Welp, there goes Christmas. *updated*

[Noreen Claire]

*update 10/19*

The good news is that the boiler has been replaced. We have heat!

The bad news is that we likely need several thousand dollars worth of chimney repair. 🤮 Seriously, you can't make this stuff up...

Homeownership! It's the gift that keeps giving.... 😭😭😭😭😭

*************************

 

I called my steam heat boiler guy yesterday to schedule service and to help me diagnose what I thought was a leak in the system. After testing, turns out it isn't a leak but a cracked boiler. We're going to need to replace it.

The estimate just came via email... $9k. 😱😭😭😭

So far this year, we've had to replace the washer & dryer and the refrigerator. I don't think the dishwasher is going to last much longer (just under 5 years old). DS11 has an appt for x rays and molds for braces at the end of the week. My car was in the shop three times in August. It's been one thing after another! Ugh! (We are all alive, healthy, and financially stable, so I know that things could be MUCH worse.)

</pity party>

Edited October 19, 2020 by Noreen Claire

[Miss Tick]

Ouch! Would a different system make sense? Perhaps not any cheaper, though.

10 minutes ago, Noreen Claire said:

. My cat was in the shop three times in August.

Like, at the vet, or was it actually your car?

[Noreen Claire]

6 minutes ago, SusanC said:

Ouch! Would a different system make sense? Perhaps not any cheaper, though.

Like, at the vet, or was it actually your car?

Ugh. Car!

[lmrich]

Would it be better to get a new used car? 9,000 is a lot to pour into it. sorry that you have had so much lately! When it rains, it pours!

[Noreen Claire]

16 minutes ago, lmrich said:

Would it be better to get a new used car? 9,000 is a lot to pour into it. sorry that you have had so much lately! When it rains, it pours!

This is the boiler for the house. I would have just bought a new car for that money!

 

[Arctic Bunny]

Oof... I’ll commiserate with a new furnace for New Years, a new water heater, and a new capacitor for the A/C. And we landscaped the front yard.

[Noreen Claire]

13 minutes ago, OKBud said:

That so sucks! Will they let you do a payment plan?

Yes, 1/3 to schedule, 1/3 on delivery of the boiler, and 1/3 when finished.

[mommyoffive]

Ugh that sucks.   It happens like that for us too.   Multiple things breaking at the same time.   Just expense after expense.  I am so sorry. 

[Tenaj]

We've had a similar year 😟. It's no fun!

[freesia]

Why, oh why do things like that always happen at once!  We made the decision to fix the air conditioning at the house we own ( as opposed to the house we live in) bc we hadn’t had to spend much on that type of thing lately ($4000). The next week a problem with the pipes was discovered($$$$).  Then the van needed $1600 worth of work. So I get it. Life can be going along fine and then all of a sudden you have to spend $10,000!  It is so discouraging.

[EmilyGF]

(((HUGS))) That's like our year. First a flood required a first floor renovation. Then the A/C went out and it turned out that our heater was so old we needed to replace both or possibly face a very expensive repair that could harm the new A/C. DS8 has a severe underbite and the dentist wants to put him in braces ASAP. And the compensation package at DH's work has been reduced due to COVID. Then, DH's mother passed away and there were costs associated with her care (though at this point, we've been repayed, it wasn't clear that would be the case).

Sigh. I'm hoping the car lasts at least two more years.

Emily

[Garga]

Oh boy, that’s awful!  Makes me want to double-down on my savings for if we hit a year like that.

I am sorry that your Christmas is pretty much gone.  😞

[Kassia]

That is awful.  I'm sorry!  😞

[mom2scouts]

I"m sorry. We're having a year like that too. This summer we've replaced the water heater, cell phone, dehumidifier and repaired a bunch of other things. One of our cars is almost 17 years old, so we're trying to keep it going a bit longer. Everything seems to go at once!

[Ausmumof3]

Ouch.  So frustrating.  We have had a new hot water system this year.  My dishwasher keeps randomly stopping mid cycle and my cars clunking.  Ugh.  Nothing is made to last now.

[Jaybee]

I'm so sorry. Last year was like that for us, though not quite as severe. It just had a huge effect, because it had taken us some time to dig out from another situation and we were not quite stable yet. It's discouraging how quickly things can get complicated financially.

[Pen]

I’m so sorry.  Any other steam heat boiler dealers?

 

or can a cracked boiler be repaired/ soldered? 

I think u r lucky to have steam heat though. We had that part of my childhood and I miss it. 

[Garga]

13 hours ago, Noreen Claire said:

I called my steam heat boiler guy yesterday to schedule service and to help me diagnose what I thought was a leak in the system. After testing, turns out it isn't a leak but a cracked boiler. We're going to need to replace it.

The estimate just came via email... $9k. 😱😭😭😭

So far this year, we've had to replace the washer & dryer and the refrigerator. I don't think the dishwasher is going to last much longer (just under 5 years old). DS11 has an appt for x rays and molds for braces at the end of the week. My car was in the shop three times in August. It's been one thing after another! Ugh! (We are all alive, healthy, and financially stable, so I know that things could be MUCH worse.)

</pity party>

Oh, and I’d get another 2 estimates.  Never get less than 3 estimates on anything that’s $$$ like that.  We had one guy tell us our heating would be about $10k, but he was someone who likes all the bells and whistles.  The other guy charged about $3 for a more modest system which is what we wanted/needed.  You never know about other options until you get some other professionals in there to look things over.

[Noreen Claire]

*update 10/19*

The good news is that the boiler has been replaced. We have heat!

The bad news is that we likely need several thousand dollars worth of chimney repair. 🤮 Seriously, you can't make this stuff up...

Homeownership! It's the gift that keeps giving.... 😭😭😭😭😭

[stephanier.1765]

I'm so sorry! I feel for you that pit of the stomach sick feeling you get when this stuff happens and happens and happens...We've also had more than the usual repairs this year including back to back slab leaks. Now the roof is leaking and dh is out of work for the foreseeable future with a broken leg. 2020 is the year that keeps giving. I hope the dishwasher holds out for you and that hopefully the chimney is less to repair than they think. Hugs!

[mommyoffive]

Glad you have heat.  But that other stuff sucks.  I am sorry.

[Noreen Claire]

2 hours ago, stephanier.1765 said:

I hope the dishwasher holds out for you

I fixed the dishwasher! I needed to replace the part that connected the upper spray arm mechanism to the water at the back wall (the seal was broken, so water wasn't getting to the upper spray arm, which is why my glasses kept coming out dirty.) Cost less than $50!

[Tanaqui]

3 hours ago, Noreen Claire said:

*update 10/19*

The good news is that the boiler has been replaced. We have heat!

The bad news is that we likely need several thousand dollars worth of chimney repair. 🤮 Seriously, you can't make this stuff up...

Homeownership! It's the gift that keeps giving.... 😭😭😭😭😭

Oh, and you can't put off the chimney either 😞

[KatieJ]

3 hours ago, Noreen Claire said:

*update 10/19*

 

Homeownership! It's the gift that keeps giving.... 😭😭😭😭😭

I am so sorry. We have had a similiar summer. $ 12,000 in termite damage and repair. 

Thankful for some extra income due to stimulus checks, Saturday pay due to DH job being  busy once restaurants opened up.... 

[KungFuPanda]

I’m afraid to do the math. I’m pretty sure that you can, at best, break even with home ownership. None of those property appreciation figures ever seem to subtract the thousands and thousands of dollars a home costs beyond the mortgage. Once you do that, the return on the investment is depressingly small.