Things I hate about home ownership.

[Chris3D]

Obviously, the mortgage is first on the list. Oh what I would do with an extra $2,000 a month... for the next 27 years....

I've been replacing the shitty original doors with nice 6 panel doors. Now that summer has rolled around, all the doors swelled up and no longer shut. Scratch that, they used to not shut, because I spent the day sanding and shaving them to, once again, close.

The windows are shit, and were installed like shit. I tried to remove a screen today, which was about 1/4 inch larger than the opening, and bent it to hell getting it out. Picked up some parts and I'm in the process of making new screens.

After finishing the downstairs nicely, nail pops fixed, all the dings in the sheetrock fixed, fresh paint, etc. I got to working on the upstairs. First thing on the list was getting one of the toilets working. Replaced all the innards, fired it up and it promptly leaked down through the floor, through the ceiling downstairs. I needed to cut a big hole in the ceiling to get to the source of the leak.

I installed a hose spigot next to the back porch, but last winter, the pipe froze and burst. I have it turned off from inside and still have yet to repair it.

The washer just started making a noise that doesn't exactly sound inexpensive.

Getting the nursery ready, I notice the rug I laid down about 2 years ago already looks like shit. I get some new paint to touch up the walls only to find out the color doesn't match despite going to the same store and getting the same paint I used two years ago.

I just finished my office literally last weekend - nail pops and walls fixed, new paint, carpet, the works, and already swung the door open and made a nice knob shaped dent in the wall.

The crawl space is wet AGAIN despite putting in the mother of all drainage systems 2 years ago. I swear there must be a natural spring down there.

New nail pops are already showing here and there (ones I missed, not mine because I use SCREWS).

Owning a home is like painting the Golden Gate Bridge - as soon as you get done, it's time to start all over again at the other side.

[acalliste]

The projects can seem never-ending.

To me, it's all worth it, b/c I like having a place is actually mine to do what I want with. Of course, I have a very handy man for a partner, so all the repairs and things are taken care of by him. Also, my house payment is only about $650, and that's just for a home equity loan. We already paid the house off once. It will be paid off again in about 7 years.

But some, Blurr for example, feel that all that work is not worth it and would rather be free to move from time to time.

I guess you have to decide what's important to you.

[AaronB]

i had 4-6" of water in my basement on friday. so now i get to 1: dig a hole in the basement and install a sump pump (foundation drain tiles are currently connected to the sanitary sewer) and 2: pay someone (a lot) to dig a bigger hole and replace the sewer lateral. it has not been a good weekend.

[not2slow]

Originally Posted by AaronB

i had 4-6" of water in my basement on friday. so now i get to 1: dig a hole in the basement and install a sump pump (foundation drain tiles are currently connected to the sanitary sewer) and 2: pay someone (a lot) to dig a bigger hole and replace the sewer lateral. it has not been a good weekend.

Damn that sucks dude, sorry.

[Chris3D]

Originally Posted by acalliste

The projects can seem never-ending.

To me, it's all worth it, b/c I like having a place is actually mine to do what I want with. Of course, I have a very handy man for a partner, so all the repairs and things are taken care of by him.

But some, Blurr for example, feel that all that work is not worth it and would rather be free to move from time to time.

I guess you have to decide what's important to you.

All things considered, I'm happy. I actually don't mind doing the work, although it takes FAR too long because I'm a perfectionist, and I do it all myself because, again, I'm a perfectionist. But as you say, it's mine to do what I want with it - if I want to hang my kayaks from the living room ceiling, god dammit, I'm gunna hang them from the living room ceiling! It just gets a little frustrating at times.

[acalliste]

Yep, that's what makes it all worthwhile. No one can tell me whether I can pound a nail into a wall, have pets, or whatever. And if I decide to make an improvement, I'm not just throwing my money away.

[AaronB]

Originally Posted by ssrallyred

Damn that sucks dude, sorry.

what really pisses me off is that i may lose the 50ft tree in my front yard. i get nauseous whenever i think about the entire situation.

[acalliste]

Originally Posted by AaronB

what really pisses me off is that i may lose the 50ft tree in my front yard. i get nauseous whenever i think about the entire situation.

That sucks.

I love the tree in my front yard. It was a big factor in choosing this house.


On topic, one thing I don't like about home ownership is paying property tax. Though I know it pays for some services and I don't mind paying for those, it still feels like throwing away money, just a little.

[Chris3D]

Originally Posted by AaronB

i had 4-6" of water in my basement on friday. so now i get to 1: dig a hole in the basement and install a sump pump (foundation drain tiles are currently connected to the sanitary sewer) and 2: pay someone (a lot) to dig a bigger hole and replace the sewer lateral. it has not been a good weekend.

When I tackled my water problem, I bought a heavy duty sump pump and a 40 gallon thick walled plastic garbage can which I drilled with an array of holes. I located where the previous owner had the (non functioning) sump pump and dug a hole about 4.5 feet deep - in clay, mud and large stones to bury the garbage can with a nice surround of gravel. The crawl space is about 3 feet tall, mind you. Installed the pump, piped it into the sewer, turned it on and viola, drained all the water.

Got up the next day, took a look and it was filled with water. The previous owner apparently never bothered locating the pump at the source of the water. I poke around and find a really soft spot. So I dug another hole, 4.5 feet deep, moved the garbage can, put in new gravel, moved the pump, redid the plumbing, turned it on and viola, drained all the water.

Got up the next day, took a look and it was AGAIN filled with water. I started digging again, FINALLY found exactly where the water was coming in, AGAIN dug a 4.5 foot deep hole in clay, mud and large stones, AGAIN moved the can, AGAIN moved the pump, AGAIN piped it into the sewer, AGAIN turned it on and drained everything.

Everything was fine until a huge storm, and I found water pooling on the other side of the crawlspace. So, I dug a ditch, 3 feet deep, through clay, mud and large stones, about 40 feet from one side of the house to the other, in a 3 foot tall crawlspace, installed piping and gravel to drain everything to the pump.

Everything was OK until an even larger storm, and I've noticed water pooling in the only remaining undrained corner, so at some point, I'll be down there again digging through clay, mud and large stones, in a 3 foot tall crawlspace.

It honestly crossed my mind to make an anonymous call to the local police department and suggest the owner of my place was a serial killer who was burring his victims in his crawlspace. After they dug everything up and found nothing, I'd be able to lay down my drainage pipes easy as pie.

[Builtgypsy]

That's why you build your own house.