Depending on the nature of what needs done, *in general* a good contractor will cost you about the same thing as you acting as the GC yourself because they get better pricing from subs than you will get, and pocket the difference as profit.

It needs to be easy to understand, flexible, and cost appropriate for a small start up.

We know there are multiple venues to get the leads, some very costly others not, some demanding tremendous effort (like going door by door, driving for dollars , or making thousands of cold calls etc.) , others not so much (mass mailings, for instance).

Florida will continue to suffer from much lower affordability due to increased insurance costs and taxes. 

It cost 200 per year for a million dollars coverage above and beyond your regular insurance.

also, you are correct about the $4500 upfront cost.

The company's legal counsel has said a guarantor is not needed, citing the company's annual revenue and an employee, effectively, being unwilling to cut a check on behalf of their employer if it came to that.

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

There are a few Categories that I have broken into their own calculations considering there may be cost savings depending on strategy employed.

Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers.