If I can't qualify for the refi then I would be in a tight spot, I will definitely look into that before I take a short term loan.

If your budget it tight going into the project, a bad rehab with no other funds available could literally bankrupt you.As an example, on our first "house hack", we bought a duplex, anticipating one tenant would move out, and we would sell our condo that we had under contract. 

I was just wondering if anyone has had a experience like this with a 203k loan where you were past the deadline.

The email stated they must become current on at least November and December with a strict deadline.

They install it too tight maybe. 

It’s a bit tight with holidays and weekends, but I think we have enough time.   

those numbers are way too tight

In other words if you structure the lease so tightly that you end up with a significant amount of the burdens and benefits of ownership it could be deemed that the owner started his 1031 period with the signing of that lease.  

By the 1970s, ventilation standards were so tight that "sick building syndrome" was created.It's going to be functionally impossible to turn your 1930s-era five-plex into a sick building using modern insulation materials and methods.

They have to track the deadlines on everyone they have, make sure they are handling notices from city, village etc.