Shoutout to the old guy at the hardware store who called my flip a "patch job palace"

Nathan Hill · 2026-09-22T22:45:04.333605+00:00

I was in Miller's Hardware in Bristol picking up a bucket of joint compound when the owner, Dale, asked what I was working on. I told him about the 1920s foursquare I picked up for $38,000 and how I was going to fix it up quick and flip it by spring. He laughed and said, "You are building a patch job palace, son, and the next guy is gonna pay for your shortcuts." That hit me hard. I had already covered up two soft spots in the floor and painted over some water stains instead of finding the source. He walked me back to the plumbing aisle and showed me a $12 fitting that would have saved the joists. I went home and pulled up the subfloor I just laid down and sure enough, the leak was still dripping. So now I want to know, how many of you have cut corners on a cheap old house and had it come back to bite you?

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Shoutout to the old guy at the hardware store who called my flip a "patch job palace" | Cheap Old Houses - nhfree.com