Your mechanicals and capital expenditures are a lot more important and more expensive to fix than a pretty kitchen. its better to live in outdated kitchen and have a well kept home with updated mechanicals/roof/hvac than one that looks pretty but will start to crumble5.

I watched my parents flip houses since I was little and have always been on job sites or made "pocket money" by doing chores like painting fences or washing kitchen cabinets, which I realize now my parents were putting us to work to build that sweat equity.

If you are using a good contractor than he should take the architects plans and specifications and give you a quote that is binding unless you change the scope of work or materials.If you are buying light rehab properties you must be familiar with the cost of replacing a bathroom and kitchen, painting, drywall and flooring.

Focus on projects that will bring a return on investment, such as updating the kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, and installing new appliances.

We even added a kitchen downstairs.

You can't do the kitchen and leave two old bathrooms.

A lot of homes have had bathroom and kitchen modifications without permits.

Walls come down, kitchens come out, and bathrooms get a major facelift.

It is definitely cheaper to do it while you are already working on kitchen and plumbing.

There are also requirements for receptacles in kitchens and baths.