PTO days you can tackle this stuff with the contractor as the mentor and do.. Or

Getting his/her initial reaction could open the door to an agreement that works for both of you.

I would also urge you to make sure you fully understand how they operate , A-Z (from how they make their profit to how many doors they are managing). 

Over the next decade the 'larger' coastal cities like Coos Bay, Lincoln City, Newport and Astoria will continue to mature.

He is 69 and does not want to reinvest (1031 exchange), which leaves me having to make a much larger investment on my own to meet the 1031 requirements which is more than I’m willing to do at this time.

That would set you up and make it easier to scale to another or larger project.

Send it by US Mail with proof of delivery required and/or place it in an envelope with their name on it and post it on their door. 

However, if you want long-term stability and predictable payments, refinancing might be a better option, especially for larger projects.

Wondering if anyone got a new contract from Delta asking for a larger deposit amount?

In my market, which is a fairly economical place to build, I am friends with full time builders that are in their properties about $150k/door for construction level finishes.