The Joys of Being a Home Owner

[Yippee38]

Last night we were out until about 5:30pm. We did stuff around the house all evening. When I went to take the garbage out around 1:00am, I noticed a piece of shingle sitting on Yardleybates' truck hood. WTF? I grabbed a flashlight and look at the roof to find that a squirrel (hopefully) has torn a hole in my roof, right in front of the house. So now, in addition to being broke because I'm out of work, we need a new friggin' roof.

It never ends!

Sorry. Just had to rant a bit.

 

[scooterSST]

fun.... have that roof inspected, don't just walke in saying "I need a new roof" they'll give it to you whether you need one or not.

I spent last weekend and this trying to make sense out of the landscaping that's been neglected around here.

Last night we were out until about 5:30pm. We did stuff around the house all evening. When I went to take the garbage out around 1:00am, I noticed a piece of shingle sitting on Yardleybates' truck hood. WTF? I grabbed a flashlight and look at the roof to find that a squirrel (hopefully) has torn a hole in my roof, right in front of the house. So now, in addition to being broke because I'm out of work, we need a new friggin' roof.

It never ends!

Sorry. Just had to rant a bit.

 

[Yippee38]

fun.... have that roof inspected, don't just walke in saying "I need a new roof" they'll give it to you whether you need one or not.

I spent last weekend and this trying to make sense out of the landscaping that's been neglected around here.

Oh it needs one. I've been putting it off since money's so tight, but no more.

Yeah. Landscaping is a PITA. Got some of that to do too.

 

[J-Man]

I feel your pain brother. We need a new roof also, it will be put on in Feb(it's cheaper then, plus less chance of rain), just had to buy new refrigerator. Replaced counter tops, and tile in the kitchen last Nov. Landscaping???? I keep putting that off, but i have to have it done before next spring. Oh and did i mention the pool????? It's time for a resurfacing.

 

[edgeofthorns]

Last night we were out until about 5:30pm. We did stuff around the house all evening. When I went to take the garbage out around 1:00am, I noticed a piece of shingle sitting on Yardleybates' truck hood. WTF? I grabbed a flashlight and look at the roof to find that a squirrel (hopefully) has torn a hole in my roof, right in front of the house. So now, in addition to being broke because I'm out of work, we need a new friggin' roof.

It never ends!

Sorry. Just had to rant a bit.

I'd hate to hear how much putting a roof on will cost right now. Have you gotten some estimates yet? I hate to hear of anyone out of work that doesn't want to be. You're in my prayers man.

~Brian~

 

[kittybeast]

hmmm why is there no hot water.... goes to garage to check hotwater heater...yep a pipe broke. And of course it was only 2 weeks out of warranty, I tried arguing but it didn't work. Thankfully we keep all stuff in garage on pallets. The house is only 6 years old, the contractor used the cheapest heater he could find. So new water heater. I want to redo the tile counter tops to granite or marble but since I have a small kitchen most won't touch it because "it's too small a job" oh

 

[scooterSST]

I feel your pain brother. We need a new roof also, it will be put on in Feb(it's cheaper then, plus less chance of rain), just had to buy new refrigerator. Replaced counter tops, and tile in the kitchen last Nov. Landscaping???? I keep putting that off, but i have to have it done before next spring. Oh and did i mention the pool????? It's time for a resurfacing.

Yeah, the whole front yard looks as tho at one point it was professionally landscaped, or someone was a helluva gardener, but the previous owners really neglected it, so I'm trying to clean it up.... don't wanna be "that guy with the scary yard" it's alot of work to get things back under control... of course the drought down here doesn't help.

 

[Rakosh]

I can now relate to all this...bought my first house in June. I like to say I'm now a "Home Moaner" 'cause now I get to bitch about taking care of everything that used to be a phone call to the leasing office.

So, anyone got some advice on killing poison ivy in my wooded back yard without nuking ALL the vegetation?

 

[J-Man]

I can now relate to all this...bought my first house in June. I like to say I'm now a "Home Moaner" 'cause now I get to bitch about taking care of everything that used to be a phone call to the leasing office.

So, anyone got some advice on killing poison ivy in my wooded back yard without nuking ALL the vegetation?

If you can find it, Triox will do the trick, but be careful not to get it on anything you want to keep. Poison Ivy is hard to kill but this will do it, and do it fast.

 

[metalprof]

So now, in addition to being broke because I'm out of work, we need a new friggin' roof.

Well, from a "glass half full" perspective, at least you didn't have any problems from the weather this past week.

We had a basement flood in April that caused us to have to redo almost the entire basement. One day after the remodeling was done, four months later, was this past Thursday when we *almost* had another flood. Luckily, we closed off the valve to the sewer line at the start and kept it all out.

Rent until you retire, people!

Ken

 

[Yippee38]

Heh. Our 'beer' 'fridge needs replacing too. We found one on craigslist for $100, but we have to go get it.

BTW, I'm not out of work involuntarily: I quit. . I was working so much that I didn't have time to get anything done.

 

[scooterSST]

I can now relate to all this...bought my first house in June. I like to say I'm now a "Home Moaner" 'cause now I get to bitch about taking care of everything that used to be a phone call to the leasing office.

So, anyone got some advice on killing poison ivy in my wooded back yard without nuking ALL the vegetation?

try corn gluten, it's got some kind of natural genetic weed killer in it, but animals can digest it, so yo wont kill the neighborhood fauna

 

[Angrafan]

I regret buying my apartment sooooo bad!

Not only I am paying way more that I would with a Rental, the prices keeping going down (I already own more than the apartment is worth) and I need to take care of the maintenance..

Last month the A/C went to hell.. 2800 for a new unit.. not fun..

 

[Pellaz]

Ouch!

I'm also a newish first-time home-moaner, in fact my closing date -- one of those days that will live in famy or infamy for the rest of my life -- was August 31, 2005, so it's been almost exactly two years.

I've been lucky so far; the only critical failure was the heat-pump going out about three weeks ago. "Hmmm, the house is hot, 86 degrees inside, and the fan is running....uh-oh, the heat-pump isn't." $180 or so for the service visit and the replacement part, so it could have been much worse.

The in-ground sprinkler system (Rainbird 6-zone) appears to be DOA, probably due to the City of Auburn's ham-handed efforts to replace everyone's water meters and digging up my front yard in the process -- thanks for asking first about anything in the way, guys! But, since we are under a total outdoor watering ban, it doesn't make a difference at all right now.

 

[yardleybates]

Well, from a "glass half full" perspective, at least you didn't have any problems from the weather this past week.

We had a basement flood in April that caused us to have to redo almost the entire basement. One day after the remodeling was done, four months later, was this past Thursday when we *almost* had another flood. Luckily, we closed off the valve to the sewer line at the start and kept it all out.

Rent until you retire, people!

Ken

Oh but we did have problems from the weather this past week. All 3 window wells on the back of the house filled with about 4 inches of water which steadily trickled in. 2 of those are in the laundry room so not a huge deal as far as destruction, but lots of inconvenience. Some boxes and stuff got wet. The 3rd, however is in my office which is finished, so the water was running down/behind the paneling and onto the carpet. I spent yesterday hauling tons of dirt to regrade around the window wells.
UGH! It was NO FUN!

 

[lady_space]

Knock on wood, I've not had to do anything major since I moved in almost 3 years ago... but living in a condo, I don't have to do yardwork, and they put a new roof on last year (which was paid for out of 'surplus'), so I've been lucky. I do, however, listen to my old-ass water heater gurgle every night and wonder if tonight's the night it goes out.

Besides painting and minor stuff like that, I probably have spent less than $500 on maintenance on the place. Like I said, knock on wood. All the homeowner stories I hear scare the daylights out of me.

Being single, a house really wasn't an option financially, and I'm glad it wasn't... I wouldn't be able to keep up with all the yardwork if I had a yard to maintain. I guess I shouldn't "brag" but I imagine it'll all be changing within the next year or so, as we're going to have to get an actual house eventually. In the US that is.

Shaye

 

[Pellaz]

Yes, and you'll be able to make Urban do the yardwork.

On a tractor.

Wearing leather jeans.

 

[Yippee38]

Monday the lawn mower broke. The driveshaft sheared and is no longer available.

Yesterday, the A/C went out.

 

[Cheiron]

Nah Urban just stares at the grass and it becomes scared to grow.

Sorry to hear Yippee38. I will know how you feel in time I'm sure. I bought a house a year ago and I know that things are going to start needing replacement soon enough. So far its only been the dryer. But soon I need to do the dishwasher. And with other plans I have to actually make the place more comfortable for me (i.e. decorating it in a style that actually reflects my personality)... I'll be broke for years to come.

 

[scooterSST]

Knock on wood, I've not had to do anything major since I moved in almost 3 years ago... but living in a condo, I don't have to do yardwork, and they put a new roof on last year (which was paid for out of 'surplus'), so I've been lucky. I do, however, listen to my old-ass water heater gurgle every night and wonder if tonight's the night it goes out.

Besides painting and minor stuff like that, I probably have spent less than $500 on maintenance on the place. Like I said, knock on wood. All the homeowner stories I hear scare the daylights out of me.

Being single, a house really wasn't an option financially, and I'm glad it wasn't... I wouldn't be able to keep up with all the yardwork if I had a yard to maintain. I guess I shouldn't "brag" but I imagine it'll all be changing within the next year or so, as we're going to have to get an actual house eventually. In the US that is.

Shaye

I've got tons of scary Condo association stories for ya. Watch your back and get EVERYTHING in writing.. If you can deal directly with the management company and bypass the association, do it. Getting out of my condo, was the best one of the best things I've ever done.