Can I get rid of ramps my ex installed on my house? Do I have to reimburse her?

[not2cleverRed]

I honestly don't get why you want them gone so badly.

Sometimes retrofitted ramps are butt ugly. And inconvenient for the abled, especially if they have a switchback. You feel like you have to walk twice as far to get in, which is really annoying when going back and forth with groceries, for example.

 

[quincy]

I feel like I've said this before, but because I don't like the ramps. I prefer the stairs.

Ramps can affect the aesthetics of the house, as well. Curb appeal plays a major role in house sales and many ramps are just not aesthetically appealing.

 

[adjusterjack]

I feel like I've said this before, but because I don't like the ramps. I prefer the stairs.

How about posting a photo so we can all see what we are talking about.

 

[Jmontoya]

Sometimes retrofitted ramps are butt ugly. And inconvenient for the abled, especially if they have a switchback. You feel like you have to walk twice as far to get in, which is really annoying when going back and forth with groceries, for example.

They're not ugly. They're made to match the house. It's just for the height of the doors they had to be pretty long. No switch backs, but they're both long L shapes. So it feels like it takes longer to walk down them compared to the stairs. It also kind of sucks if you want to go straight out into the yard and instead have to go sideways first. Also they just take up space by the doors that I would rather have available.

 

[quincy]

They're not ugly. They're made to match the house. It's just for the height of the doors they had to be pretty long. No switch backs, but they're both long L shapes. So it feels like it takes longer to walk down them compared to the stairs. It also kind of sucks if you want to go straight out into the yard and instead have to go sideways first. Also they just take up space by the doors that I would rather have available.

I agree with an earlier poster who said that, absent any agreement with your ex-girlfriend to the contrary, you can do whatever you want with your house, including removing the ramp.

BUT, because the ramp and its installation cost a lot of money and your ex-girlfriend is expressing an interest in recovering some of her costs, contacting an attorney in your area first would be smart and giving your ex-girlfriend adequate notice before you dismantle the ramp also would be smart.

I remember purchasing a house years ago that had an open second floor balcony with a fitted removable wood flooring. At the closing, the elderly woman from whom we were purchasing the house insisted that the balcony’s wood flooring was not to be included in the sale. She wanted to back out of the sale over this so we said she could take the flooring. Of course, she had little use for the flooring in the assisted living facility where she was residing - and she never came to get it - but just offering her the flooring was enough to resolve the issue. I suspect if you offered the ramp to your ex-girlfriend if she wanted to come and get it, that would be enough to end the matter.

 

[LdiJ]

Sometimes retrofitted ramps are butt ugly. And inconvenient for the abled, especially if they have a switchback. You feel like you have to walk twice as far to get in, which is really annoying when going back and forth with groceries, for example.

Ok, I can definitely see the switchback part being really annoying.

 

[quincy]

My grandparents’ house had both a ramp and stairs. I understand, however, that not all houses have the space to accommodate both.

 

[LdiJ]

My grandparents’ house had both a ramp and stairs. I understand, however, that not all houses have the space to accommodate both.

That is actually what I am used to around here. I don't think that I have ever seen one that just had ramps.

 

[not2cleverRed]

That is actually what I am used to around here. I don't think that I have ever seen one that just had ramps.

I'm currently across the street from a house where they installed a wooden ramp over the original stairs. No flat area around the entry, the incline begins at the threshold and ends in the grass. At least that limits the possibility of rolling into the street.

Their next door neighbor has a switchback.

 

[LdiJ]

I'm currently across the street from a house where they installed a wooden ramp over the original stairs. No flat area around the entry, the incline begins at the threshold and ends in the grass. At least that limits the possibility of rolling into the street.

Their next door neighbor has a switchback.

Both of those seem poorly executed. Particularly the one with no flat part around the entry. I don't see how that wouldn't be dangerous in the winter.