4 ms·

I think it's safe to say you're in the minority. Empirically, "fast and cheap" cosmetic upgrades like repainting usually more than pay for themselves. > I'd ra

I think it's safe to say you're in the minority. Empirically, "fast and cheap" cosmetic upgrades like repainting usually more than pay for themselves. > I'd rather the outlet covers be original and clean than the new, usually oversized covers (with a slight color mismatch) I often find. Any task can be screwed up if someone is careless enough, but this is extremely easy to get right. If a standard cover plate fit before, it's trivial to buy a replacement of the standard size and appropriate color. Cleaning works too, I personally just wouldn't bother cleaning a part that costs ~$0.50. > When I see sloppy caulk I first think of the time I'll need to spend to dig it all out. Would you really rather see cracked caulk, which means (a) the original contractor probably used whatever cheap rigid caulk he found in his van, (b) it's been letting water through instead of sealing, and (c) noone cared enough to fix it?

ssl-3 2mo ago
That's the problem: Any task can indeed be screwed up. It can be worse than it was before. A new, not-oversize cover plate that actually-matches in color is fine. As you suggest, it is trivial to get that right. But people screw it up anyway, and when they do so it represents a distinct lack of attention to detail. If I find that along the presence of other new electrical stuff, like outlets with USB jacks, smart home dimmer switches, and can lights with fixed LED elements, then... man. They obviously couldn't even get the outlet covers right. What else did they screw up, that I can't see? Old caulk that was skillfully applied and remains in good shape isn't a problem; it is not broken and does not need fixing. New caulk that is well-done isn't necessarily an issue at all. Both communicate that a base level of positive care for the quality of the home was present. But when it's sloppy, it's a clear indicator that they just didn't care much at all during the process. There's direct evidence that they were unwilling to put the effort into making a smooth bead of caulk instead of a messy one. They didn't care about that part of this small job, and by extension they probably didn't care about what they were covering up (whether it was good, bad, or indifferent). Anyway, maybe the lazy fixes work for enough buyers that it does increase the sale price, and that's good for a seller. It doesn't work for me, though. The presence of these kinds of things brings me more questions than it does answers. --- The answer that maximizes the price by satisfying all potential buyers is to do careful and correct fixes. If the quick fix makes some money, then a good fix makes even more money. Take the time to get it right.

ssl-3 2mo ago

That's the problem: Any task can indeed be screwed up. It can be worse than it was before. A new, not-oversize cover plate that actually-matches in color is fine. As you suggest, it is trivial to get that right. But people screw it up anyway, and when they do so it represents a distinct lack of attention to detail. If I find that along the presence of other new electrical stuff, like outlets with USB jacks, smart home dimmer switches, and can lights with fixed LED elements, then... man. They obviously couldn't even get the outlet covers right. What else did they screw up, that I can't see? Old caulk that was skillfully applied and remains in good shape isn't a problem; it is not broken and does not need fixing. New caulk that is well-done isn't necessarily an issue at all. Both communicate that a base level of positive care for the quality of the home was present. But when it's sloppy, it's a clear indicator that they just didn't care much at all during the process. There's direct evidence that they were unwilling to put the effort into making a smooth bead of caulk instead of a messy one. They didn't care about that part of this small job, and by extension they probably didn't care about what they were covering up (whether it was good, bad, or indifferent). Anyway, maybe the lazy fixes work for enough buyers that it does increase the sale price, and that's good for a seller. It doesn't work for me, though. The presence of these kinds of things brings me more questions than it does answers. --- The answer that maximizes the price by satisfying all potential buyers is to do careful and correct fixes. If the quick fix makes some money, then a good fix makes even more money. Take the time to get it right.