I say you can do a whole lot more than I can.

I tell people that when I fix something in the house, I break something else. Seriously. So I stopped.

Case in point: moved into the house 2 years ago. It was built in 1995. Already had the floors done before we moved in. I see some rusty door hinges on inside doors. I figure I can do that. Do one hinge at a time. Easy peasy. I even bought Squeak Free hinges for the upgrade. Now, I have 2 doors that squeaks. And I had one door shaved down because it kept getting stuck.

I sanded down one door prior and it worked. I couldn't sand this down enough. It took less than 4 minutes for the guy to pop the door off the hinges, took it outside, and sanded it with a belt sander.

2002 build single family home. brick siding. Purchased in 2009.

1. New roof.
2. New flooring throughout
3. 10 new windows
4. 2 water heaters.
5. New deck (R&R)
6. Interior repaint
7. Appliances
8. R&R Garage door hardware and opener
9. Additional insulation in attic
10. BIGGIE--New Heat Pump/Air Handler and updated ducts (inadequate builder grade)

Welcome to the JOYS of home ownership.

My grandfather stated the day you buy a house the problems start and they never stop. I cannot fix anything and there are no engineers on my block.
As bendable would say i need to call the man.

Thank God for Google, YouTube and Internet. I was able to fix some of the issues and save money on labor. There are just some problems that I cannot figure out and is not comfortable to do the work.

For example, it has been 3 years now that 2 of my garage openers are both plugged into 2 separate extension cords. One day after it rained, 3 electrical outlets in the garage stopped working. 2 in the ceiling where each garage opener were plugged in, 1 outlet on the wall just STOPPED working. I checked all circuit breakers and GFI. Nothing was tripped. My assumption is that those 3 outlets are on the same electrical line, and there was a disconnect somewhere. I haven't been able to track it down. I am tempted to call an Electrician to diagnose the problem. Until then, the garage openers will be plugged into extension cords. I still have one working outlet in the same side of the garage.

My home was built in '68......I never run out of something that needs fixing or replaced.

Roof
Water heater
Kitchen
Installed carpet
Removed carpet, refinished hardwoods
Replaced exterior trim, soffits, shutters, painted the brick
New gutters
Electrical panel upgrade.

Having a 60+ year old home is fun. I've spent over $100k on this house and it still needs - two baths remodeled, sliding door replacement, basement refinished (paneling with no insulation and sound tiles).

We've lived in our house 35 years. It was built in 1858. I can't think of what we have not replaced. I don't like thinking about what's next but I know the next things will not stop coming.

quote:

Originally posted by ador:
Thank God for Google, YouTube and Internet. I was able to fix some of the issues and save money on labor. There are just some problems that I cannot figure out and is not comfortable to do the work.

For example, it has been 3 years now that 2 of my garage openers are both plugged into 2 separate extension cords. One day after it rained, 3 electrical outlets in the garage stopped working. 2 in the ceiling where each garage opener were plugged in, 1 outlet on the wall just STOPPED working. I checked all circuit breakers and GFI. Nothing was tripped. My assumption is that those 3 outlets are on the same electrical line, and there was a disconnect somewhere. I haven't been able to track it down. I am tempted to call an Electrician to diagnose the problem. Until then, the garage openers will be plugged into extension cords. I still have one working outlet in the same side of the garage.

I agree that YouTube and Google to help fix stuff; it has been a life and money saver.
Although I'm learning, a man has got to know his limitations.
My wife needs to learn that as well.

I recently retired, and she's already made a list of things for me to do and adds to it as she goes along.
All of a sudden, I became her personal assistant, handyman, electrician, maid, cook (l like to cook), etc.
But no interior plumbing, I draw the line at plumbing....

I'm sure you've looked everywhere, but in my home, some GFIs run plugs on the other side of the house.
The GFI for the outdoor porch plugs (front and back) is in the garage.
The GFI plug for the master bath is in the guest bath..

Someone mentioned draining water heaters; I do that once a year.
I'm amazed at the amount of sediment I see when I do it.
Not just drain and fill; I drain it, fill it a little to get stuff stirred up, drain it, and repeat until I don't see any more sediment coming out as I pour the drainage into a cup at the end of the hose.
Although our water is a bit hard, I also have to soak shower heads and faucet aerators in vinegar every now and then..

Hell, I forgot to add how much it cost to get our 6' builder-grade wood fence (they used landscape timbers for posts) replaced with an 8' cedar fence with metal posts.
That was a doozy.

But I love our home.
The warden, er wife, does make it very nice.
I do always tell her she is the one who makes our house a home.

quote:

Originally posted by Fly-Sig:
The annoyance to me is that things are so complex these days that very little is repairable by me. The dryer died a few months ago, and I was able to troubleshoot it down to a bad computer board. But it is obsolete and unavailable.

I actually fixed my 20 year old dryer just a month ago with a $50 used board. Those I could find. If it had been the front face with the buttons, I’d have been screwed.


This was fate the new fridge… but before the new tankless water heater I’m looking at.

O they do build homes like they used to

X they don't build homes like they used to.

I'm old. So is the house. We'll see who kicks first. If I don't need it, I don't fix it. Dishwasher needs a door switch. It works very well as a drying rack.

Just hit the 18 year mark with our house.

On the second dishwasher, second microwave/range hood and third range. Decided to replace the french door fridge with a dutch door model, primarily because I've never liked the french door style. Plus, the old fridge in the garage finally gave up, and needed replacement so the timing was right.

So I cleared out the garage fridge, rolled it outside and took the doors off the night before the new unit was delivered. Made it easy for the delivery guys - all they needed to do was roll the existing unit 10 feet into the dining room and plug it back in. I even pre-disconnected the water for the icemaker.
It was then a snap to bring in the new unit and slide it into the alcove in the kitchen, then roll the old garage fridge to the liftgate and into the truck. We'd handle moving the food from the dining room to the kitchen.

Easy, right?



Well, not so much. The original kitchen fridge, which showed no signs of distress, lasted exactly 6 days after being unplugged, rolled 10 feet, and plugged in again. No longer cools.

The repair guy from the local utility said we were low on freon, juiced it up, and it lasted about a month. Same deal. And my appliance repair contract will replace a bad compressor but not a leak in the coils. Which he says is the case. SMH.

So $750 more of my new pistol fund goes to a new garage fridge instead.

Oh well, it's only money. Could always be worse - the roof isn't leaking (yet).

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Wait until it's 86 years old...

I was gonna come here and post something similar.

My new girl turned 100 this year. We have the remains of a manual washer in the basement.

Everything is in some form of failure.

Sad thing is the bones are good. The worst parts are the newer additions.

Water heaters. 2010 we replaced the original one the builder installed in 1994. The Bradford-White we put in was touted as the best one on the market, replaced it at the same time we replaced the furnace and central A/C, also original to the house.

That Bradford-White started leaking literally the month following its ten year warranty expiration. Replaced it with a Rheem with a six year warranty for a third of what I was quoted for a new Bradford-White, labor included.

My house was built around 1910.

I moved in 36 years ago.

About 4 years ago we started to remodel while living in the house.

Almost done, not too much original parts left except three floors of floor joists.

Foundation to roof has been repaired or replaced.

Turned a central entrance colonial into an open floor plan.

I hope to be finished by Thanksgiving.

My house was built in 1977, I've been here 31 years. The only people I've paid for work is Roof, HVAC, and windows.
Early days I couldn't afford contractors, learn on your own and five extra trips to the hardware store. No Utube.
Replacing my deck this fall myself. Oh, Carpet, going to replace the whole house. I won't cut expensive carpet myself!
As to the OP, good luck with American HomeShield.

same same,

some of it is self inflicted,

as in wife wanted all new appliances (to match) when replacing one,

replaced linoleum with hardwood, then carpet with hardwood, then the entire upstairs was done, in hardwood,

changed out kitchen to granite counter tops,


things that actually broke, in the past 23 yrs,

hail damage, got a new roof and siding, as well as window screens

have replaced about a dozen windows, (lifetime warranty)
both HVAC units have been replaced and are probably due in abotu 5 yrs to break,


built a rear deck, and replaced that after 21 yrs with concrete,

wife has painted the interior 2x's,



learned a lesson or 2 on what not to plant outside, since Deer seem to look at the yard as a salad bowl,


in other words, the usual stuff

Old and wise neighbor used to say, "A house is like a baby that never grows up."

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:


as in wife wanted all new appliances (to match) when replacing one,

changed out kitchen to granite counter tops,

in other words, the usual stuff

I feel your pain, if one kitchen appliance goes, the new has to match the other ones, brand (exactly, no GE mixed with GE Profile), color, etc.
If not, they all get replaced, as per the wife.

Looking into replacing the countertops and back splashes soon, she wants the cabinets professionally painted black, inside and out.

The one thing that irritates me about this house?
The water heater, furnace, and fireplace starter are all gas.
The stove is electric; other houses in the neighborhood have gas stoves.
Oh, and there is no outside venting exhaust fan; it just recirculates the air, and it's useless.
The range sits on an exterior wall.
Probably get that vent situation changed when we do the kitchen, and might look into getting a gas line run.
I'd rather cook with gas than electric.

My sweetie-pie is 90 years old. She often farts in my sleep and I open one eye and usually just say to myself "that was a new noise" and then fall asleep again.

Aside from cracks in the original patio and driveway, she's hanging in there nicely. Next project is new windows, the single panes are original to the house and my insulated blinds and thicker drapes just aren't doing the job 100%, I lose a lot of heat/cool.

Not a single crack in the walls though, so I'm optimistic!

I feed the local ferals so I've got zero rodent problems, which tend to be disasters in century old homes around here.