Author Topic: I am totally overwhelmed  (Read 4933 times)

crumbcatcher

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I am totally overwhelmed
« on: January 21, 2014, 04:20:12 PM »
I just moved back into my townhouse condo this weekend (the one with the bad stove I posted about recently).  My ex has been living here for the last three years, and I've finally taken it back.  Long story, not important, BUT now that I'm moved in, I'm seeing what kind of shape it's in and the list of Things That Must Be Fixed keeps growing. 

This is not stuff that is "nice to have," like a remodeled kitchen, but things like there is hardly any water pressure in a few places, and there is only enough hot water for a 5 minute shower for one person anyway, and the bathroom fan no longer works so there is mildew growing on the ceiling.  Also, the heating is terrible - even with it running all the time the place is still freezing.  I suspect some of that is layout (big loft with high ceilings - heat rises, cold descends), and some is window heat loss, and some is a crappy thermostat.

I feel like I've been camping indoors for the last four days.

Because I'm not handy at all, big red dollar signs are flashing before my eyes.  I've watched a couple of tutorials on how to replace a bathroom fan and am just not sure if I can do it.  (Like, I don't have an attic that I can crawl into to hook up the vent - so what do I do now?  Tutorials don't cover that sort of thing.)

Any general words of encouragement from the DIY community here?  I feel like I need to become handy if I want to avoid spending a fortune on this house.  Where do I start?  How do I decide what kinds of things to try to do myself versus biting the bullet and hiring someone who really knows what they're doing?

[/complainypants whinge]

LDoon

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Re: I am totally overwhelmed
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2014, 04:45:08 PM »
I'd suggest making a list and sorting it two ways. 1) Easiest to hardest (based on your impressions), or 2) by room.  Going room by room gives you satisfaction in knowing progress is being made.  E.g., bedrooms are usually the most simple and least expensive to fix.  Get those done and know the issues are localized to specific areas. 

Also, could try listing out the issues / projects here and see if people can rate them 1-10 (easy to hard).

anotherAlias

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Re: I am totally overwhelmed
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2014, 04:53:14 PM »
I'd try to tackle a couple of the smaller problems first to get some confidence.  I have also found that it helps to have a friend or family member on hand to help.  Even if they don't have any more experience than you do, an extra set of hands, eyes and moral support can be a big help.

process

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Re: I am totally overwhelmed
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2014, 05:45:38 PM »
I was in a somewhat similar situation and once I started it got easier.  I went room by room, starting with the easiest thing, which for me was patching walls and painting.  Since then I've done lots of things:  replaced appliance parts, installed ceiling fans and lights, fixed plumbing, replaced drywall, sanded floors, installed tile.  YouTube is really helpful.  I found watching the instructional videos several times helped me "see" myself doing the job.  When I got stuck on something, I googled until I found something helpful. 

AccidentalMiser

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Re: I am totally overwhelmed
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2014, 05:49:47 PM »
Wow.  Best of luck to you.  I signed up for Angie's list a couple of years ago (needed a roof put on for a house I own in a far-away town and didn't want to take the vacation time (or the risk) of doing it myself.)  and there were several "two hours of handyman service for $39" type of offers that I regularly received.  I didn't use any of them, but you might consider calling in a handy-person (a real one, licensed, bonded) and pay them for a couple hours of evaluation/advice.

Just start with the little stuff and work your way down the list.  Don't be afraid to ask the folks at the hardware store/Home Depot how to do things.  Some of them don't know squat, but many are fairly handy and can give you good advice.  Finally, keep watching those videos and reading books.  I changed a head gasket in a Subaru based entirely on YouTube videos and Chilton Manuals. 

Another Reader

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Re: I am totally overwhelmed
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2014, 06:19:07 PM »
IIRC, you were paying the mortgage as part of your separation agreement.  He has now moved out, and you intend to refinance the condo and buy him out. 

In your shoes, I would stop and ask myself if this is the correct thing to do.  Would you be better off unloading this alligator and moving into a less expensive rental?  I would look into selling it as is, splitting the proceeds according to your separation agreement and moving on.  Even if you are getting physical custody of your son, it might be better for both of you to start fresh someplace where you did not have to deal with these problems.

crumbcatcher

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Re: I am totally overwhelmed
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2014, 11:10:06 AM »
IIRC, you were paying the mortgage as part of your separation agreement.  He has now moved out, and you intend to refinance the condo and buy him out. 

This is probably a face-punchable offense; I refinanced without first making sure that the house was still in a condition that I'd want to keep it.  There were a number of other reasons to keep it, and I never considered whether it was now in poor condition.  Not very smart. I think everything is fixable though, there is nothing structurally wrong with the house (that I know of). It just all hit me at once.

The refinance went forward with a valuation based on "like properties" in the area, but I am still going to get an appraisal. That will determine how much his share of the equity will be, and I'll cash him out then. I'm guessing it won't be nearly as high as the "like properties." I figure the appraisal will be worth the $300 fee if it ends up saving me thousands.

In any case, I appreciate all the responses on this thread.  I've done more reading and video-watching, calmed down a bit and have started making a list of things that I can prioritize.  It also occurred to me to ask the homeowner's association maintenance guys to come check out the plumbing before I do anything - if it is something that the association covers then I won't have any more worrying to do about the water pressure.

For the heat loss and windows, I'm looking at those window films from 3M and other kinds of weatherproofing I can do myself.

Also, I've decided to get my sister to come over and provide moral support while I make an attempt to uninstall the bathroom fan. No time like the present to start learning some new skills.  :-)


Greg

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Re: I am totally overwhelmed
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2014, 11:35:51 AM »
It can seem overwhelming all at once but it doesn't sound too bad to me.

Check the aerators for your water pressure issue.  They unscrew from the faucet and can collect debris that will block flow and reduce pressure.  Sometimes this can happen at the entrance to the flexible lines between the angle stop (wall valve under sink for example) and the fixture (faucet or toilet).  Rust and sand are typical culprits. 

With the aerator removed, is there sufficient pressure?

New aerators are pretty cheap if yours don't improve with cleaning.  Shower heads also have this problem, and there's usually a filter or restrictive washer where the head screws onto the pipe (nipple) that comes out of the wall.  Tubs usually don't have any restriction or aerator so compare the tub output to the others.

If your hot water heater is electric, you may have a bad heating element (there are usually two) and you can find vids on youtube about how to diagnose and repair.  Totally doable with some simple tools.

The bath fan should be able to be repaired easily if it's just a bad motor; usually they come out separate from the housing and you can find a replacement at a big box hardware store.

Usually, it's safe to try and fix something yourself and if you get stuck you can ask a handy friend or professional for help if you end up needing it.  Follow basic precautions regarding electricity and water and you should be ok.  Know where the breaker panel and water main shut off are.

And mostly, good luck... and check back if you have specific questions... pics help others helps you.

Another Reader

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Re: I am totally overwhelmed
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2014, 01:38:33 PM »
He is not on the deed or the loan, correct?  The buyout is strictly based on the divorce decree?

In your shoes, I would still think long and hard about buying him out now, at a value that reflects all the deficiencies his lack of maintenance caused, and then fixing up the property enough to sell it.  Townhouses built in the 1970's generally were not built to very high standards, and you still might be better off in a rental or a newer property. 

Milspecstache

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Re: I am totally overwhelmed
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2014, 06:01:26 PM »
Vent fan fix shouldn't be too difficult as I have done a few.  You may even be able to gut it by taking the guts down from inside the bathroom, then find a similar one for sale and re-install it in the same now-empty shell.  If yours are like mine, it is all plug and play with a pronged cable.

I don't recommend the window film.  If it was me, I would investigate some type of heavy drapes.  Goodwill sells curtains sometimes.  That will keep the heat in better and reduce drafts if the windows are old and leaky.

How old is the water heater?  If old, it may make more sense to replace the whole thing.  I had an old one and 6 months after the element failed the entire tank failed.  Thankfully I just took quick baths in the meantime as I would have wasted time and energy replacing the element.

To save money on heating when we lived in an old house in the Northeast we kept the thermostat at 60F to keep the pipes from freezing and then ran space heaters in whatever room we were in.  Really saved on the heating bill as you are now only heating one room vs the whole house.