Upgrading my tired-looking rental unit
October 10, 2015
My heart sank when my long-time (seven years!), just-married tenants gave me three months notice. Online research indicated the rental unit had been renting well under market value, but also confirmed my two-bedroom rental unit might look a little tired, worn and even neglected.
The laminate flooring was so old and had been so badly installed, there were one-inch gaps every 10 to 12 floor boards.
The kitchen floor, which had featured a dead-centre drain, had also had a noticeable slant to it, but none of us had realized it actually dropped three full inches end to end. No one could have foreseen the time required to replace the cement floor in the bathroom, level the kitchen floor, move the drain, line up the stove and countertop, install proper behind-the-walls and utility room piping and handle myriad small details. Fortunately for all of us, everyone involved played fair and as a result, I can say that we all got exactly what we wanted out of this apartment renovation – a great place to live, a hefty pay check, a good long-term tenant, an acceptable ROI and as a bonus, a powerful sense of pride.
About Kara Kuryllowicz
Kara Kuryllowicz, a Toronto-based freelance business writer, has been writing and editing for a wide range of corporate clients, industry associations and magazines for more than 20 years. She has a long-term interest in real estate on a business and personal level, as both a homeowner and a landlord with investment properties. She loves living in Toronto’s Riverdale neighbourhood as well as on an island in Pointe au Baril.