Originally my tenant had been approved for 2 older basset hounds (outside only dogs) for which, upon move in, he paid to have my backyard fenced himself with a rather quality plank farm fencing.  

We've found that HUD estimates tend to be low for repairs especially when considering what kind of quality you really want in the property.You need to factor in any potential CAPEX, maintenance, common area utilities, water & potential reserves (Reserves are really there to cover CAPEX items)

QUALITY of the PM is paramount, but 13-15% is way way to high. 

There is no requirement to make contributions each and every year, and many startups setup a 401k plan before they are profitable as a means to attract quality employees.  

THAT will help you get better quality tenants in the short term.  

If you're interested in a market like Dallas, where things are selling at the speed of light, you need someone to view properties for you, because you're going to have to move on them immediately.

The quality of tenants you will get is going to be terribly sporadic.  

Reliability, loyalty, and speed come at a price.

Get a contractor (well several) to give you some bids, remember the cheapest is rarely the least expensive, so vet quality as well as price, get references and ect.

The alternative is to replace with cheaper hollow core doors, however I feel that cheats me out of a quality original door.