Home ownership, upkeep costs, no money

[Knight]

I attached some pictures of problem areas on my vintage gutters. I think there is something I can buy, some sort of goop, that might seal the end caps. I also think, now that I have the photo, that the downspout might be easy enough to attach back in place. I guess my main problem is the very sandy soil and my difficulty in standing the ladder up against the roof.

I like a good challenge and doing things myself, but if I feel it’s beyond me, I’ll have to find someone, a handyman or such, to do the repairs. And, someone else to clean them out each year. I have cottonwoods and sycamores and they do so love dropping their leaves, branches, and fuzzy stuff. I sure appreciate all your input!!

DIY is great if you can.
Veronicas post is excellent. You know your limitations & should be applauded for being self sufficient for so many years.

 

[Jules]

I looked into leaf guards. Theres a lot of stuff they dont tell you. For example.

Exactly. A neighbour got them and said all the things you listed. He regretted it. It was less expensive to hire someone once a year.

SueBee - well done on raising a family on your own and saving money for your own house.

 

[OldOld]

Unless your house is falling apart or the roof is leaking, you don't have to worry about upkeeping of the home if you don't want to. I have seen many seniors just don't bother with the house maintenance and repairs. Whoever inherit the house after you die can do the work.

 

[hearlady]

At the end of 2021, I bought a house halfway across the country, after having been a renter for decades. I’d owned a small mobile home, sold it and used the proceeds ($30k) as the down payment. I live on social security, but can afford to do so in my new state. Owning a home that I bought all by myself still makes me pinch myself to see if it’s real.

The mortage (PITI) costs me less each month than the space rent did on the mobile home I owned. The thing I know will be a problem is the lack of money for certain maintenance things (rain gutters for example). I do have a bit of savings (under $40k) from a 401K that I rolled over, but I’m keeping that for future potential big ticket items. My brother and wife also moved to the same place I now live.

They were lucky and sold their house that was free & clear for over $1.3M and also inherited her mother’s estate, with a house, also free & clear, that cleared $1.4M, as well as investments And a pension. So, to say they’re rolling in dough is an understatement, in my mind. They spend freely on things for their new house.

The sore spot that prompts this post is my brother, while perhaps meaning well, says to me that he’s getting new leaf guards on his house, and upgrading the furnace/AC. (I’m using this as an example as it’s been a continual thing for past year or two…) He then says I should get new gutters. Mine are original to the 1964 house and have some rust and leak issues at downspouts. I told him I’d had an estimate, and can’t do it right now. He asks why.

He and wife both know my financial situation very well, and yet my brother will still ask me why I’m not doing this or that maintenance thing. I tell him I don’t have the money. I get the impression from his comments that he just doesn’t understand. He and wife never had kids, both worked, they kept to themselves. I raised 3 kids by myself, self-employed. I don’t have the savings they do, but I feel very fortunate, truly lucky, to be where I am today, in my early 70s. How do I get myself to just “let it go” when he says things like he does… clearly with no comprehension of a person not able to spend freely.

I would tell him to get the gutters and you want to wait and see if they work well before you invest. They are not always as advertised. In the meantime do your own research on gutters from local companies in that type of business. They know which ones work in your area and may not be as expensive as the national companies. Then you'll know if you can handle that cost.
If you need gutters, you shouldn't wait too long or you'll have more expensive repairs to deal with.

 

[hearlady]

I own a two story but some of this applies to one stories. Im guessing yours is one story.
I looked into leaf guards. Theres a lot of stuff they dont tell you. For example.

They can trap leaves, twigs, and other stuff on top and stop water from entering the gutters.
Small debris like pine needles, seeds, and shingle grit can still get through and clog the system.
Then you have to pay extra maintenance on them so your gutters can be cleaned.
They also can make it hard to visually inspect the gutters for buildup.
This can lead to unnoticed clogs and potential damage.
Water can back up if they are clogged and damage the soffits etc.

Lets just say leaf guards would be $3000 and gutter cleaning is $300 a year.
You can have your gutters cleaned for ten years for the same cost.
Check out costs in your area to make an informed decision.
For what its worth Im sticking with yearly cleaning and patching any leaks that show up.

Also why do you need new gutters. Gutters can be patched and might just need to be rehung with the proper slope.
And you need to know why there are leaks at the downspouts and fix the issue.
Guards probably wont solve that issue since they just sit on top of the gutters.

Yes, they guarantee that the gutters won't clog but they don't tell you that leaves and pine needles will sit on top and block the water.

 

[Murrmurr]

I attached some pictures of problem areas on my vintage gutters. I think there is something I can buy, some sort of goop, that might seal the end caps. I also think, now that I have the photo, that the downspout might be easy enough to attach back in place. I guess my main problem is the very sandy soil and my difficulty in standing the ladder up against the roof.

I like a good challenge and doing things myself, but if I feel it’s beyond me, I’ll have to find someone, a handyman or such, to do the repairs. And, someone else to clean them out each year. I have cottonwoods and sycamores and they do so love dropping their leaves, branches, and fuzzy stuff. I sure appreciate all your input!!

Rain gutters come in sections, and Home Depot probably has them. You should show those photos to one of their customer assistants. Ask if they offer free installation. They probly don't on rain gutter sections, but they will give you their bottom price (if they have an installer).

You could use a helper. If there are any teenagers in your neighborhood who are good kids, maybe think about talking to one of them about doing an occasional job for $20 or whatever. I can't get around very well so I hired a neighbor kid to come over once a week to help with a few things. I give him $20/wk. He shows up without fail, does a great job, and always asks if there's anything else he can do before he leaves. The kid is only 10! He's a big guy, but, jeez, 10yrs-old....just amazes me he already has a decent work ethic.

(His 16yr-old brother helps me with my vegetable garden. He's working for veggies instead of money)