- Padding the budget is the only way to stay sane with renos, especially on older places. I usually add at least 20% for “unknowns”—it stings to set a...

I hear you on not gutting everything just because it’s old. Here’s where I land after doing a bunch of these: - If the plumbing’s solid and there’s n...

- Had the same issue with my nephew—he’d spill water and suddenly I’m getting “major leak detected” alerts. - Couldn’t agree more, but man, it gets...

I hear you on the plastic channels—those things are like leaf magnets in my experience. I’ve seen a few properties where folks went all-in on them, an...

- Totally get where you’re coming from—energy bills are no joke. - That said, sometimes you just need a little fresh air, insulation or not. - I’v...

Nice choice—I went through something similar with an older rental. Ended up with matte black hardware...modern enough to feel updated, but still vinta...

Totally agree on the smart lock thing—tech is great until it randomly decides to glitch out. A lockbox or even just hiding a spare key somewhere discr...

Interesting points, and I totally get the appeal of mid-range LEDs—especially if you're trying to balance cost and quality. But honestly, after renova...

I try to check mine every spring—kind of a habit I got into after dealing with some rental properties. You'd be amazed how quickly things can deterior...