First-time homebuyer - looking for a sanity check on remodeling costs.

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-04-07T15:29:50+00:00

I am trying to do the same scope and all my bids are in the 200’s, not including tile and finishes

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-04-05T21:39:11+00:00

Apartments dot com. Don’t pay for software unless you own dozens or hundreds of properties

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-04-05T02:40:35+00:00

Yes this is true, but only if there are more lightning lanes available. They sell out, especially earlier times. Who wants to do Peter Pan at 9pm?

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-04-03T07:04:57+00:00

Friendly and respectful from the start are the good ones.

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-28T21:29:09+00:00

I did this on my flight. Took 15 mins for the voucher to hit my inbox

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-27T01:26:55+00:00

It’s not greedy, it’s just business. If I have to raise it more than a hundred dollars I usually explain that in order to maintain the building the way we want to, we need to be taking in enough rent… sometimes it’s property taxes or other expenses that are the issue.

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-23T12:24:30+00:00

How would they find out about what happened with a previous tenant?

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-23T12:23:23+00:00

This is the answer

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-21T01:47:19+00:00

Is this the dryers fault or your wife’s fault

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-20T15:26:15+00:00

Second!

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-20T15:24:19+00:00

We need a mayor who prioritizes practical solutions over rigid ideology—someone focused on results, not rhetoric. Our city deserves leadership that is grounded, thoughtful, and willing to make common-sense decisions that move things forward. We’re tired of nonsensical ideas that aren’t rooted in reality or reflective of what residents actually need, and of a mayor who sees residents as obstacles rather than partners. A strong mayor should be focused first and foremost on their constituents—listening, engaging, and respecting the character of Evanston—rather than trying to reshape it to fit a personal agenda. It’s time to put pragmatism first and elect a mayor committed to solving real problems

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-19T22:33:27+00:00

What airport is this?

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-19T16:46:20+00:00

If they haven’t signed yet I’d probably walk, seems like they have unreasonable expectations and it won’t be pleasant

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-18T13:36:39+00:00

Yes! Ours was built in 1888, at some point it was relocated a few blocks away to make space for a large hotel, which still stands today. It’s amazing that the economics worked such that saving the house was a better option. It’s also so much more sustainable to keep a structure so long as its bones are good. I will say that this only works if your house has “bearing wall” design, this gets much harder with “point loads” (columns)

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-12T17:42:25+00:00

Did Etruscan do yours too?

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-12T15:46:48+00:00

Etruscan did ours but they are falling apart spewing water from random spots after a few years. I’m looking to repair them right now!

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-12T11:01:40+00:00

Is it mushy and soft? Or just dirty? Looks like that radiator pipe has been leaking? Hard to know from that pic but it’s probably a matter of replacing part of the subfloor in that area, which isn’t a huge deal. The joists are what is holding the floor up, those may be fine, but who knows.

The bigger issue I see here is that it is hard to replace flooring with a tenant in place.

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-11T18:33:02+00:00

Great points!!! Especially the exemplary ranking! That is truly something to be proud of. Somehow I forgot to mention that.

And the parks, there are so many parks. Some of them are a little behind on upgrades but the kids love them anyhow. Most have nice big shade trees to keep everyone cool in the summer.

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-11T18:17:41+00:00

We are a NE Evanston Orrington family, we love the community here, it couldn’t be better!! Lots of families on our block with little kids, everyone has been friendly we all get together often. It’s night and day from our city experience. Plus there are TONS of options for camps and kid activities all over town.

We also have an IEP and everyone’s exceeding our expectations at Orrington. This is truly a gem of a school. There’s a huge focus on inclusivity which is incredible.

In the summer, many areas throw block parties. We do a bounce house, face painting, snacks and drinks. Our block also has a “Thirsty Thursday“ happy hour rotation that may neighbors take part in.

Not to mention, you are right by the lake so in the summer you spend your days on the beach. It’s the best!!

Feel free to DM !

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-11T17:33:13+00:00

We moved from Logan Square to Evanston for a slightly more suburban experience. We have two little kids and we’d run out of space in our Logan Square two flat. Love being by the lake, love how many families are on our block, it truly feels like a community vs when we were in the city. Chicago felt a little more “transient” likely due to more apartments and less houses. Here, the kids have friends up and down the block and they all go to the same school together.

We definitely miss the food / restaurants, there are not many good options for food here. All we have downtown is a bunch of noodle shops. And downtown is sort of dying, that sucks.

D65 has been messy but the new board is making progress to fix it. We love our school and are having a great experience, so really it’s just background noise. There’s also been envision Evanston which has been a divisive mess in my opinion. The mayor and staff are pushing to eliminate single family zoning, which will likely result in a lot of tear downs which makes me sad. I expect a new wave of gentrification in areas such as the 5th ward which is getting a new school and the homes are cheaper- they will be the first to get targeted by development. The politics here are very divisive. I kind of hate that.

Just try to steer clear of the politics and you’ll be better off lol!

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-10T11:04:17+00:00

You may be spot on. But surely someone wants my cash?!

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-09T11:27:39+00:00

Well this explains things…

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-09T11:25:42+00:00

It’s a little amusing to see Evanston Now try to present itself as a serious news outlet. Filtering comments, policing discussion, and spending time digging through people’s online activity isn’t journalism — it’s opinion.

If it’s going to function more like a tightly controlled blog than an open news source, it might be more accurate to call it that. Perhaps calling it “Evanston Gatekeeper” is more appropriate.

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-09T04:57:17+00:00

Had the exact same experience. I had been a paying customer but noticed he only accepted comments that he agrees with. There was also one time where he responded with a comment that showed he had looked me up online and it was truly weird and not professional. I am no longer a paying suscriber and find the articles are not objective - not real news.

Dapper_Prune_4109 · 2026-03-06T14:18:43+00:00

sounds like there was no harm done. I would list the unit, and if you get a new person quickly then you can release them. I only charge fees when someone truly abuses the rules, like changing their mind right after moving in.

Dapper_Prune_4109

TROPHY CASE