How do you estimate repair costs?

[Braden Schlabs]

Hello everyone,

I would like to know if there are any tricks to the trade on how you estimate your repair costs on a house before you submit an offer? I am new to the game and am trying insure that I am able to accurately calculate ARV's. Ideally, I would like to have a contractor with me as I scout for prospective deals, but I know this is unrealistic and unprofessional (don't want to waste the contractor's time). What did you do on your first buy to ensure that you had an accurate estimate?

-Braden