Newbie Looking for Fix & Flips/Rehab Cost Assessment Questions

[Elizabeth A Shatzkin]

Hi There. I am pretty new to REI and have settled on Fix & Flip as the way to start. I have seen numerous properties (both SF and small multis), all in Florida as there is a wholesaler there who is bringing me properties to review. He is a construction guy with a crew and is also offering to do the rehab work. Having never done this before, how do you begin to learn how to evaluate the rehab costs? He is offering the costs to rehab up front, but frankly, I have no way of knowing if he is giving me reasonable costs. I am also looking in Tennessee and Ohio, but having someone on the ground already in Florida makes it more attractive as a starting point. Concerns are whether or not he is charging appropriately for the rehab. I have worked with the calculators, but I am not sure how to go about getting the right numbers in place. Any help would be more that welcome here. I have said no to several properties because the numbers have not worked out, but I want to refine what I am doing to assess the properties. Thanks!