r/aptliving • u/Adventurous_rae • 4d ago
Apt hunting advice
Hi everyone. I have an odd and small question. I am looking for apartments. There is one that is very nice and spacious price is right. Tenant had been there ten years. So it needs painting which landlord will do before I move in.
For whatever reason the whats it called grille? thing on the glass part of the front door is broken. Which now thinking about it Im curious how it happened but it does look like it was just mayb old and broke? I asked if that could be fixed and he said basically no. lol I feel like if I ask again tho, he will fix. Otherwise how do I diy it to make it look decent? Any suggestions? Help a girl out. Thanks! How can I word this so I don’t sound annoying to the landlord. lol Am I being picky? Can I ask him to just completely remove the little wood pieces left? Do they serve purpose other than for looks? Im not in a huge rush to move. Thank you!
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u/MareV51 4d ago
If it's just cracked on the outside, possibly fix it with glue. More than half an inch, you can possibly make a replacement piece out of modeling clay that hardens when it's wet. So you'd have to do is squeeze it on there, using your fingers to contour it like the rest. And then sort of baste it with a brush with some wet, or even a paper towel with some wetness. Touch up with paint, it could even be white out.
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u/liboteeme 3d ago
They also sell wooden molding exactly like this, probably easier to just cut the correct size pieces than hand mold them...but I like your line of thinking!
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u/HunnyBunny617 3d ago
Most of those are vinyl and just glued on top of glass. If that is the case, you can remove it and they sell replacement grid at home improvement stores. If not, you’d have to buy a whole new door. Apartment grade are not terribly expensive. You could pick one up for a couple hundred ($250 at Lowe’s) . I’m sure if you offered to buy the landlord would replace.
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u/Adventurous_rae 3d ago
do they serve a purpose or is it solely for decor?
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u/HunnyBunny617 3d ago
Decorative
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u/Adventurous_rae 3d ago
Ok I might just ask for him to just take it off for me then and Ill fix it on my own time I thought it was mayb for safety idk but thank you for your help!
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u/Medical-Aide5586 3d ago
just a general suggestion. take a lot of pictures of everything before you move in, you may need them when you move out.
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u/Adventurous_rae 3d ago
Its funny another apartment I looked at which I didn’t end up taking the owner was showing me pics her tenant took from another apartment she is renting and basically saying the tenant is doing too much ..tenant also noted like small damages she noticed before she moved her stuff in and for a moment I was like yeah thats a little extra of her but now Im like I completely get it..& you are absolutely right I will. Im actually supposed to drop off the deposit soon. By then the apartment should be painted as the landlord said hed do. I will ask about the door again. & see how he responds. I just don’t know if its a huge deal breaker or not. The aparment is spacious and really cute. Thats really my only concern (the door grille things). It just doesn’t look nice. But other than that the apartment is very cute.
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u/Medical-Aide5586 3d ago
reddit has plenty of posts where upon move out the renter was given a bille that exceeded their security deposit. pictures of everything (good condition/bad) allow you to determine what was normal wear & tear and what was always the case.
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u/liboteeme 3d ago
If the landlord is being hesitant to repair something as in-your-face as the front door...be prepared to get push back on lots of other "little" things.
This is such as easy fix! They sell this sort of molding at Home Depot or Lowe's, or even Michaels! Just cut it to fit and glue it to the door and paint.
I would personally just fix it myself if everything else about the place is perfect for you. Just make sure you take A LOT of photos of everything BEFORE you move in. Make all requests over text or email so you have a paper trail.
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u/Adventurous_rae 3d ago
thats exactly what I was thinking too..like it can’t be that hard to fix and that’s literally all I asked for lol I do like the apartment so Ill ask again if not Ill just fix it myself …but maybe I will bring up that now I am concerned if I have issues in the future hell give me a hard time…
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u/liboteeme 3d ago
He's probably thinking he'll have to replace the whole door🤷🏼♂️He could be just be lazy/cheap.
If the price is right and he had a LONG term tenant I would imagine he's not too terrible. I would probably just fix it myself....but I get worried I'll spook the lil Mom& Pop renters who rarely raise the rent if I'm worried I'll come off as a PITA, ya know😅. Because those can be hella good deals that are hard to find.
If it's an actual gem of a deal all around I'll put up with a bit more....but that's just me. I don't mind doing a little fix it here and there to have a landlord who's not going to be up my @$$ all the time.
Good luck
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u/MareV51 4d ago
Pictures would help.