Dear Maintenance Men:
Dear Maintenance
Men:
A resident cut a
hole in the bedroom wall through to the garage and converted the garage into a
living space. Before I rent the
unit I want to bring it back to original condition.
Can I just slap up some drywall and be done?
John
Dear John:
We will assume “the hole” the resident cut into the
wall was a doorway or an opening of similar size.
The issue of repairing or replacing an attached garage wall system is a
serious one. Often the importance
and proper building code compliance is overlooked.
In some cases owners or DIY’s unknowingly create a situation that can
be disastrous in the case of fire.
Most cities require the use of five eights type X gypsum board (drywall)
as a firewall. The drywall board
should have a one-hour fire rating. Because the garage and living area structures are
attached or share the same wall, the drywall must not exceed one-quarter inch
gaps when installed. There
should not be a gap between the footing and the wallboard.
(This is to insure fire does not breach cracks, crevices or gaps.
When installing the wallboard, start from the top of the wall and go
down. If your existing wall
is lath and plaster, you will need to use one quarter inch furring strips and
five eights inch drywall. Then mud
and tape the joints and texture to suit.
Dear Maintenance
Men:
I had a plumber come
to my building and fix a stuck main gate valve. As it was an emergency and the
residents did not have water, I told the plumber to deal with it and bill me
later. The residents said the plumber worked for two hours replacing the old
valve and pressure regulator. I was
floored when the bill came in at $700! I
know not asking for a quote was wrong and I deserve to have my hand smacked with
a ruler, but, did I get over charged or is this normal?
(My regular plumber was not available)
Neff
Dear Neff:
Ask any doctor about money and he will tell you if he had
to do it all over again he would be a plumber! That being said, you are paying
for experience not time and a good plumber is worth his weight
in gold. After reviewing
your situation, and making a few calls, we believe you paid on the higher end of
the scale, but within reason. The
fact that this was not your regular plumber might explain the difference in
price. We would chock this up to a
lesson learned, now hold out your hands … whack, whack!
Dear Maintenance Men:
I am the owner of some smaller units, and the recent heat waves have done a number on my landscaping. Long story short, I need to replace the lawns. Do you recommend seeding or sod? Also, do you have any tips for the process?
Joseph
Dear Joseph:
First tip we have is to automate your sprinklers or at minimum trouble shoot, repair or replace your existing sprinkler system as needed. Making sure your irrigation system is operating properly is of primary concern before undertaking the expense of re-seeding or installing new sod.
If your grass is only yellow, simply watering and spreading new seed and fertilizer my return your lawn to it’s former glory. If your grass is missing in places or there are a lot of bald areas, seeding may not be enough. It will be better to remove all the dead grass and install the sod. If you are using sod, be sure to pick a cool day for installation and don’t let the sod dry out.
As a comparison, using seed is much cheaper than sod, but
seed is also much weaker and more prone to damage. Sod is much more expensive, but you will have an instant lawn
ready for action. Seed or sod
. . . Water, Water, and Water in the beginning, but then cut back on the water
so that you do not over-water and rot your new lawn. It is best to water longer and more infrequently so that the
roots grow down for moisture. A
short more frequent watering schedule will cause the roots to stay on the
surface that in turn will make them more susceptible to heat damage.
Bio:
Jerry L'Ecuyer is the owner of JLE Property Management & Buffalo
Maintenance and is a licensed contractor & real estate broker.
He is currently on the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Education
Committee for the Apartment Association of Orange County. Jerry has been involved with apartments as a professional
since 1988 and can be reached at (714) 778-0480 or jerry@JLE1.com. Frank Alvarez is the Operations Director for Buffalo
Maintenance. He has been involved with apartment maintenance for over 14 years.
Frank can be reached at (714) 956-8371 or visit the office at, 202 E. Broadway
in Anaheim, CA 92805. Please view our web site at: WWW.JLE1.COM