Hatrack River Forum: The Money Pit Is Now Open!

This is topic The Money Pit Is Now Open! in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=027368

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :

Well, I just got an estimate on re-doing the roof of my new old house. $30K. [Eek!]

Actually, that's $15,500 for the roof and just under $7K to replace rotted fascia and soffits, and just under $6K for new gutters. Truthfully, I was prepared for the roof cost itself. I had guestimated $15-17k based on roof jobs I've had done for much less complex property. But I hadn't even considered the cost of new gutters and the rotten woodwork. The good news is that this is for a roof that has a lifetime guarantee for the materials and the guarantee is transferable with no extra fee if I decide to sell sometime. I could probably get the roof fixed for much cheaper in the short term, but I'd have to deal with periodic spot maintenance every few years.

I also just found out my dream kitchen will cost $20K. I can cut a quarter of that cost, though, if I just change from granit countertops to laminate. (Which it looks like I'll be doing now that I have the roof cost in writing.) I can always have the countertops changed after I recover from the other expenses.

And even as we speak, I have an electrician upgrading the electric service to the house and fixing a couple of safety issues. That's about $1,100 right there. And that doesn't include updating the outlets I will need done sometime soon in the rest of the house. [Frown]

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

[Eek!]

I assume you don't want cheap aluminum gutters and soffits?

Might not fit well on a Victorian.

Dagonee

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :

Hmmm, I'm going to have to clarify that before I sign the contract. I picked a really nice architectural shingle for the house, but we didn't even discuss different styles of gutters/downspouts. That estimate might be for the cheap aluminum stuff. [Eek!]

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

[No No]

I warned you......!!

FG

Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :

Awwww....I'm sorry you'll have to downgrade your dream kitchen to get the roof fixed. [Frown]

I'm starting get all excited and nervous and anxious about our house - our walk-through is in exactly 1 month. The nice thing though is that the cost of our floorplan and elevation has gone up by $35k in the last 4 months, so it's appreciating really nicely. [Smile]

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :

OK, the roofers are ready to go, but what I really need now is a bricklayer. At least two of the brick-stack pillars supporting the front porch need to be rebuilt, but apparently that's too small a job for any of the masons in the phone book. I could probably teach myself to fix them, but time is sorta "of the essence" right now and I'm not sure I want my debut brick project to be something structural on my own house.

Any hatracker's wanna trade brick-laying services for room and board? I'll even throw in a nice dinner at a great little Italian restaurant.

Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :

And plane tickets, KarlEd? [Wink]

Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :

Sorry, don't know any brick layers in Pennsylvania. . .

How hard can it be to put up bricks, though? They're like Legos, right?

Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :

Easier than lego! Because all have the same color and shape! [Big Grin]