I hire a pluming company replace a shower drain he quoted me at $560.00 He had down the initial inspection and the never mentioned anything about the shower pan being damaged.Today he came out and said that the that the drain was corroded from all the hard water and was not able to remove the drain, he them send me photos of the shower pan with a whole near the drain and the tools use to try to remove it.

We would both do some of the work and hire the rest.

This guy tried to rehab his own home and hired someone to begin the demo. 

@Robert Rixer, I don't know how creative these are, as many are common plays:Valet TrashFencing in first floor yardsProviding washer and dryers for added rentReserved, Covered parkingTech PackagesInternet and Cable contracts, with reimbursementsPayment Plan rents, with small service charge (i.e. bill 1/4 rent each week)Reserved Rental cabanas at poolPrivate pool party rental optionGolf Simulator in clubhouse - fee basedOn site, self serve car wash (quarter feeder style)Charged group fitness/personal training servicesGame room in clubhouse with monthly subscription for tenants (Xbox, Playstation, etc)Changing out high maintenance grass for astro turf or lower maintenance/lower water use shrubberyBut ultimately, I think a lot of NOI increases come from deep dive into understanding EVERY expense and finding ways to minimize them, and/or no outsource them.Train maintenance team on basic HVAC and appliance repairs (find way to get them licensed as needed)Buy paint sprayers for faster, easier turns versus having to hire a contract painter, and possibly repaint whole unit each timeStandardize all finishes, so you can buy in bulk, everything from hinges and door knobs to cabinets, paint colors, and light fixtures.Potentially get leasing people onto lower base salary with higher bonus potentialBulk/bundled insurance across portfolio (even better at scale is to self insure)Regularly test sprinkler systems for leaks.Non-NOI, but benefit to you: partner with insurance agency to get referral kickbacks from your tenant base for renter insurance.  

Even though we hired a project manager, I want to be more involved in my deals.

All our prices were UNDER what the insurance company paid, and they still weren't low enough.So, owner went and hired someone to do the work cheaper than us. 3 months later they called us to take over and the job was a mess.

A sales rep from that company was saying not to worry about it they won't enforce it and they have seen claims paid out... all well and good but what is in writing is what matters when the lawsuit gets filed.

If they demand better performance, let them hire an A/C technician on their own dime and get a professional opinion, or they can terminate their lease early and move somewhere else.

Target areas with companies aggressively hiring college graduates, your rental pool will improve.

You can usually live in a favorable location for your lifestyle and either commute to a property or hire folks to do all of the heavy lifting for you.