The Oil City Photo Trip - You can ride shotgun (Pittsburgh: homes, buyer)

[FLPL75]

Originally Posted by Cosmic

Did you see that new computer controlled router by Sears? Might be a very neat thing to do some elaborate woodwork.

ooo cosmic thank you you have just given me an idea for hubbys birthday present this year.

our garage is now his woodworking area


karla

[Cosmic]

Ok, got some pix's for my house. But rather than keep mixing up subjects it might be better to move all this over to a new thread. Hopefully Blaine can move her's too. Maybe get a good idea what it is like to actually do one of these projects.

That stuff presented on TV on those home shows is a sort of distortion to what actually happens. They are not realistic in their budgets because a lot of stuff gets donated, some trades will give a knock off the price to be on camera, some see it as a form of advertising.

The size of crews also is not representative of what happens. They get the most expensive guys going to make the schedules come out right. Home Time with that JoAnn showed what went on behind the scenes to put on one of those programs. Gees like a 30 man crew to support the show.

Plus in the real World it is difficult to get competent help that shows up each day. Some are about like out friend NAH, at times it can be like watching a bunch of kids. I have been there.

The paperwork and how the purchasing is done is also distorted. Nothing ever goes completely as planned, no matter how long you have done it. I had a partner for most of those years. We basically worked out of our houses, targeting the smaller jobs, repairs, additions, rehab's, decks, porches and in lean times just about anything available to include roofs. His wife did a lot of the paperwork and manned the phone during the day, washed the bottles and had the beer ready for Miller Time, The roof is tough business, earn every dime of it. Some very good times, some horrible times.

The contract and paperwork can be mind boggling if you let it get out of hand. We figured out how to get just about every job quoted. No general advertising, no expenses, all word of mouth and building up a client base. We never wanted to get in the building of new homes. The biggest job we did was a major rehab of a four story huge house for $324K. Nobody ever got seriously hurt. We never got sued.

Big jobs take a lot out of you. Long hours, the schedule can be brutal. Something always happens to throw a monkey wrench in the works. You actually make more money with a lot of little 1-3 day jobs, lot shorter hours, lot more variety. The trade off is a lot more paperwork and set up time. The fall seasons can be mind boggling trying to get done before winter sets in. The biggest crew I think we ever had was 8 besides ourselves. Real hard hussle you can make 100K+ for about six or seven months work.

It is not an easy business, you must pay your dues, working smarter pays huge dividends, you never know it all. Today I am out of that business and do not hold a license in Ohio. Not about to get one either.

One funny story, one day my partner was putting is some replacement windows late fall and winter is coming, gloomy and was up on a front porch running the caulking on the outside to finish up. This was a good customer and when he got done, the window had streaks on it so he took a spray bottle and newspaper and was cleaning the window, had the tool belt on with hammer, etc.

This guy drives up on the street gets out and yells up.

Guy - Do you do windows

Partner - yes

Guy - How Much

Partner - (Thinking he wants new replacement windows) Yells back the standard average price --- 360

Guy - Is that for all of them

Partner - No that is each

Guy - You are rabbit assed nuts

Gets in the car and drives away. Then it dawned on the partner that dude wanted window washing. We had been missing a hot business all a long. From that point on, if anybody said "Do you do Windows" we could not help laughing ear to ear.

[Cosmic]

Originally Posted by myfask

ooo cosmic thank you you have just given me an idea for hubbys birthday present this year.

our garage is now his woodworking area


karla

Karla. That thing is big bucks. Like close to $2K. But like him, I am going to have one. Got to go see it in the store. My dog may only get half rations while I save up. It does look neat in the ads. Blaine might also be a prime candidate if they can bag some of the right wood.

[Blaine]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

Im wondering what made you decide on that $12k house instead of a perfect $50k house. Surely you must have figured that the cost and time incurred by repairing is less than just buying a $50k house from the get go?

Cost isn't really a factor to me. Well, I mean, it is always a factor...but that's not why Im doing it this way. Id rather spend the $$ to have a place done MY way. My specs. My colors, trims, woods, lighting, etc. etc.

I know I could spend a bit more up front, and a lot done for me before I move in with no headache...but I'd always want to change something anyway. I know doing a rehab, at the end of it all...we can be proud, because when people say "What a beautiful home", we'll know that WE created that. Thats worth more than the money to me.

[Need_affordable_home]

Originally Posted by Blaine

Cost isn't really a factor to me. Well, I mean, it is always a factor...but that's not why Im doing it this way. Id rather spend the $$ to have a place done MY way. My specs. My colors, trims, woods, lighting, etc. etc.

I know I could spend a bit more up front, and a lot done for me before I move in with no headache...but I'd always want to change something anyway. I know doing a rehab, at the end of it all...we can be proud, because when people say "What a beautiful home", we'll know that WE created that. Thats worth more than the money to me.

I understand now. You would rehab a $12k or a $50k house so there was no point buying a nice house if your gonna remodel it when a cheap house gets the job done all the same.

In my case, I am not picky over petty details like that. I will just repair any major problems like broken pipes or wires and patch up the walls and ceilings. So yes the job would cost maybe $2k in my case. Therefore I could buy a $15k house in Oil City with 3 bedrooms, two stories+basement+attic and fix up the problems.

How much does the pipe and wire repair cost? I know to repair the damage to the walls and ceiling in your picture will cost about $500.

Why should I pay $50k for a house when a $15k house can be repaired into a $50k house with $2000 of repairs and 2 months of work?

[bmurphy]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

Why should I pay $50k for a house when a $15k house can be repaired into a $50k house with $2000 of repairs and 2 months of work?

Because $2000 in repairs is hugely unrealistic if you ask me.

It costs $2000 to paint a wall these days, LOL...

[Need_affordable_home]

Originally Posted by bmurphy

Because $2000 in repairs is hugely unrealistic if you ask me.

It costs $2000 to paint a wall these days, LOL...

My dad can buy enough paint for the whole house for $50 LOL

[mystree]

I also do sort of have cotton in the walls. Well it is actually blown wool.

I seen something where they had denim mixed in the insulation,not sure where.

My husband also wants to get one of those computer routers.

It costs $2000 to paint a wall these days

Maybe if you are painting the Biltmore.

I think it cost us about $100-$125 to paint 2 bedrooms,kitchen,livingroom and 2 bathrooms but that included rollers,brushes,painters tape,ect.
And they had cheaper paint than the stuff we got.

[FLPL75]

Originally Posted by Cosmic

Karla. That thing is big bucks. Like close to $2K. But like him, I am going to have one. Got to go see it in the store. My dog may only get half rations while I save up. It does look neat in the ads. Blaine might also be a prime candidate if they can bag some of the right wood.

lol Cosmic
I love when hubby gets new "power tools" I just wish he would let me use the nail gun more
I have been "banned" from going into "woodcraft" he went in to buy a planner
while he was looking at the different wood
I was looking and asking the salesman about the different planners and the safety factors
when he made his way over I told him that he needed to get the top of the line planner it was safer and smoother running plus he couldn't get the planner unless he got the dust collection system
so he went in planning on spending $500 or so and walked out at $1800
Here is a table he designed and made this was his first try at bookmatching.
I picked out the zebra wood
karla

[bmurphy]

Originally Posted by mystree66

Maybe if you are painting the Biltmore.

I think it cost us about $100-$125 to paint 2 bedrooms,kitchen,livingroom and 2 bathrooms but that included rollers,brushes,painters tape,ect.
And they had cheaper paint than the stuff we got.

...I was kidding...