Prepare to take up a fixer upper

Having started working on our fixer in the past 3 months I have learned a few things which I think is every person should keep in mind before venturing down the path of fixing a home

1. Contractor:
   1. Make sure you have done your research to find a good contractor before you decide to buy a fixer
   2. Make sure you start reading up on stuff so that you can understand the contractor and he is not taking you for a ride

1. Finances:
   1. Make sure you are financially sound to be able to afford the fixer.
   2. Always account for at least 50% more than what your contractor quotes you

1. Design and Planning:
   1. Find out how much fixing you want to do right now and how much you want to differ for later
   2. Figure out the permit situation in the area where you bought your house
   3. Find a competent architect and structural engineer
   4. If you are planning on not getting a architect and structural engineer (depending on budget and the kind of fixing) make sure you have a really really good idea of what you want to do and start reading up on standards and working on plans from day one (it will take a really long time to come up with the final plan)
      1. On designing plans I got some good advice from an architect friend of mine, here are a few quick tips
         1. Make sure you have the accurate dimensions
         2. Make sure you account for the space the walls take
         3. Get educated with the standards eg. Stairs, windows etc.
         4. When you draw a plan draw every element within the room to get a good idea eg, bath, sink etc in a bathroom
         5. Don’t forget the clearance required for doors, stairs and all things that need to open

1. Monitoring progress:
   1. Make sure you are closely monitoring the work and don’t leave it up to your contractor
   2. Make sure you keep track of what work is being done when and that you know where the money is being spent esp. the raw material. Asking for receipts helps a loot

1. Have patience you need it
2. It will test your marriage/relationships be strong

But at the end of it, it’s a great experience and the first time will be tough but it will make you an expert. Good Luck

The biggest purchase of our lives

Three months ago we made one of the biggest purchases in our lifetime, a first for both of us, our first home and that too in San Francisco CA. Who would have thought that we would buy our first home in one of the most expensive cities to live in, but we did and along with it we also took upon a great project. Yes, after a lot of house hunting we finally bought a 100 year old fixer in a really great neighborhood called Bernal Heights . We put an offer, got a loan, signed the papers and got the keys. No, its not an easy 1,2,3,4 but you get the idea. Although buying a house is like climbing a huge mountain for us the bigger one was yet ahead – the fixing part.

We have been working on the house (with contractors of course) for the past three months and have been going through a great roller coaster of experiences and learnings. My friend mentioned that it would be great to document these to share with our friends and family as well as for us to look back upon once its done. Now that I have taken the first step by starting a blog for this purpose I am hoping to keep it up with regular updates.