The good ones will generally tell you the cheapest and most cost efficient way to handle it with the best results to handle it in the shortest amount of time possible.

It's more efficient for the contractors, owners, and management companies. 

I’m looking for advice on efficient steps to take and what I can realistically expect to see in my process to find a local South Florida lender, for lending to an LLC on SFHs for my buy and holds.

Hence, I want to invest my time and educational dollars as efficiently as possible to more rapidly get to a point where I'm actually comfortable enough to pull the trigger on a deal.

Weekend I take it easy on the body and Monday I'm ready to keep going.If you're doing more than one room, the days where paint or tape, you can start working on other rooms to maximize efficiency and minimize down time.If this is your first time doing ANY of this work, hire a handy man that has great references and will work hourly so long as you buy materials.

I also made mine taller, which should increase the stack effect and make them more efficient.

Andrew and John both made great points, and there's way to stay ahead of things to prevent bumps down the road....again, if the lender is very well-versed in VA and is efficient. 

I guess they make money on scale and process efficiency. 

In the future when I wish to purchase another property as a personal residence or investment, what is the most efficient way to do that?  

We also have consistent rehab processes, buy things wholesale, and have streamlined our operations to ensure that each rehab is executed efficiently and to the same standard.