Fixer Fixer Real Estate

A lot of people never do anything with the house because it is time consuming. I learned that I could hire three people and get something done quick. Here in Seattle I use Casa Latina, which is a day labor organization. They take information about the workers, can get you day labor, which is where the taxes are paid, or you can have casual labor where you pay cash.

I usually pay cash because, like I said, I only have labor for the day, maybe two. Here’s what is the most cost effective: be prepared.

By far I do the yard the most. This year I’ll paint the house. I do my own pressure washing. Never give any one a machine unless you know, they know how to use it. For the preparation of the house I’ll get three sets of scrappers, and let them at the house. I’ll get some 36 grit sand paper, and let them sand. I’ll rent two ladders rather than one. 

I’ll have them dust the house before we oil base prime. I have to use oil base primer because of some of the finish on the house, but they make some great latex primers now.

At this point I can take paint bids. The painter won’t like it. OK maybe I won’t prime the house, just get it scraped, really well. What’s the painter going to say? You tell him you started, but can’t finish the job.

Maybe you could get the whole place masked, and ready for paint. Then what? What’s the cost to spray a couple of coats of paint?

Contracting the labor may save you a few bucks. I’ll talk about this more when we demo a kitchen or bath before taking bids.

There’s is a lot of nuances to buying a fixer. You need to buy good bones, that’s what all the people say. That means structure. In many cases it means architecture. Even more often it means buying a property that has been left in original condition.

Over the years I’ve come to the conclusion that when we look at a property we figure it needs to be gutted. We’ve done a lot of repairs, but drywall is cheap. Finish carpentry is expensive so you have to consider that in the pricing.

When looking to buy a fixer, you start with the asking price, and begin deducting. You never listen to what’s been done unless it’s systems. Updated electric panel is a plus, but look at it, make sure it’s big enough to expand. Updated plumbing is a plus, new water service is a plus, new furnace, great, a new roof even better.

You deduct for paint, really, really deduct for refinished floors, deduct for new fixtures, and maybe appliances, depending what they are worth on Craiglist. Deduct for carpeting. You need to really deduct for carpeting because chances are they won’t let you lift it up to see what’s underneath.

Then start looking at what you can salvage, and what’s in your way. You can’t deduct for the full cost of remodeling, but you can add, and subtract for what you want to do.

In simple language, pencil out all of your costs before hand. Look at the numbers, and see where you are at in terms of market value, then base your offer on that. Be open to negotiation. Make your offer low enough that it’s good for you, but be realistic in terms of getting the property.

The internet is a learning curve. When I first put up the fixerfixer.com blog it was a new world to me. Now my typing skills have improved so it’s easier to get thoughts on paper.

First and foremost I was a contractor for many years. We now have a contract cleaning business where we establish cleaning companies, and refer them work.

Over the forty years that I have been in business there are some things that are easier done than they appear. Collecting bids to do home repair is one of those things that can be extremely easy. It gets complicated by the shear number of people who are desperate for your business.

You can talk with a National Company, and pay too much, or the local guy who has his own problems. It’s hard to sort out what will work best.

I have my own ideas, and do most of my own work. That means a lot of deferred projects, and a wife who is constantly unhappy with the condition of our home.

So we’re going to puzzle this out together. You can tell me what you think are important elements in getting a house project done. I’ll just keep adding content.

FixerFixer dot com was my first blog site. It’s about fixing houses, rather than flipping them.

You need help, and the deck is stacked against you. That’s what I found. Every time I turned around some guy was standing there with his hand out wanting $2000 to do anything.

When I tore apart my first house it was in my thirties. Everything went wrong, except the wiring. That turned out good, OK the place turned out fine, it’s just that I wish I knew more about what I was doing while I was doing it.

There are several projects that my partner of twelve years, and I had done at other people’s direction. It’s different when it’s your own, and much different as you get older. There are things you can do with a property you own. Many of those things are much easier than people will let you think.

You can pull wire, you can run a drain line for sewer. You can do a lot of things before you start taking bids to take the mystery out of the bidding process. It’s sticks, nails, and concrete. The more you save, from things you can do, the more you can pay a professional to get it done correctly.

Now, I know that sounds strange, but I learned as a teen ager that paying a carpenter to sweep floors isn’t a good use of your money. It’s the same for demolition, yard work, or ripping up carpet to see what’s underneath.

You need common sense, a workable plan, and admit that you need help.