what house defects are you living with?

[Anonymous]

the list is long and not cheap. We bought this house a few months ago and have already basically ripped apart the lower level (which included the kitchen, living room, den, etc). The kitchen was completely redone - ripped down to the studs where we discovered multiple fire hazards hidden behind our walls. That remodel went about $5K over budget which basically took away our money for the other projects we had planned. The horrid tile flooring was ripped out (they TILED our entire lower level - we do NOT live in Flordia, people) and replaced with engineered hardwood floors. The den was then taken apart - wood paneling AND builtins AND fake ceiling beams were all removed. My husband just this weekend ripped up the carpet on the stairs, which he will refinish the hardwood and then install a banister, which our house was lacking.

Next on the list is gutting the half bath on the lower level. That should be a fairly simple and not massively expensive project.
Then:
Installing flooring in the attic above our 2 car garage, which hopefully will free up our garage for our cars rather than our storage area ;P
Figuring out our garage doors - only one of the 2 seems to work.
Figuring out how to install a doorbell - whoever had this home built originally installed an intercom system, which of course doesn't work at this point.
Building our daughter a playscape in the backyard (that will be done in the spring)

Longer term:
Remodeling our master bath - it is livable but not at all updated. We have TWO dressing table areas in that space - why? Plus, blue formica countertops and a blue bathtub. It is screaming for Bath Crashers to come in and work their magic. In the process, we'd also like to redo our closets in there into a walk-in.
Remodeling the "remodeled" hall bath - they tiled EVERYTHING. And there is a soaking tub in there. This is the bath for our 5 year old - it is ridiculous.
Replacing all the closet hanging rods - we have some weird metal hook system in there that must have been cool in the late 60's. UGH
Repainting all rooms at some point (so far, we only have done the kitchen and our kid's room)
THEN we need to replace a roof, all our windows (including the entry door) and probably the HVAC.

Is that a long enough list for you? Our house is a work in progress and will be for a LONG time.

[Anonymous]

20:35 That's quite some list! I'm guessing you are in a great location to balance out putting up with all the reno.

Our place is pretty liveable as is, but kitchen and baths need updating. Nasty linoleum on the kitchen floor; laminate counters; All the appliances are original, but they still work, so we'll bide our time. I also hate the cabinets....but, the kitchen is big and open, so that's a big improvement from the galley kitchen in our old place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the list is long and not cheap. We bought this house a few months ago and have already basically ripped apart the lower level (which included the kitchen, living room, den, etc). The kitchen was completely redone - ripped down to the studs where we discovered multiple fire hazards hidden behind our walls. That remodel went about $5K over budget which basically took away our money for the other projects we had planned. The horrid tile flooring was ripped out (they TILED our entire lower level - we do NOT live in Flordia, people) and replaced with engineered hardwood floors. The den was then taken apart - wood paneling AND builtins AND fake ceiling beams were all removed. My husband just this weekend ripped up the carpet on the stairs, which he will refinish the hardwood and then install a banister, which our house was lacking.

Next on the list is gutting the half bath on the lower level. That should be a fairly simple and not massively expensive project.
Then:
Installing flooring in the attic above our 2 car garage, which hopefully will free up our garage for our cars rather than our storage area ;P
Figuring out our garage doors - only one of the 2 seems to work.
Figuring out how to install a doorbell - whoever had this home built originally installed an intercom system, which of course doesn't work at this point.
Building our daughter a playscape in the backyard (that will be done in the spring)

Longer term:
Remodeling our master bath - it is livable but not at all updated. We have TWO dressing table areas in that space - why? Plus, blue formica countertops and a blue bathtub. It is screaming for Bath Crashers to come in and work their magic. In the process, we'd also like to redo our closets in there into a walk-in.
Remodeling the "remodeled" hall bath - they tiled EVERYTHING. And there is a soaking tub in there. This is the bath for our 5 year old - it is ridiculous.
Replacing all the closet hanging rods - we have some weird metal hook system in there that must have been cool in the late 60's. UGH
Repainting all rooms at some point (so far, we only have done the kitchen and our kid's room)
THEN we need to replace a roof, all our windows (including the entry door) and probably the HVAC.

Is that a long enough list for you? Our house is a work in progress and will be for a LONG time.

Apart from the fire hazards the rest aren't defects

[Anonymous]

"Building our daughter a playscape in the backyard"

WTF is a playscape?

[Anonymous]

We are in a 1950s 3bed/1bath rambler. Bought this past summer. So far, we have only painted every room and and fixed up the bathroom (new tile floor, reglazed pink tub and matching surround, new pedestal sink). Thankfully, the original hardwood floors are in good condition.

The yard is also in great condition. Our back is completely level and rectangular. We want to get rid of the yucky chain link fence and install a privacy fence so that we don't have to see the neighbors shit show of a yard.

Basement is finished, but with awful paneling and dropped ceilings that need to be ripped out. We need to add a second bath down there.

The kitchen needs to be gutted. Completely. Hideous, oversized bisque appliances in a tiny kitchen. Gross permanently stained laminate countertops, old linoleum floors.

We need a new roof and all new windows.

So, all of those projects are pretty expensive and labor intensive. Where to start. UGH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Building our daughter a playscape in the backyard"

WTF is a playscape?

what used to be called a swingset and sandbox and treehouse, all wrapped into one. My husband doesn't want to buy the cheapo ones at TRU - he wants to build it with his own hands. He found plans online for a really nice one.

We bought the biggest house we could afford in a location that worked for our commutes. We passed up a renovated house in the same neighborhood because it was a mile from the schools - this one is walking distance to all 3 levels, a little bigger and a much easier walk to the grocery store.

We plan to stay here for quite a while, so we might as well do all the things needed to make it ours, right? Some of the things we really didn't realize were problems until AFTER we moved in.

Yes, I realize these aren't all structural defects, but other people were talking about outdated bathrooms and kitchens and what not. Sorry I broke the "rules."

[Anonymous]

Our house was built in 1913 and has no closets on the 1st floor. I can't make this stuff up.

[Anonymous]

We have a 4-bedroom, 2,000-sq-ft 19th-century house with 3 closets total, none on the main level. You know what you're getting into when you buy an old house.

Our basement that gets wet, though? The sellers lied to us about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a 4-bedroom, 2,000-sq-ft 19th-century house with 3 closets total, none on the main level. You know what you're getting into when you buy an old house.

Our basement that gets wet, though? The sellers lied to us about that.

Damn. Nothing came up in the inspection?? Crazy. I was so afraid of that happening to us and was up all night during the first heavy rain in our new house.

[Anonymous]

They disclosed that there had been some water a couple times during the four years they owned the house, which we were OK with since the basement is unfinished and unfinishable. The inspector definitely found evidence that water had come in. The sellers didn't say, however, that water comes in EVERY time it rains.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our house was built in 1913 and has no closets on the 1st floor. I can't make this stuff up.

Ours is a few years older then yours. Not one closet, I HATE it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They disclosed that there had been some water a couple times during the four years they owned the house, which we were OK with since the basement is unfinished and unfinishable. The inspector definitely found evidence that water had come in. The sellers didn't say, however, that water comes in EVERY time it rains.

Sucks for you, but a seller disclosure that water had come in would have been a MAJOR red flag for me. In my experience, anything they disclose like that is a way bigger deal than what they say. But, I bet when you try to sell that house in the future, you might downplay that issue too.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH is the biggest defect in our house. Wish I could include him in the sale.

lol, good luck with that!

[Anonymous]

no pool.

[Anonymous]

But, I bet when you try to sell that house in the future, you might downplay that issue too. Good luck!

Nope, we're going to fix it as soon as we have an extra $10K lying around.