Starting smaller might help you gain confidence and reduce potential stress.In your situation, if you're comfortable hiring a property manager to handle day-to-day operations while you’re working in the oilfields, going for the 4-plex could make more sense, especially with your high income.

Hired general contractor to renovate the home

No help from what supposed to be "the school" they have ignored me and I had to hire a lawyer.

Sure it can be a write off, but my question is if it is the highest and best use of your time (or the given employees time) to be running a skid steer - transporting it, storage, maintenance, cleaning, etc, and if it still makes sense if you need to hire someone to run it for you and take care of the other things.Add up all those recurring costs - maintaining the machine, maintaining the trailer, having a large enough truck to tow it, insurance and registration for all of the above, your time or your employees time related to all of the above...even at $14k a year it might be attractive enough to keep paying that and having them drop it off at the job site for you.A brand new machine could easily cost you over 6 figures - that's 7 years of rentals at $14k/year before including all the holding costs. 

Every area I know has gotten worse and worse and worse on it.Fifteen years ago,  when I was buying, rehabbing houses and holding, I oculd hire a licensed contractor and they were able to change toilets, faucets, even water heaters.

And if possible, they can even hire someone to clean up the property and then pass the bill on to the tenant.

You will likely have to hire/fire a few times over before finding your final hire.

With the amounts you are talking about, I would probably tell you it's worth hiring someone to do this for you.  

Mold is a common complaint from tenants, particularly those trying to exploit you.Mold is everywhere, even in the air we breathe outside every day.

It is important that you hire professionals who have experience working with foreign investors.