[vonmoltke]

> BTW, a lot of landlords will let you modify your place - some will even chip in for the costs or pay it all.

Where are all these landlords, because the ones I have experience with in Florida, Texas, and Virginia get pissed if you so much as nail a picture to the wall.

[edj]

Providence, RI: interior paint.

Fairfield, IA: all maintenance as well as on-going renovations at $25/hr plus materials.

San Francisco, CA: interior paint, garden, chicken coop, converted garage into bedroom.

Portland, OR: extensive tear out and renovation, removed walls, renovated kitchen, new wiring and lighting, converted attic into bedroom, finished basement and added bedroom -- all on the owner's dime. Also, we built a kiln and a giant skate ramp in the backyard.

So it is possible. Although admittedly, I do have a knack for finding laid back landlords.

[bhayden]

The Portland example is dangerous territory, because now they have a home they can rent for much more per month and might kick you out. Then you just lived in a construction zone doing free labor for a year for nothing.

[aroch]

Hanging paintings with nails is typically considered part of legally defined normal wear-and-tear. If your landlord is getting angry at you using the place you're renting in a reasonable manner, than perhaps you're renting from the wrong people.

[vonmoltke]

So, that seems to be an open question in Texas. The Texas law leaves a lot up to interpretation, so reversing charges for nail holes would require suing your landlord. I'm not sure, but I think the situations in Florida and Virginia are similar.