All Forum Posts by: Jeremy England

Get references from other investors or home owners.  

As far as finding cheap contractors who still do good work.  well, I'm not saying LOL

Well, it is really up to your county building inspector of what you have to do.  You should go to the building department and have a conversatino with them.  Some munis will want you to open up walls and what not so they can see what's inside.  Some I have heard will just make you tear out the entire unpermitted portion and begin again.  

If you do not require a bulding permit for a rehab, I wouldn't be hiring a GC.  Putting a roof on?  Roofer gets a the roofing permit.  Changing an AC unit, HVAC contractor gets that permit.  Adding a circuit?  Electrician gets that permit.  

Now if you plan on making an addition or something major like that, yes, you'll likely need a building permit.  Depending on your state regs.  

I think that is getting caught up in the minutia.  Just get a property 

You can figure out what to do with it entity wise afterward.  

Let's say you do start an LLC before. How long before. Now you are paying for an LLC, paying for a biz license, and god knows whatelse before you even get a property.

I say just find a good deal and buy it.  Deal with the minutia afterward

Get on fb marketplace and search for light fixtures, there are tons of them there and people are selling them for pennies on the dollar.  I bought two bath fixtures for 10 bucks last week.  

When I get home Ill grab the can and taka pic.  Its like 7.50 for the can and I can refinish like 5 fixtures with one.  The higher the ceilings, the more you can get away with.  

10 years ago when I was building houses, I could do the least expensive house for about 35 bucks a sf slab.  That's cost.  

That has gone so far out the window today.  I would have to start at square 1 getting bid after bid from subs before I could give an accurate estimate.  Lumber prices are at an all time high, roofing materials are sky high, demand for contractors is high.  

I'll bet the builder's cost is in the neighborhood of 75-80 sf these days

Thought I'd post some helpful tips for rentals or flips to save yall some money.  

If you buy a property with chrome or brass fixtures, you can easily change to either brushed nickel or Oil rubbed bronze with the appropriate colored metallic spray paint.  I've done it in my personal home and rentals before.  It turns out great, especially in the ORB.  I've done pendent lights, flush mount fixtures and can light rims.  

I'll take a pic this evening and post it.  Maybe you don't have to buy so many fixtures next time.  Ofcourse you take them down before you paint them, and put them back up after they dry

Well, in my current project, i am having to replace some pretty big ticket items.  

Drive way

Roof

grading/drainage repairs

Those 3 alone are costing me about 12k

Well, I'm in the camp of finding a good deal.  I get references from others when choosing contractors.  Try not to go to the popular ones on the internet because they will be the priciest.  And I will give an upstart a shot on some jobs.  When a contractor shows up in a truck that is twice as expensive as mine, I feel like he has enough business.