor came up with this saying it was the easiest way to deal with the limitations. the job was done in 4 days, with minimal interruptions and the wife can run damned near anything she wants without blowing a breaker.
and yeah- the inspector found it amusing, too.
@alacrity Fair enough. I don't feel it's the best approach, but if your local AHJ approved it in plan check, permitted it, and accepted it, then fine.
I work in construction (sub-trades); I see/hear questionable stuff enough times that it's not even funny anymore.
@narfcake- definitely not the best way- but that would've req'd tearing out drywall and all new conduit to be done to current code (not an option as we occupied the house), as well as other stuff to bring up to current (no pun intended) standards, and painting- not to mention costs double to triple what this version ran.
And you've my deepest sympathy and condolences- I was a buyer for a home builder a decade back, and the stuff people wanted (and did without approvals)... eeek.
Know where to turn off the water to the entire house (useful when, for example, the bottom of your hot water heater falls off due to rust or the handle breaks off the sink with the water on and the shut off thing under the sink is frozen in place - been there done that have the t-shirt). Label the fuses/circuit breakers because it is sure a pain in the ass to have to reset clocks, etc. in half the house instead of one room as you try to figure out what goes to where in the dark.
@Kidsandliz This! And make aure to label them correctly, and so that the next owners can figure it out! For example instead of putting "Susies bedroom" or "Bedroom 1" , put " NE bedroom"...and make sure it's the circuit for the NE bedroom! The previous owners of our house labelled the circiuts, but for example the one labelled bedroom was for the foyer (something like that, anyway)!
If you are on a high point of land or you or your trees are the highest thing around have a lightening rod. The one that was on a rental saved my butt when the house was engulfed in a lightening ball (also burned down a garage- not mine) when a water spout hit land and tore across the yard behind me and damaged 10 houses. I was in the living room and suddenly you could not see out the windows as they were brilliant, opaque white, house shook with thunder and my neighbor said the house vanished from sight in the lightening ball. Not one thing plugged in was toasted although the lightening rod melted.
Change the locks. All of them. You don't know who has keys - neighbors, friends of previous kids (my kid, as it turned out, gave out our key to her boyfriend)...
@MrGlass - Are you still glad you asked? ;-)
Still gigglin. You know he's sorry, like ahhhhh!
@KDemo Nothing like a hundred strangers screaming at you to do stuff you already did :)
Nah, its the biggest purchase of my life, any help is appreciated & there are a few gems here.
@MrGlass - Ha ha. So much advice. It's true, there's some good stuff here, and it's from experience, so reliable.
Ok first watch every episode of Holms in homes. Yeah it's Canadian, but 20 years of lessons per season. Second is Fuck painting and all that beautification shit until you make that place as efficient as possible. A house I lived in drained the most money in cooling, water, and electricity problems. Windows are nice but cost you in hearing and cooling, bad wiring can cost thousands a month. Water leaks both cost money for the water and damage.... So bury your pipes at least 10 feet. Snake new wires and cat 6 cables. Patch holes the right way, not the cheapest. And get a thermal camera and see where the leaks are... $20,000a year saved easy
@Squid_07 H on H was a great show and imparted a crazy amount of knowledge! Well worth watching.
@Thumperchick agreed... Helped out a few friends watching that show
@Squid_07 What thermal camera do you recommend?
@G1 I really wish I had an answers....c there you would need some online research
If you have a wooden deck, take the time to maintain it. Wash, stain and seal as needed. We didn't do that, and it looks like crap now. If you don't have a deck, don't put one in. It's a pain in the ass to maintain.
@pitamuffin Many things can be a PITA, but if it's some folks can get a lot of use adding a deck. There are composites nowadays that are more care free too.
Don't lease solar, install geothermal (ground source heat pump) if you pay a lot to heat and cool the place.