I just bought a townhouse flip and it's full cosmetic redo so a bit different than your project, but here is what I did:- Made a very specific list by room of what I wanted to do and budgeted materials and labor- I'm sticking to that list and cutting where I need to in order to stick to it i.e. bought Pergo instead of hardwood- Lowe's and Home Depot will run deals from time to time on carpet/hardwood/laminet installs check them out.  

SW 13th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL.Duplex 3/2 on each side.Priced at 264,000Think I could rent it out somewhere around 2,200 a monthLooks like cosmetic fixesTried to do the calculator but I wasn't sure if I entered everything correctly.I will be using a VA loan.

Educate yourself well to find undervalued properties that need primarily cosmetic work to bring them up to value.

If you're just painting, doing new floors, and mostly cosmetic work, they most likely don't need a license or permits for that work, but ask the building department.  

I haven't gotten as far as to discuss the details of the large capex items, so mine are certainly just average estimates, but I know they have done some minor cosmetic repairs as they are selling them.  

I don't know your tolerance for rehab work, but the issues with these properties range from moderate amounts of cosmetic work, to having to replace major systems, to dealing with failing structures. 

Really nice (or crummy) kitchens and bathrooms also throw price per square foot right out the window, which is why many flippers will focus on those areas and just do cosmetic work on the rest. 

@David Dachtera because it will free up space inside the kitchen and look cosmetically better. 

This was mainly a cosmetic rehab.

He would be nearly putting in making sure that it's tilting the right way to drain properly and put up the cosmetic molding.