Not to get to technical, but I used to be a mechanical engineer selling energy and network projects to big companies, now I run our construction department and install lots of HVAC, and can promise you heat pumps and electric baseboard are light years apart in monthly spend unless you live in Alaska or something.

Thanks in advance on any feedback,Zach (Structural Engineer In-Training in Indiana)    

I'm graduating from San Jose State University with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

LolaHi Lola,You might want to encourage the board to get 3 or 4 more bids for the block work.Perhaps get an architect (or an engineer) to help you write up a "Written Bid Request" for the (Needed) and (Optional) repair work.With a written bid request, you can be sure you are comparing apples to apples, and getting the required work done.Also, the Architect or Engineer may have a list of workmen to share with you that they have used successfully in the past on similar jobs.Good Luck! 

It's interesting that I too have an engineering back ground, once worked in oil and gas, and once lived in Houston.

I was self employed as a cinema engineer and COVID shut it down.

I'm considering leaving my full time job as a high school math teacher to pursue real estate full time, I've been in education for four years now, since I graduated from college where I studied Biomedical Engineering (my life has taken me on a wild ride so far). 

On every property we purchase, a third party engineer inspects and laser measures the property before we begin our renovation.  

Tax rates and eviction rates are easy to find via search engine.  

I was an engineer in 2007, bought first rental in 2009, got 11 turnkeys in 2015.