But, having a baseline went a long way towards putting together a back-of-the-napkin budget.

I will thanks, many handymen who give me a SOW on a napkin, I need grown up contractors that can give me a detailed SOW....

All these things, and more, can be written on a napkin, or put into a formal contract drawn up by a lawyer.  

For the most part it seems Other parts of the world are not sanitary like us Americans concerning cleanliness.

This was one of my big surprises/disappointments when I started.You read everywhere, "I write the contract on a napkin and then have my title co do the closing" ....but that won't fly here.So, maybe you are asking the wrong question, to the wrong people.  

All too often I've seen investors --especially, but not always, beginners-- read the numbers through rose colored glasses, whether those numbers are in a detailed pro forma or scribbled on the back of a cocktail napkin.

My leases, in FL and NJ, state the tenants must keep the property in a clean and sanitary condition.

(A) A landlord who is a party to a rental agreement shall do all of the following:(1) Comply with the requirements of all applicable building, housing, health, and safety codes that materially affect health and safety;(2) Make all repairs and do whatever is reasonably necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition;(3) Keep all common areas of the premises in a safe and sanitary condition;(4) Maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning fixtures and appliances, and elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by the landlord;(5) When the landlord is a party to any rental agreements that cover four or more dwelling units in the same structure, provide and maintain appropriate receptacles for the removal of ashes, garbage, rubbish, and other waste incidental to the occupancy of a dwelling unit, and arrange for their removal;(6) Supply running water, reasonable amounts of hot water, and reasonable heat at all times, except where the building that includes the dwelling unit is not required by law to be equipped for that purpose, or the dwelling unit is so constructed that heat or hot water is generated by an installation within the exclusive control of the tenant and supplied by a direct public utility connection;(7) Not abuse the right of access conferred by division (B) of section 5321.05 of the Revised Code;(8) Except in the case of emergency or if it is impracticable to do so, give the tenant reasonable notice of the landlord's intent to enter and enter only at reasonable times.

I've seen GC markup from 50% all the way up to 200% at peak season.So very roughly if you're thinking of cabinets at about $250 per foot then your back of napkin estimate will be $250 * 14ft * 1.5GC = $5,250 for those cabinets installed for 1000sqft of living area.

I asked them if a video inspection of the sanitary sewer lines would suffice, they said no.