Need help estimating a rehab

[Guillermo Vladimir Robles]

Does anyone know how much it costs to do a heavy rehab per square foot in Trona, Ca? It's in San Bernardino County. Thanks.

[Ke Nan Wang]

Some insight from a contractor, price per sq ft never works well either the investors get screwed or the contractors get screwed because everyjob is different and the scope is different. You would be lucky if somehow worked out for both. 

If you say, I just want a price per sq ft for budgeting purpose. I don't believe anybody who says to me "I won't hold it against you, tell me what's the ball park?" especially if that person is new. I did that a few times when I was new, and later on the quote came back higher, the customer always said "I thought you said it's gonna take XXX." Doing this long enough has taught me, the number that came out of your mouth will get stuck in the customer's brain, even you say lots contingencies afterwards, the customer will remember none of those words. And the number you put out, will always come back and haunt you no matter what they said. Either I had to meet their expectation and not make money or they have to be upset with me and pay me the "extra." If the customer is a pro investor and their words have meaning, then I may shoot a ball park number from the hip. They understand my job and they do not hold it against me if I'm wrong with explanations. I do the same with my subcontractors. 

So with that being said, as a new investor, just ballpark the cost this way for a house that's less than 1500 sq ft:

1. light rehab: flooring and paint (10-20k)

2. medium rehab: light rehab + appliances, kitchen and bathroom, windows and doors, builder grade light and plumbing fixtures (50-60k) 

3. Heavy rehab gut job: Complete redo down from the studs forward: medium rehab + replumb, rewire, new AC, drywall and insulation. (150-180k) 

Add a $15 per sq ft for the roof if new roof is required. Assuming shingle roof. typically around 10 to 15k for small to medium houses. 

This is just for your own budgeting purpose when you look at deals unless you can find a trusty contractor who doesn't mind give you free estimate for all the deals you are analyzing (unless he just got too much time on his hand, another sign of starting/bad contractor) 

Once you locked in a deal, walk with the contractor and come up with a specific scope of the work. You want to make sure that you discuss everything you can think of and have that specified in the quote (if you are working with someone you haven't worked with before). 

Once you have done it a few times, you will get a better sense one what items cost how much for your future deals.