There are also more minor updates that need to be done like painting (easy) and hardwood refinishing in two of the apartments. 

We are refinishing a basement and adding a bathroom near the stack directly below the main floor bath.

It's really no different than refinishing existing flooring or repainting, replacing a broken window, or buying a new washing machine when the existing one dies.Now if you were to do something like upgrade to hardwood floors from carpet, that might be a different story. 

The whole reason for this was to make him some money but he is mad that I opted to refinish the nice maple hardwood instead of throwing carpet back in, and I had to completely remodel 2 bathrooms and I replaced lath and plaster with Sheetrock where he wanted to just mud the cracks.

I also considered it as a flip (ARV for a quick sale would probably be $125ish) but to do that would take around 30K of repairs (refinishing wood floors instead of vinyl, better appliances/fixtures etc.) but I thought that might be biting off a little much for a first flip. 

Those two units were converted into a duplex up at some point and I needed to refinish both floors and put a new kitchen back up on the third floor that the previous owner converted into a bedroom. 

The labor I use to do the ceramic tile, vinyl plank flooring, painting, siding repair, floor refinish and other trades that do not require a license or permit cost me about $2,500 on average week and we are normally out of a house in 10 days.  

Despite the added cost, I’m secretly thankful for an excuse not to degrease, sand and refinish cabinets this week.

Valley area: hardwood flooring, cabinet refinishing, faucet replacement, toilet replacement, and a few other very small things....all during mid to late November.Can anyone recommend a contractor who could do these things reliably and at a reasonable price?

We had delays with the contractor completing the work, unforeseen repairs required, a contractor scratching up the floor 2 days before the open house after they had already been refinished, and problems with the town & contractor over permits.One tip I would give investors, I would actually go down to the town with your contractor and make sure all the proper permits were pulled so you don't have any problems when you go to get your certificate of occupancy.