Quote from @Mike Levene: contractors should give exact quotes, come in give you a full detailed list of how much it will be to cost for labor and materials broken down.

I have dogs and have had 3 leather couches over the years.

Pretend your getting the hardest rain you have ever seen and imagine where the water is going.I would also keep an eye out for sewer lines and type of material.

When I first got started I didn't officially join any coaching programs, but I did buy the materials at mobile home university.

You want an accountant who can help you strategize and who is responsive when you want to know the consequences of the financial decisions you are making throughout the year.Good luck.

Is the bang worth the buck ? 

Every time you lower your tax bracket you are lowering the value of the deductions.

Never built in Houston before so take my feedback with a grain of salt but I'd put money on it being impossible to build a duplex from scratch for $125 a foot (including everything from drawings, engineering, permit fees, general conditions, labor, material, landscaping).Out here in AZ the builder cost is going to be $200 a foot at best, but add 20% on top of that for the client cost.

As of now , they have the land , the permits and city approval to build the houses.

Strategic renovations don't have to break the bank.