This rule is good for the 30,000 foot view of running numbers on deals so you do not get bogged out with running those numbers on every single deal for example..

Well Giacomo, Sometimes you are the football and sometimes you are the foot.

They may require a foundation (footings) of some sort, a different home set up, among other things.

I went on Zillow and found this 1900 square foot house with 2 bed, 1 bath and a nice floorplan in the listing.

I have an opportunity on a 12 unit property but being in SoCal and never setting foot in MS I wanted to ask around 

Nothing to do with water everything to do with building in fire prone These same areas have these fires every 20 to 30 years as the Shamece brush and manzanita brush grows back after being burnt to the ground.. it grows back to 10 to 20 foot tall and when that happens and it catches fire there is no stopping it.

And then I'd have to foot the bill...

We do engineer hardwood and no Lux viynl like our competitors So all these things probably cost me 25k pre house but we have been selling them for 100k higher than Lennar for same sq ft and have created the highest priced development in town. we are approaching 400 a foot for finished product which was unheard of in Canby Oregon.U can see the homes and the finishs if you go to  Ivyridgeestatescanby  dot com. 

I've seen many responses from contractors, saying they've got to buy materials, pay their workers, etc and if they don't know you, you should expect to pay a deposit.I can see both sides of the problem.Contractors, if I foot the bill for the materials, your risk is lessened.How can I propose a fair solution to my contractors?

Engineer didn't note if there were frost free footings.