The money that you end up owing to repay the loan over the 5 year term is now post income tax money unlike how you traditionally are supplying your 401k with pre-tax money.  

If you find someone that will let you supply the materials and work for labor only and sign a contract you supplied , you have hired an employee , a laborer , not a contractor .

I was thinking he supplies the down payment and acts as a silent partner.

If you supply the machines, I recommend increasing rent $100 or so to compensate for the purchase and maintenance. 

Some people are sending supplies (clothes, other needed items like school supplies, food for humans and pets, etc). 

Provide the supplies.

Just make sure all pieces are accounted for regularly.

pid=2141Houston Real Estate Highlights for December and Full-Year 2024:-Following two consecutive years of declines, single-family home sales rebounded in 2024 with 85,163 single-family homes sold compared to 84,038 in 2023 an increase of 1.3 percent; -Total property sales for full-year 2024 were statistically flat at 101,864 units while the total dollar volume increased 3.1 percent to $41 billion;-December single-family home sales climbed 16.3 percent year-over-year with 7,162 units sold;-Total December property sales increased 13.6 percent to 8,478 units;-Total dollar volume for December rose 20.5 percent to $3.5 billion;-The single-family home median price edged up by 1.3 percent to $334,290 while the average price increased 5.0 percent to $425,150;-Single-family homes months of inventory expanded to a 4.0-months supply;-The townhome/condominium market experienced declining sales throughout 2024, and in December, volume declined 5.8 percent, with the average price up 2.5 percent to $268,152 and the median price statistically flat at $234,250;-Townhome/condominium inventory improved from a 3.5-months supply to 5.4 months.

They have regular meet ups.

He claimed if he didn't get the money he could not buy supplies to complete the job, which would be done in a week(I knew this wasn't true).