All Forum Posts by: Jake Matthew

As a contractor, I definitely agree to hire out as much as possible. This will not only free up your time to find more deals, it will pass off liability if a mistake is made. 

However, if you feel you want to be as hands on as possible then avoid the tasks that pose a danger to you, the tenants or the house itself. I would personally avoid doing electrical, plumbing (especially rough in and gas lines), HVAC and any structural changes. If you do decide to tackle any of these, just make sure you have a permit and get inspections. I know all too well that building codes and inspections can be a pain in the rear, but it is always a good idea to have a 3rd party inspecting the work. 

Look into Westbury aluminum railing from Digger Specialties. It may be our market and/or supplier, but this is usually roughly half the cost of the Trex and similar composite or PVC rail systems. We use it all the time in combination with either composite or wood decking. 

http://www.diggerspecialties.com/products/165/Tusc...

I have a client who puts a coded keypad on all the front doors to prevent lock out outs in the first place. This will save everyone the hassle. If you don't want to spent the $100 or so for the coded deadbolt, you can buy a key lockbox for around $30 and stash it somewhere on the property. 

Wow!...crazy to see how much more prices for dumpsters are in other areas. In KC we pay around $225 for a 20 yard and $350 for a 40 yard. I would definitely call around though and compare prices - but more importantly how quick they can bring the container, how long you can keep it and how long it takes them to come get it. I have researched all our local companies to get the best combination with of these factors to meet our specific needs

pick up truck is definitely the most versatile vehicle to meet all of the OPs needs and also be used as a daily driver

I would definitely hire a professional electrician to take care of this, especially on a rental. The stakes are just too high to do it yourself without proper experience.  

@Jonathan Wildy

I work for a contractor in KC and $3000 for a shower is right where our pricing would start. This, however is considering us hiring at least a plumber and tile installer and making margins on all the labor and materials. If you can't or don't want to do the labor yourself, you could at least be your own general contractor and save that cost. If you want some more advice you can PM me...I have been running remodeling jobs for over 5 years including my own personal home and helped with some flips and rentals. 

that price sounds ok. A little high per foot maybe, but my local guy has a $350 minimum so that seems reasonable. 

@Ryan Billingsley I just bought the $99 class, so I am not sure if the upgrade is worth it.

Any updates on this?