DodgePremium
join:2002-11-27 | reply to Bob
Re: Easements question said by Bob:Guy here at work redid his kitchen. Cost was $30k-$40k. And it took weeks and weeks and weeks.
In all fairness the kitchen in house #2 is updated not upgraded. The apliances are brand new SS. Cabinets are low end wood stuff and counters are double corian. So basically livable for a few years.
Also just found another gem of information, both houses have carpets (hate carpets, plus have allergies), however house one is carpet on plywood, house 2 is carpet on hardwood. So i'm guessing, refinishing hardwood that's already there should be less costly than putting new one on. |
|
BobAccount deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey Reviews:
 ·Optimum Online
| I have some rooms with carpet over hardwood. The hardwood under the carpet looks brand new after 28 years. Although I suppose it has a lot of holes in it from tacks holding the carpet padding.
Seems to me that you're leaning towards #2, assuming you want the pool. |
|
 DraimanLet me see those devil horns in the sky
join:2012-06-01
Kill Devil Hills, NC
 ·Verizon FiOS
| reply to Dodge
said by Dodge:said by Bob:Guy here at work redid his kitchen. Cost was $30k-$40k. And it took weeks and weeks and weeks.
In all fairness the kitchen in house #2 is updated not upgraded. The apliances are brand new SS. Cabinets are low end wood stuff and counters are double corian. So basically livable for a few years. Also just found another gem of information, both houses have carpets (hate carpets, plus have allergies), however house one is carpet on plywood, house 2 is carpet on hardwood. So i'm guessing, refinishing hardwood that's already there should be less costly than putting new one on. They install tack strips with nails into the hardwood floor for carpeting. The carpeting was removed in our house before we bought it so they could claim hardwood floors. They had it professionally redone as well. I didn't notice the HUNDREDS of small holes in it until after we bought it. You don't notice them unless you really look but the hardwood is ruined. Your mileage may vary but just a heads up.
--
What we're saying today is that you're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem. - E. Cleaver 1968 |
|
BobAccount deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey | We have other rooms where the carpeting has been removed. The holes don't bother me. I wouldn't say the floor is ruined. |
|
DodgePremium
join:2002-11-27 | reply to Bob
said by Bob:I have some rooms with carpet over hardwood. The hardwood under the carpet looks brand new after 28 years. Although I suppose it has a lot of holes in it from tacks holding the carpet padding.
Seems to me that you're leaning towards #2, assuming you want the pool.
To be honest I don't know what I am leaning towards. Pool is nice, but you guys scared the living crap out of me in the other thread about maintenance 
I've never owned a house before, so everything scares me right now. Easements, basements flooding, trees falling, pools cracking, plumbing exploding, etc.. is starting to slowly replace the great feeling of finally buying house with a black and white picture of a post-apocalyptic world |
|
|
|
 Killa200Premium
join:2005-12-02
Southeast TN
·Charter
| reply to Dodge
I'd go check out house #2 and scrutinize the every living heck out of the foundation for rot, settling, overloading. Should be fairly easy since it is unfinished. I'd also get a feel for the roof life on that one as well, as you didn't mention its age.
All those things pending well, I'd heavily lean that direction. |
|
DraimanLet me see those devil horns in the sky
join:2012-06-01
Kill Devil Hills, NC Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| reply to Bob
said by Bob:We have other rooms where the carpeting has been removed. The holes don't bother me. I wouldn't say the floor is ruined.
The only way to fix the holes is wood filler then stain it slightly darker so they blend in. No amount of sanding will go that deep. I'll take pictures and post them tomorrow.
There could also be deep stains you can't sand out like pet urine or a spill. Again you need to stain darker to hide that stuff.
--
What we're saying today is that you're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem. - E. Cleaver 1968 |
|
BobAccount deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey Reviews:
·Optimum Online
| reply to Dodge
That's why you have insurance! Actually, easements are no big deal,* although I wouldn't live anywhere near a petroleum or gas pipeline.
* I'm surprised that you're worried about 20' out of 240'. 220' isn't big enough for you? The house where I grew up was on a 75' x 100' lot, so I guess it's what you're used to. Remember that bigger lot means more grass to mow! |
|
 mityfowlPremium
join:2000-11-06
Dallas, TX
2 edits | reply to Dodge
said by Dodge:said by Bob:I have some rooms with carpet over hardwood. The hardwood under the carpet looks brand new after 28 years. Although I suppose it has a lot of holes in it from tacks holding the carpet padding.
Seems to me that you're leaning towards #2, assuming you want the pool.
To be honest I don't know what I am leaning towards. Pool is nice, but you guys scared the living crap out of me in the other thread about maintenance I've never owned a house before, so everything scares me right now. Easements, basements flooding, trees falling, pools cracking, plumbing exploding, etc.. is starting to slowly replace the great feeling of finally buying house with a black and white picture of a post-apocalyptic world I have had my house on the end of a cul d sac for 25 years. I have a volleyball pool I built.
I think I have a 14' easement on a not quite 1/2 acre down the side but it's never come into play.
Over the years I have had a lot of visitors and guests but I love it here and everyone likes visiting. I have a sense of privacy that people with a 3x more expense can't achieve. 'stick with the cul d sac. |
|
garys_2kPremium
join:2004-05-07
Farmington, MI Reviews:
 ·callwithus
·Callcentric
| reply to Dodge
said by Dodge:You are right. I just checked with the realtor and they said that there is an implied 20' in front. So on the house that has a 20' in the back it also has implied 20' in the front, effectively removing 40' from the property.
I wouldn't imply that, at all. The street easement isn't likely to ever be an issue, it's there in case the city needs to work on the pavement or, possibly, a buried sewer, water or gas line. Possible, but the odds are very small.
The rear drainage easement isn't likely to ever be an issue, either. The fact that it's 20' wide almost implies that the pipe is entirely inside your property (easements often are center +/- 10') so a fence at the back of your property wouldn't even be an issue.
All in all I'd put those easement concerns way, way down on my concerns list. |
|
| reply to Dodge
Easements for utilities on any lot are quite common. All it means is that the holder of the easement has the right to access that easement for maintanence of their system, in this case a drainage pipe. It is no different from the electric or phone company having the right to access their underground lines that run through your property. In the vast majority of cases the easement holder never has to has to enforce their right.
If the house is right, dont let a utility easement scare you. |
|
DodgePremium
join:2002-11-27 | reply to Killa200
said by Killa200:I'd go check out house #2 and scrutinize the every living heck out of the foundation for rot, settling, overloading. Should be fairly easy since it is unfinished. I'd also get a feel for the roof life on that one as well, as you didn't mention its age.
All those things pending well, I'd heavily lean that direction.
The roof is 28 years old, it was repaired recently after Sandy took some shingles out. There is also chimney damage, but that's already under contract to be fixed pre-sale by a licensed contractor. The basement is unfiinished, but doesn't span the whole house, it's slab - small basement with utilities in it - more slab. |
|
mityfowlPremium
join:2000-11-06
Dallas, TX | said by Dodge:said by Killa200:I'd go check out house #2 and scrutinize the every living heck out of the foundation for rot, settling, overloading. Should be fairly easy since it is unfinished. I'd also get a feel for the roof life on that one as well, as you didn't mention its age.
All those things pending well, I'd heavily lean that direction.
The roof is 28 years old, it was repaired recently after Sandy took some shingles out. There is also chimney damage, but that's already under contract to be fixed pre-sale by a licensed contractor. The basement is unfiinished, but doesn't span the whole house, it's slab - small basement with utilities in it - more slab. You will need a new roof.
Maybe not right now, but you will soon. |
|
DodgePremium
join:2002-11-27 | reply to Bob
said by Bob:That's why you have insurance! Actually, easements are no big deal,* although I wouldn't live anywhere near a petroleum or gas pipeline.
* I'm surprised that you're worried about 20' out of 240'. 220' isn't big enough for you? The house where I grew up was on a 75' x 100' lot, so I guess it's what you're used to. Remember that bigger lot means more grass to mow!
220' would be big enough if the houses were not deep set on the property. The back yard is not that big when you consider how far back the house is. |
|
guppy_fishPremium
join:2003-12-09
Lakeland, FL
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| You don't understand easements, looking at it, you just see your property and for the time you own the home it will likely never be accessed.
You can put a fence , landscape, hedges anything you like, Its just there so when and if a utility needs repair, they don't have to ask your permission to access it and have the legal right to remove ( it you don't ) anything that is a obstruction
|
|
DodgePremium
join:2002-11-27 | reply to Dodge
Actually I am not worried about them removing anything on the easement, I can live without using that area for anything permanent, I am more concerned with the way they decide to access the area taking half the yard with them in the process - for example if they need to bring heavy machines in, I'm assuming they won't airlift them onto the easement and will drag them through someone's yard effectively causing damage to the areas that are not on the easement.
Also I just came up with another question, if I have a fenced in yard and a dog running around within said yard. The utility decides to go through the yard to get to their easement, what happens if the dog runs away because they took the fence down or the dog attacks someone? Let's assume it's an emergency repair and they didn't notify anyone and just showed up, because I understand that if they notified me and I didn't do anything to prepare it's my own fault. |
|
DraimanLet me see those devil horns in the sky
join:2012-06-01
Kill Devil Hills, NC Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| reply to Dodge
No utility on the planet will remove a fence keeping in an animal that might attack them. I'd be more worried about a tree falling and taking out the fence. That happened TWICE the first year we bought our house.
The other thing is you have Home Owners Insurance so your only out your deductible should anything happen. Dog bites someone you have insurance. Tree or city kills your fence you have insurance.
--
What we're saying today is that you're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem. - E. Cleaver 1968 |
|
DodgePremium
join:2002-11-27 | said by Draiman:No utility on the planet will remove a fence keeping in an animal that might attack them. I'd be more worried about a tree falling and taking out the fence. That happened TWICE the first year we bought our house.
Great, easement problem solved: 1) put up a fence 2) get 2 dobermans and let them roam in the yard (obviously joking here), but the question was serious as I am planning to get a dog. |
|
DraimanLet me see those devil horns in the sky
join:2012-06-01
Kill Devil Hills, NC Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| said by Dodge:said by Draiman:No utility on the planet will remove a fence keeping in an animal that might attack them. I'd be more worried about a tree falling and taking out the fence. That happened TWICE the first year we bought our house.
Great, easement problem solved: 1) put up a fence 2) get 2 dobermans and let them roam in the yard (obviously joking here), but the question was serious as I am planning to get a dog. The city/utility would ask you to keep the dog(s) inside or out of the work area either directly or via mail. If you fail to comply they'll get someone in who is trained with dogs to remove it for you. They'll try as much as they can but at some point they'll do what needs to be done.
--
What we're saying today is that you're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem. - E. Cleaver 1968 |
|
robbinPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
kudos:1 | reply to Dodge
said by Dodge:Actually I am not worried about them removing anything on the easement, I can live without using that area for anything permanent, I am more concerned with the way they decide to access the area taking half the yard with them in the process - for example if they need to bring heavy machines in, I'm assuming they won't airlift them onto the easement and will drag them through someone's yard effectively causing damage to the areas that are not on the easement.
Technically, they only have rights to the easement. They don't have any rights to tear up other parts of your yard to get to the easement. |
|
