I finally had to side with my tenant over my contractor about something

I was walking through a rental unit I'm fixing up off Central Ave, and my contractor kept saying we should rip out all the old adobe brick in the kitchen bump-out because it's 'dated.' But the tenant who's moving in next month told me she loves that brick and thinks it gives the room character. Now I'm stuck wondering if I should go with what's trendy or keep the original look that someone actually wants. Has anyone else had to pick between a tenant's preference and a contractor's advice on something like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

lily703d agoMost Upvoted

Kept the old brick in my place when my contractor wanted it gone, and both tenants and buyers have complimented it for years. Turns out that "dated" look is just what some people call "original character" and it ended up being a selling point later. Stick with what your tenant loves, contractors will grumble but they'll get over it once they realize the job still pays the same.

olivia3983d ago

totally feel you on this one. walking into a space and having two different people pull you in opposite directions is the worst kind of headache. @the_grace made a really smart point about checking if the brick is doing any actual work, like structure or insulation, or if it's just cosmetic. if it's just there for looks and the tenant loves it, i'd say keep it and let your contractor know his job is to make it work, not to make it trendy. you're the one who has to live with the choice, not him.

the_grace3d ago

Keeps the original look" - have you asked your contractor if the brick is actually functional or just cosmetic? I'd want to know if ripping it out would create more work later, like patching drywall or dealing with an uneven wall. Sometimes tenants love something but move out in a year, and you're stuck with a choice that made construction harder.