3 DIY Repairs for Landlords Self-Managing a Rental Property

Even if you don’t know a socket wrench from a light socket, you’ll be amazed what you can do on your own with a helpful how-to video and a little elbow grease.

We’re facing a serious shortage of contractors these days. It’s a result of the pandemic-inspired housing boom, as well as the work-from-home trend encouraging people to invest more in their houses.

What that means for individuals managing their own rental properties is that you might have to take on more work by yourself. Of course, you won’t be able to do anything that requires a license, like electrical work. But there are lots of routine repairs that you can handle, even if you’re not particularly handy. You just need some basic information, some tips, and a few simple and intuitive YouTube videos.

For those of you who want to strap on the tool belt, we’ve scoured the Internet and gathered the best content we could find to help property owners triumph over routine maintenance needs, having to track down, wait for, and over-pay a professional. Think of it as a divorce from Angi.

1. Unclogging the Sink

Maybe it’s dealing with the odors and the muck and gunk, or maybe it’s simply the intimidation factor when you look under the sink and you see those heavy metal pipes curving in and out of the walls, but for whatever reason, simple plumbing jobs seem to scare homeowners to death. The truth is that with a few simple tools you probably already have lying around your garage, you can take care of many common plumbing issues by yourself. Case in point: unclogging the bathroom sink. For most clogs all you need is a pair of pliers, a Zip-Tie, and some paper towels to get the job done; for more serious clogs you might need an auger (also known as a drain snake). It might set you back 20 or 30 bucks, but it’s a lot cheaper than calling the plumber every time a drain starts to slow down.

2. Fixing Leaky Faucets

Sometimes the biggest stumbling block when it comes to performing simple DIY fixes around the house is a lack of confidence.  These aren’t tasks that most of us are familiar with, and so we’re afraid that we’re going to screw up and make the problem even worse.  Step one when it comes to fixing a leaky faucet is opening up the mechanism, a process which often involves popping off a decorative cap or forcing loose a handle, which sometimes requires a lot of torque. But try not to worry: just follow the instructions in one of the following videos and proceed, confident that you’re doing the job the right way.

3. Loose Laminate Counter Tops

Laminate can be a cost-effective solution when looking to replace old countertops (and these days it can be an aesthetically pleasing solution as well). The problem with it versus more expensive materials like stone or marble is that it doesn’t last as long; flaps come loose and get unstuck years before marble shows even the slightest signs of wear.  Often times though loose laminate can be fixed with an iron; carefully ironing over the unstuck bits will reactivate the glues and contact cement that was holding it down in the first place.  

Never be short on help again

If the thought of performing these tasks is still causing you to break out in a cold sweat we suggest you check out Belong – the end-to-end property management alternative that has the neighborhood's best contractors on call. Belong's extensive vendor network gives you access to over 10,000 professionals across the country. Which means no more hunting around Youtube for DIY solutions you’re too scared to execute, and no more hunting around for contractors who might be able to fit you in next month.

Discover Belong PRO, the best alternative to Property Management in Seattle, Redmond, Oakland, and many more cities across California, Florida and Washington State.