Order of Rehab- First flip, need help

[Account Closed]

Hi everyone, 

I just closed on my first investment property this past Monday. I'm strongly considering managing the project myself. I received a very high bid from my contractor and that's why I'm debating running the project myself. What do you suggest is the best order of a rehab project? I want to avoid making mistakes and spending more than I should. 

The current contractor is charging me 10K for a new roof (it's a 1,500 SQ FT house), 4.00/ SQ FT for carpet and 4.50 sq/ft for laminate. He's also charging me 3/sq ft for paint, and 22/hr for demo. He's also including two dumpsters at 500.00 a piece. 

This is a brief summary of what the property needs:

Exterior:

• remove old roof and replace with new one (Shingles/asphalt)
• Some serious landscaping (Removing plants, trimming tree branches etc)
• Partial Painting (Brick/Aluminium siding)
• New garage door

Interior:

• Install drywall in the lower level of the house (it's a split level house)
• Painting
• Demo wall between kitchen and living room to make it an open layout
• Remodel 2 bathrooms (Tiling, new countertops etc)
• Panting kitchen cabintes and install hardware, new appliances, tile, and new countertops.
• Installing carpet on the family room and basement
• Replace closet/bedroom doors and trim
• Replacing and installing outlets/switches 
• New water heater 
• Install laminate 
  
  The total project costs came at 67K (including an 11 % fee or 6,700 the contractor is charging me for running the project). If I were to save only 6,700 , then I would really consider hiring the contractor. But I really think he is overcharging me for labor. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[JD Martin]

Demo and structural issues come first. Next come non-finish work that impedes the completion of other jobs. Next comes non-finish work that can damage finished surfaces. Last comes finished surfaces. So in your list above (I'm not going to hit everything), I would do something like this:

1. Replace the roof; 2. Demo wall; 3. Remodel bathrooms (leave finish work); 4. Replace water heater; 5. Install drywall; 6. Replace closet doors; 7. Install kitchen; 8. Install floors; 9. Install landscaping

You should work from the inside out, bottom to top, from rough to finish. If you have a foundation issue, for example, you correct it before you start putting in drywall, which is liable to crack by jacking and shifting. 

Whether the costs are reasonable for the job, I can't say, but the administrative costs are high IMO for someone who is doing the job themselves. If they were only overseers, and bringing in all outside labor, it's probably not a bad price.