Gradual release

[kymom99]

My sanitation is $60 a month. Water is about $50 a month. Sanitation was never more than water until the last 10 years or so. Both billed separately, but if you don’t pay your sanitation they will shut off your water.

Trash comes once a week for everything. I’ve heard of people having issues with the trash collectors not picking up things outside the can but it’s not an issue in my neighborhood. People pile all kinds of things in the sidewalk. Except my husband. He likes our trash to look tidy.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I’m in metro Atlanta in a city of 86k residents. Trash pickup is a private-company service that you contract directly with a provider. My neighborhood HOA negotiates with different companies to find us the best rates, then tells us “X company is the best option and if 80% of our neighborhood signs up with them we can get a discounted rate.” Residents want the discount and the HOA prefers not to have trash trucks from multiple companies coming through the neighborhood all week long, so it works out for everyone. We pay $80 a quarter for trash and recycling (which are separate services — you can choose just one or the other) with an 8% yearly increase.

We pay about $120 a month for mosquito control services, plus the ongoing expenses of devices and refill cartridges and sprays and whatever else we have in our arsenal for the ongoing battle of wanting to be able to walk to the mailbox without being mauled alive. Our four indoor cats have to be on year-round heartworm/flea/tick preventative, which was not the case up north, and that’s $1,000 per year.

 

[cvjw]

Sewer is pricey - that goes in my water bill, but the previous poster has it in the trash bill...

My water bill is only $50 per month, sewer included.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’ve heard of people having issues with the trash collectors not picking up things outside the can but it’s not an issue in my neighborhood.

A good amount of the companies around here charge overages for anything that doesn't fit in your trash bin. One of the main companies you had to buy overage stickers to then put on the trash. However, with our city and them doing that they seem to not have any issues with stuff on the side within reason. We don't have a bulk pick up day for free like a lot of cities around here do so that's one thing but if you have extra bags that don't fit they'll get out of the vehicle and pick them up. Same with recycling if you have extra boxes on the side they'll get out of the vehicle and get them.

 

[tvguy]

Wow. That is high for trash and recycling. I pay $80 for six months of trash and recycling pickup. If I only wanted trash pickup, it is $60 for 6 months.

And sewer and storm drain upkeep. No way to opt out. Mandatory service. I could go to the smaller trash and recycle cans, but I would only save $20 total every two months. There is only one size of green waste can, which is know known as the Organics can because it is the one you put your compostibles like meat and produce scraps and egg shells in.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Boy, that is the complete opposite from here. From a city planning perspective here, it's all about increasing population density. From a landlord's perspective, it is about getting more total rent for the same space. Instead of the usual $3,000 rent from an individual for a three bedroom, they can get $3,600 a month total.....$1,200 a month each, from three tenants.
Lots of residences being converted, and lots of grant money and tax breaks given to build new, high density housing.
Now the negative, at least here. The City is also assuming........or trying to force tenants......to use public transit. So they are allowing developers to build projects with fewer parking slots. A three bedroom apartment used to require three parking spots, one per bedroom, now they are being built with one parking spot per UNIT. This is California, EVERYONE pretty much has a car.
The City allowed a privately built apartment complex, aimed at students of nearby California State University Sacramento to be built with just one parking spot per unit. The neighborhood is now a mess with tenant cars parked all over, and tenants complaining they have to park a mile from their apartment.

One parking spot per unit is a thing here in the tri state yet it is often abused! Crazy how different yet also similar some states are!

 

[mjkacmom]

One parking spot per unit is a thing here in the tri state yet it is often abused! Crazy how different yet also similar some states are!

One spot per unit is very common where I live, some have no spots, which can be an issue since there is no overnight street parking.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

I live at home way past the age of what people in this thread would deem appropriate, but I can’t afford living on my own. I pay rent (or try to, my mom refuses to take it she wants me to save) but I pay for my own necessities and help her with her bills and other things. I’m going back to school to get my masters.

Living in SoCal is so expensive and people say to move somewhere cheaper but even moving is ridiculously expensive.

 

[tvguy]

I live at home way past the age of what people in this thread would deem appropriate, but I can’t afford living on my own. I pay rent (or try to, my mom refuses to take it she wants me to save) but I pay for my own necessities and help her with her bills and other things. I’m going back to school to get my masters.

Living in SoCal is so expensive and people say to move somewhere cheaper but even moving is ridiculously expensive.

My son and DIL finally got an offer accepted after a year of shopping in Los Angeles County. They had to offer $100,000 over asking and it will take another $200,000 3 months of remodeling before they can move in. I have no idea how they can afford this.
While SoCal is expensive, houses are still selling with in day of listing, instead of hours of listing, and people are still paying ridiculously prices.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I live at home way past the age of what people in this thread would deem appropriate, but I can’t afford living on my own. I pay rent (or try to, my mom refuses to take it she wants me to save) but I pay for my own necessities and help her with her bills and other things. I’m going back to school to get my masters.

Living in SoCal is so expensive and people say to move somewhere cheaper but even moving is ridiculously expensive.

SAME! As mentioned earlier in this thread I do pay my car insurance (as well as health insurance) and most other things but rent is often refused!

 

[barkley]

My son and DIL finally got an offer accepted after a year of shopping in Los Angeles County. They had to offer $100,000 over asking and it will take another $200,000 3 months of remodeling before they can move in. I have no idea how they can afford this.
While SoCal is expensive, houses are still selling with in day of listing, instead of hours of listing, and people are still paying ridiculously prices.

northern california is just as nuts! i took a look at the current estimated values of both the house i grew up in as well as the one dh did and . both are barely above 1000 sq feet, built in the mid 50's (NO mid century modern charm at all). no potential to increase the horrifically small kitchens or bathrooms w/o literally adding massive additions and re configuring entire layouts which would be near impossible due to the small tract home lot sizes. old school laundry hookups in the garages (ours was not attached so you had to walk outside to get to it). got to see recent interior and exterior listing photos b/c mine sold a few months ago-some minor upgrades vs. when mom sold in the 90's but not much/still has the same concrete patio w/ the massive crack my dad griped about dating back to the 70's. all this and NOTHING MORE can be gotten into a bidding war for the low estimated price of $700K

 

[mefordis]

My son and DIL finally got an offer accepted after a year of shopping in Los Angeles County. They had to offer $100,000 over asking and it will take another $200,000 3 months of remodeling before they can move in. I have no idea how they can afford this.
While SoCal is expensive, houses are still selling with in day of listing, instead of hours of listing, and people are still paying ridiculously prices.

Do you know what the 200k of remodeling includes? I ask because we re remodeling our house here in NJ and would be interesting to compare prices. We are putting a new 2nd floor on our ranch.

 

[barkley]

Do you know what the 200k of remodeling includes? I ask because we re remodeling our house here in NJ and would be interesting to compare prices. We are putting a new 2nd floor on our ranch.

we just did what would be considered minor remodeling of some rooms in our home-nothing that entailed new appliances, electrical, major construction or major plumbing. it came close to $30K.

 

[mefordis]

we just did what would be considered minor remodeling of some rooms in our home-nothing that entailed new appliances, electrical, major construction or major plumbing. it came close to $30K.

The first estimate I got for adding a second floor w/ 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms: 360k

 

[disneychrista]

The first estimate I got for adding a second floor w/ 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms: 360k

So you are essentially adding an entire house to your existing house. LOL.

 

[mefordis]

So you are essentially adding an entire house to your existing house. LOL.

Yes. It makes more financial sense than moving into a different house. There are 0 new builds here that are under 1.3 million. At least half our house will be new.

 

[barkley]

The first estimate I got for adding a second floor w/ 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms: 360k

budget more than whatever bid you get. prices keep increasing and it never fails that there's something that costs more when it comes in to connecting portions of the new stuff into the old.

i can't imagine spending that much let alone dealing with that kind of project-please tell me that the bid includes separate hvac and a second store laundry (the two biggest issues i had living in a 2 story house involved not having these).

 

[tvguy]

Do you know what the 200k of remodeling includes? I ask because we re remodeling our house here in NJ and would be interesting to compare prices. We are putting a new 2nd floor on our ranch.

Do you know what the 200k of remodeling includes? I ask because we re remodeling our house here in NJ and would be interesting to compare prices. We are putting a new 2nd floor on our ranch.

1) Removing and abating popcorn ceilings with asbestos in the entire house. Texturing and painting all the ceilings.
2) Removing un-permitted/illegal modifications to two car detached garage. They had turned half the garage into a workshop type room
3) Replacing all kitchen flooring, cabinets and appliances. The kitchen was "as built" in 1957.
4) Removing all carpeting in the living room, family room and three bedrooms. Refinishing the hardwood floors that were under the carpet.
5) Remove wall paper from ALL interior walls (and doors, YES the doors were wallpapered) Texture and paint all walls. Replace all doors
6) Replace main electrical panel with modern and larger panel.
7) Run 220 line from house to detached garage for EV charger. This involves digging a trench and pulling the wire under existing cement patio.
8) Gut and replace all fixtures in master bathroom
9) Gut and replace all fixtures in guest bathroom
10) Removed in ground spa and all associated plumbing.

 

[mefordis]

budget more than whatever bid you get. prices keep increasing and it never fails that there's something that costs more when it comes in to connecting portions of the new stuff into the old.

i can't imagine spending that much let alone dealing with that kind of project-please tell me that the bid includes separate hvac and a second store laundry (the two biggest issues i had living in a 2 story house involved not having these).

We know it will be more than the actual bid. We are waiting for all the bids to come in. There is a slow down in construction that's expected to continue and lumber prices are actually going down. It's not going to cost us what it would have had we done this project last year. The project will begin in 2023.

 

[mefordis]

1) Removing and abating popcorn ceilings with asbestos in the entire house. Texturing and painting all the ceilings.
2) Removing un-permitted/illegal modifications to two car detached garage. They had turned half the garage into a workshop type room
3) Replacing all kitchen flooring, cabinets and appliances. The kitchen was "as built" in 1957.
4) Removing all carpeting in the living room, family room and three bedrooms. Refinishing the hardwood floors that were under the carpet.
5) Remove wall paper from ALL interior walls (and doors, YES the doors were wallpapered) Texture and paint all walls. Replace all doors
6) Replace main electrical panel with modern and larger panel.
7) Run 220 line from house to detached garage for EV charger. This involves digging a trench and pulling the wire under existing cement patio.
8) Gut and replace all fixtures in master bathroom
9) Gut and replace all fixtures in guest bathroom
10) Removed in ground spa and all associated plumbing.

Why are you replying to a question I asked @barkley ? I asked about their remodel. (Just curious! lol!)