All Forum Posts by: Jacob Smith

Please post your FAVORITE questions to ask a contractor!  I'm beginning to call contractors to build my team and I need some help with questions to ask.  Please mention if it's trade specific (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc.) What is your go-to question and what is the answer you want to hear??

Thanks!

Hello all,

I'm curious what type of home insurance coverage experienced investors suggest purchasing on a flip.  Are we talking about general home insurance that you would have on a primary residence or is the insurance on a flip going to have different coverages?

@Mindy Jensen and @Doug M. Thank you for the advice, I will take that step.  I'll start building a list of questions!  Thanks to everyone's help, I found the list of all city codes and ordinances, including building regulations.  Let's just hope the people in the code office are as helpful as you!

Thank you all for taking the time to help.  The problem I have is that maybe I'm going about this wrong.  My local city website does have a directory of building codes, but maybe I'm needing to be more specific and talk to someone in the building division of the city.  

I'm currently reading "The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs" by J Scott, and maybe I'll get to it later in the book, but do I need to pull permits and submit architectural drawings in order to say, remove a wall, load bearing or not?  Maybe this is the responsibility of a good GC or sub but I haven't come across this answer anywhere yet.  I'm still confused about what requires permits and what doesn't.....is there a general rule of thumb?

I am in the process of building my knowledge before I dive into my first flip, and there is one area that I feel lost in...Building codes/permit requirements!

For those of you who were new to flipping, how did you learn your local requirements?  Do you suggest calling and talking to the local building department?  City website? Contractors?

Was there anything that you wish you knew before you started pertaining to this topic?

Hello!

I'm new to BiggerPockets and real estate investing (other than my own home).  I'm looking to purchase my first Single Family property to flip in the next 6-12 months and would really like to network and learn the Twin Cities market before I jump in.  I am willing to put in sweat equity to provide value to whoever may decide to help me.  I'm currently learning as much as I can about the industry, but books and podcasts can only do so much.  I'm ready to get out there and take action! 

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and best of luck to all of you.  Have a great day!

Jacob