I understand the basis is all the remodel cost or labor and materials. 

I am 70% thru the materials and will likely go back and do a quick review of all materials before siting for the exam.

I am asking anyone knowledgeable to provide any measures or strategies that could materially make a difference in heading off the risk of serious financial harm of the eviction process with non-paying tenants.

I came up with $385,000 to build for material/labor.

Overseeing tradesmen while they work on your properties sounds like material participation to me.

THEN, during the phase where a SFH investment went bad, there is the stress of hearing about, and PERSONALLY dealing with a stressing about it. ie. tenant stops paying rent, political problems in the city causing massive differences in fundamentals, tornado hits your house, then you are IN THE THICK OF IT for a few months, dealing with the fact that this investment you already put 10-12 hours into, probably will take another 10-12 hours of your own stress as the $50K loss materialized.

What is the flooring material?

Cost to build is $350K (I am managing it all myself and calling in favors around the city to get low rates on materials and labor).

The fire prevention policies were different, more aggressive, so far less imperative reasons to sway away from a then amply supplied and I imagine price adjusted material of shake vs fire resilient material. 

Fico while they will look these are not credit score driven loans like those buying rental houses or houses to live in...