I used to always just slap a fresh coat of paint over chipped baseboards. It looked fine for a month or so but the chips always came back. Last week at my duplex in Austin, a tenant sent me a photo of a huge chunk missing and I finally grabbed some wood filler. Filled it, sanded it smooth, then painted. Took an extra 20 minutes per room but the finish actually looks new now. Anyone else have a repair trick they ignored for way too long?
Had a gap growing behind the tub in my rental. Water was getting in. Called a pro, he quoted $200. Nope. Watched a 5 minute video instead. Bought a $6 tube of silicone and a $2 tool. Took me 45 minutes. Looks decent. Not perfect but no more water damage. Anyone else do their own bathroom fixes and regret it later?
Last month I used spray foam in a can to seal the rim joist in my duplex over on Maple Street. It was a complete mess - dripped everywhere, took forever, and I used 8 cans at $7 each. Last weekend I tried rigid foam board cut to size with canned foam for the gaps and it took maybe 45 minutes total. Has anyone else found that combo way easier?
I was swapping out a beat up bathroom vanity in my rental duplex last Saturday and the moment I pulled the old one away from the wall, water just poured out from the baseboard. Turns out the previous tenant had a slow drip from the supply line for months and it soaked through the particle board floor. I had to rip up six square feet of subflooring that was completely rotted and moldy. Ended up spending $120 on new plywood and a moisture barrier to patch it all back together. The worst part was finding out the shutoff valve under the sink was seized solid too so I had to run down to the basement and kill water to the whole unit for three hours. My tenant was not thrilled about losing water all afternoon but at least I caught it before the joists got wrecked. Has anyone else found hidden water damage behind a vanity that looked fine from the front?
I was doing a quick patch job on a rental unit in Phoenix last month and grabbed the cheapest tube of caulk from the hardware store, like $2.50 or something. Sealed up the gaps around a tub and thought I was done. Three weeks go by and my tenant sends me pics of mold already growing in the caulk lines. Turns out cheap stuff doesn't have any mildew resistance and cracks super fast in dry climates. I had to scrape it all out, spend $8 on a decent silicone-based caulk, and redo the whole thing. Lost an afternoon and pissed off my renter for trying to save a few bucks. Anyone else gotten burned by bargain bin sealants?
I tried swapping out a $6 toilet flapper from Lowe's in my rental unit last Saturday. Figured it was a 10 minute job, but I overtightened the plastic nut and cracked the fill valve. Water sprayed everywhere before I could shut the main valve off, soaked the linoleum and trim. Learned to always keep a spare valve on hand and never crank plastic parts like they're steel. Anybody else have a simple fix turn into a mini disaster?
I've been DIY fixing up my 3 rental properties for years, but last month I hit 15 repair calls in a single week. Thought I was saving money by using that $8 silicone caulk on a leaky pipe instead of calling a plumber. Well, the caulk failed after 3 days and flooded the downstairs unit's ceiling. Total damage was $600 for drywall and paint, plus a pissed off tenant. My rule now is simple: never use caulk on anything that carries water pressure. Has anyone else learned a cheap fix that turned into a major expense?
I had a slow leak in a second floor unit so I grabbed a universal flapper from the hardware store for $40. It fit okay but after three days the seal gave out and water ran nonstop for hours until the tenant got home. Any tips on a flapper brand that actually lasts longer than a month without ruining my drywall?
Found water seeping from the base of a toilet in a rental I manage near Austin. Thought it was just a wax ring, easy $10 fix right? Pulled the toilet and discovered the flange was completely rusted out and the subfloor was soft. Ended up spending $180 and three evenings cutting out rotten wood and replacing the flange. Has anyone else had a simple toilet repair blow up into something way bigger?
I was replacing a toilet in a duplex unit downtown and twisted the supply line too hard. It snapped clean off and water shot straight up like a fire hose. No main shutoff in the unit so I ran outside to the street meter, but that took 5 minutes. Turns out the previous owner had put a shutoff behind a fake panel under the sink. Now I tell every renter where all the shutoffs are on day one. Anyone found a valve in a weird spot like that?
Had a tenant in a duplex in Denver who flushed wipes and the snake just pushed it all deeper. Grabbed my Rigid shop vac, 2 inch hose taped to the flange, and it pulled out a massive wet clump in 30 seconds. Anyone else swear by this for stubborn clogs?
The renter in my duplex in Tacoma put his fist through the wall in the hallway, right near the light switch. I didn't have any drywall scraps on hand and it was a Sunday evening. So I cut a square out of an Amazon box, shoved it in the hole, and covered it with spackle and paint. Honestly it looked okay and nobody ever noticed, but I'm wondering if I should have just done the mesh patch kit from the start. Has anyone else gotten away with a hack like this?
I just read a post on a landlord forum where a guy said he spent $15 on a wax ring and fixed his own toilet in 20 minutes. Another guy said his $150 plumber bill was worth it because one mistake could mean a $500 water damage claim. I've got a 1920s house in Austin with a toilet that's been wobbling for three years. What do you do when the risk of water damage outweighs the savings?