The General Home Ownership Hell Thread

protector2814 · 12-28-2010, 01:52 PM

So, maybe a year ago, I start smelling sewage in my basement laundry room. I have the plumbers out a few times. They couldn't find anything, yet the smell persists and I just feel in my bones that something is terribly wrong. Long story short - we have our heating and cooling system replaced a month back ($$$) and the tech. smells the smell and traces in to the trap door behind our basement tub. Ten days ago, the plumbers come in with the jack hammers and, after tearing up our laundry room and basement bath floor, that our house has settled on the back side, crushing and snapping the brittle, 50 year old pipes connecting just about everything to the sewer line. Everything we've flushed or washed down a sink for gosh knows how long, has ended up in the ground below our home, further washing away the ground, causing even more settling and damage.

They've replaced pretty much everything, below ground, to the main sewer line. We haven't had hot water for 10 days (the heater had to be pulled) and just got back our kitchen sink yesterday.

$13, 000 is the estimate on top of the $10 we just dropped on the new heating/ac system. I tell you renters, you may just want to stay renting...'cause when home problems crop up, they often can kick you right in the nads. I'm just numb.

**JadeGiant** · 12-28-2010, 02:01 PM

man that is rough - sorry to hear about this.

**nbr3bagshotrow** · 12-28-2010, 02:02 PM

Bummer. I also dropped $6500 for a new furnace and a/c. The $1500 tax credit will be some consolation.

protector2814 · 12-28-2010, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nbr3bagshotrow

Bummer. I also dropped $6500 for a new furnace and a/c. The $1500 tax credit will be some consolation.

That was nice.

warhead · 12-28-2010, 02:25 PM

WOW thats a real bummer, but when all is said and done nothing will give you piece of mind like owning your own home, never having to worry about landlords or eviction, and knowing you are not paying someone elses mortgage lessens the load of paying a mortgage, the downside is these sometimes unexpected expenses.

**JadeGiant** · 12-28-2010, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warhead

WOW thats a real bummer, but when all is said and done nothing will give you piece of mind like owning your own home, never having to worry about landlords or eviction, and knowing you are not paying someone elses mortgage lessens the load of paying a mortgage, the downside is these sometimes unexpected expenses.

I agree with you completely, but when you have to drop 23k on your home with most of it not being an investment that appreciates the value of your home, you are sure to question that premise

Sinatra VonDoom · 12-28-2010, 02:39 PM

I feel for you, these things suck big time. I had to have my entire house rewired when I first bought it...around 20k. Not a single cosmetic change that anyone could notice, but it had to be done. The house is around 115 years old and it needs around 75k worth of work. When I bought it the economy was riding high and I figured I would bang out a project a year. Now I'm just in a holding pattern daydreaming about insurance fraud. I loved my apartment downtown, loved my condo down the road but this house is a millstone around my neck

**JadeGiant** · 12-28-2010, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sinatra VonDoom

I feel for you, these things suck big time. I had to have my entire house rewired when I first bought it...around 20k. Not a single cosmetic change that anyone could notice, but it had to be done. The house is around 115 years old and it needs around 75k worth of work. When I bought it the economy was riding high and I figured I would bang out a project a year. Now I'm just in a holding pattern daydreaming about insurance fraud. I loved my apartment downtown, loved my condo down the road but this house is a millstone around my neck

75k worth of work that needs to be done or you have already done?

Sinatra VonDoom · 12-28-2010, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JadeGiant

75k worth of work that needs to be done or you have already done?

Needs doing

Roof, front porch, side porch, driveway, walkway and the basement ohhhhh the basement. It was originally a dirt floor basement. The house was owned by one family though the generations, and they would slap some cement down themselves in a half assed way. The last guy died before getting around to it, the house came with several bags of cement. It is an absolute train wreck.

**JadeGiant** · 12-28-2010, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sinatra VonDoom

Needs doing

Roof, front porch, side porch, driveway, walkway and the basement ohhhhh the basement. It was originally a dirt floor basement. The house was owned by one family though the generations, and they would slap some cement down themselves in a half assed way. The last guy died before getting around to it, the house came with several bags of cement. It is an absolute train wreck.

oh man that is rough - you any good at repairs on your own or know anyone who could help? Is the 75k a price that covers cost and labor for all the repairs?