More insulation?

On a typical project, here are the contractors I'll probably use:- Demo- Roofer- Painter- Carpenter- Plumber- Electrician- HVAC- Window Company- Tile Guy- Carpet Guy- Hardwood Guy- Cabinets/Countertops Company- Termite Inspection- Landscaping- Garage Door Company- House CleanerIn addition, on many projects I'll also use:- Drywall Guys- Insulation- Surveyor- Structural Engineer- Inspectors- Concrete Company- Driveway/Paving Company- Grading- Tree Trimming- Shower Glass CompanyFor big projects, new construction:- Architect- Civil Engineer- Foundation- Asbestos Removal- Sediment Control- Excavation, Dirt Hauling- Interior Sprinklers- Stone WorkEach of those contractors will typically get between 1-4 draws, depending on the scope of the work they have for the project.Then there are materials and other non-labor costs:- Permits (0-3 transactions per project)- Porta Pottys (0-3 transactions per project)- Home Depot Materials (3-5 transactions per project)- Dumpsters (1-3 transactions per project)- Paint Purchase- Cabinets/Countertops Purchase (2-4 transactions per project)- Flooring Material Purchase (1-2 transactions per project)- Specialty Material Suppliers (0-10 transactions per project)- Utility/Service Installation (0-5 transactions per project)- Private Inspections (0-5 transactions per project)- Insulation/Airtightness Tests- AppliancesOn top of that, I will potentially write several checks to:- Title Company- Property Inspector- Appraiser- General Contractor or Project Manager- Interest Payments- Utility Payments- Tax PaymentsOn top of that, I have my general business expenses:- Accounting- Legal- Interest Payments- Tax Payments- Brokerage Fees- E&O Fees- MLS Fees- Overhead/Office (Supplies, Equipment, Subscriptions, Software, etc)- Telephone/Fax/Internet- Income from Property SalesAll of these easily add up to a couple hundred transactions on a large project or new build, meaning many dozen per month. 

Except for the two bedrooms, I took every room down to the studs = new wiring, plumbing, insulation, drywall, flooring, fixtures, counters, doors, trim, windows, appliances, roof, gutters, landscaping, fence).

Is it just ungrounded wiring with cloth insulators on the individual hot and neutral wires (like was found with Knob-and-tube and was still used until the mid-1950s)?  

Additionally, the 1980's yielded an oil bust that taught the previous generation a big lesson and hopefully that has been passed down to the current one.My plan is to stick with starter homes so hopefully I can do as much as possible to insulate myself from a real bad bust if it happens.

It may be lead in the paint, asbestos in insulation (All which would add to renovation costs)And May I ask what neighborhood this is?

My dad was long as well pointing out things to the inspector and asking some good questions.Long story short the house has been added on 4 times.The attic didn't have nearly enough insulation and the inspector seemed very surprised at that. 

I used a private lender because this property was a "3 Season" cottage on a lake and didn't have heat or insulation, and therefore wouldn't qualify for a conventional mortgage.

There are others who maximize leverage, think that you can easily build a cap-ex fund over time (hint: cap-ex issues aren't linear), and don't insulate themselves.Side note: if the market doesn't go down then those highly leveraged investor with no cash sitting in a "wasted" reserve fund will get a higher ROI based on their capital allocation.  

You want a product as food or better than the homes you are using as comparables.Without seeing your project I'd be very tempted to gut the exterior walls at least so I could insulate.