In Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad Poor Dad", he writes: “I began shopping at the bankruptcy attorney’s office or the courthouse steps.

You may find a few smaller shops willing to drop the % slightly, but from what I hear, it's generally a "get what you pay for" type business.

Find a local metal shop (preferably one who specialized in wrought iron) and have them weld on the extra needed material, then have the railings powder sandblasted and powdercoated.

FYI, we use Tom's Planner, an online Gantt chart that is subscription based.

Different brokerages have different tools and online things that will help you with lead generation but it's not something to totally rely on, just one of the many things you'll need.

It's not uncommon for investors to have penalty clauses the same way they have bonus ones.Also big box retailers are not necessarily the best place to get your materials and especially labor.They can definitely be good for some things but I wouldn't rely on them as a "one stop shop" kinda deal.I'd look for more local supply stores and subs/trades that can install without the big box mark up.

Check out COGO Capital online.

I'm looking to buy my first property (multifamily), and i'm talking with a loan officer from Caliber Home Loans who seems really knowledgeable and on his game, however the company itself has iffy reviews online. 

This particular property is currently being offered in an online auction with auction.com, and is also being offered on their local MLS (which is how I've seen them done here in Oregon). 

I'd also be careful as to what you disclose online as far as your knowledge of the unlicensed work. anyway, good luck with it.