I am an accounting student in my last year of college and I am taking the Real Estate Associate state exam in May.

These are very suspicious to the IRS and if examined their first thought is going to be that you are "basis shifting" (meaning artificially adjusting the value/sales price to shift the amount of gain for one or the other party). 

I guess the best approach is to get multiple estimates and also examine previous work by the contractor you would like to hire.

Rule #2 Rules are meant to be broken.For what it is worth I think the guru's selling LLCs have greatly overstated their value to an investor and are charging outrageous trumped up fees and the only folks making money with them are the shady folks marketing them 24/7.After examining the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (Trump Tax Cuts) the most beneficial income tax treatment starting in 2018 is the "S Type Corporation".

I take the state and national exam in about week.

I’m not sure which site plans examiners go by. 

In the Chicago area the rate is about 1-1.5%.More importantly, I believe, you may want to examine your motives for entering into any business or personal relationship where the other party does not value you?  

They are examined for egress and proper placement of utilities and compliance with building code.

I finished the state exam in less than 40 minutes and felt over-prepped for it.

Examine houses that are for sale/rent and see how quickly they go and at what prices.