This is the true organizational and budgeting tool that every investor should be using for their projects.

During that time we were able to save more money and our budget went up.

The HML covered 100% of the $32,500 rehab budget through drawbacks.Refinance: Post-rehab, I refinanced into a primary mortgage, creating 25.5% equity in the property.Future Financing: I plan to leverage the property with a HELOC to access up to $86,000 in capital for future deals.

Any specific suggestions on how to tone down on a budget but still be effective?   

Eliminate debt, establish a budget, and save.

Besides putting together the best SOW using accurate/actual quotes as @Peter Mckernan and @Alan Asriants commented above, another key aspect is tracking expenses (bookkeeping) and monitoring the budget throughout the project. 

It’s especially useful for prospecting foreclosures or expired listings.TruePeopleSearch (Free): If you’re working on a budget, this is a surprisingly helpful resource for quick lookups.That said, any platform can work if you use it consistently—it’s all about staying persistent.

Every 12 months you should budget 1 month of vacancy to turn the unit.

I'm an experienced project manager with hundreds of cradle-to-grave efforts under my belt, including building project scopes and budgets, evaluating contract proposals, and managing construction to maintain the delivery of high quality products on-time and in budget.Penny is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), serving the community mental health needs of parents, children and families.We both recognize we have an immense opportunity to serve our community and want to capitalize on the blessings we have been provided so that we can continue serving our neighbors.My wife, Penny, and I are looking to transition into commercial multi-family real estate in 2025.

Your clients should focus on properties with significant equity potential and work with experienced contractors to stay within budget and timeline—especially with borrowed funds on the line.Avoiding Bad Deals - Encourage them to work with experienced agents, contractors, or mentors and always run multiple scenarios, including worst-case outcomes, to stress-test their numbers.Reserves - Advise your clients to keep a reserve fund separate from their loan for emergencies, unexpected expenses, or delays.