Dishwashers In Rentals?

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Is it worth the maintanance problems to put in rentals. Do you have many calls with problems. When I put in new cabinets the price difference for a dishwaher where I would have to buy a extra cabinet is only about 100.00 . Know its worth the extra 100.00 for resale but will I have problems with them?
Thanks for any opinions.

Comments(7)

  • Lufos31st January, 2004

    Check your existing waste line from the sink. Is it low enough? What is its size?
    Now I do not mean the pipe from sink to weir, I mean the waste line which is probably protruding from the wall.

    If it is proper go for it. Just be sure your tenants have a broom and know how to insert the non sweep end into the sink and then in a counterclockwise motion move the blades backward so that whatever is jammed in there is released and you can then stick your hand in and pull it out.

    Some of the better ones now have a little opening at the bottom into which you can insert a little crank and do the same thing. But it is much more satisfying to use the broom. Besides if your tenants are like my tenants, they never use the broom except on Halloween. Now you know why I never date tenants.

    Cheers Lucius

  • rayh7831st January, 2004

    Lufos
    You are taking about a garbage disposal.
    I was asking about dishwashers
    thanks

  • johnstejer1st February, 2004

    Absoulutly put in dishwashers. This is 2004, they have stopped being a luxury years ago. The cost is minimal, not much more than paint, really. Unless you are in a landlord's market the tenants can and will go elsewhere.

  • bgrossnickle1st February, 2004

    Definately put in dishwasher if you have the space. I have never had one go bad and they are cheap. Good for resale and good to attract tenants. You could have in your lease that you do not warrant dishwashers. I say that for washers, dryers, fencing (this also might help with pet liability), irrigation systems, alaram systems, garbage disposals, etc. Might also want to add that if they replace the dishwasher it becomes the property of the house and can not be removed.

    Brenda

  • joel1st February, 2004

    Quote:
    On 2004-02-01 11:17, bgrossnickle wrote:
    Definately put in dishwasher if you have the space. I have never had one go bad and they are cheap. Good for resale and good to attract tenants. You could have in your lease that you do not warrant dishwashers. I say that for washers, dryers, fencing (this also might help with pet liability), irrigation systems, alaram systems, garbage disposals, etc. Might also want to add that if they replace the dishwasher it becomes the property of the house and can not be removed.

    Brenda


    That is a pretty good idea. To not WARRANT the appliances. Do you do this for stoves and refrigerators, also??

  • bgrossnickle1st February, 2004

    No, the only appliances I do warrant are refrigerators, stoves and hot water heaters. You could do it however you want but the rental market is pretty soft and all other landlords provide those appliances so I need to be competitive.

    Brenda

  • davmille1st February, 2004

    I think you should look at your market first. In my area, dishwashers do not make it any easier to rent a place or allow you to charge more rent. Also, you need to make certain that you mention to the tenant that they have to use automatic dishwashing detergent. Many tenants have never had a dishwasher before, and they will flood the kitchen if they put in hand dishwashing detergent. Also, make certain that the you have the final floor covering run back underneath the dishwasher and that water will run towards the front and out into the kitchen floor if there is leak. I actually put myself through college working for a major appliance distributor so I got to see plenty of the problems that can occur. Dishwashers are fairly reliable but they also are more subject to operator www.problems.Examples are improper loading blocking the spray arm, or kids climbing on the door and bending the hinges, or someone dropping a glass when they are loading it and the broken glass getting in the pump, etc. Again, it depends on your market, but I would never put one in unless I was going to try to sell the house in the next couple of years. I just don't like maintenance issues, and especially if they don't add anything to my bottomline.

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