I am planning on speaking with Building and Safety DptHealth DptFire DptI have a builder and contractor lined up already. 

@John Smith, do you know if the plumbing is already separated for each side of the duplex?

Depends on the exact wording regarding default in your contract, or absent that, state law......rarely worth it.

Labour costs may only be deducted from a deposit if performed by contractors.

This is a question for my realtor friends as well as independent contractors. 

Hello everyone, has anyone had any good experiences with general contractors in Yonkers or the lower Westchester area.

Therefore - your liability should be limited to the amount that you contribute to the partnership/LLC.Whether you feel 50% is fair or if you should be entitled to more depends on what each person is bringing to the table and what his/her level of experience is.The more experience a person has the more leverage he/she has to demand a higher percentage of the profits.A general contractor/property manager with 20+years of experience likely has more leverage than a contractor who is just starting out.It also depends on what you require as a rate of return.

Should I pay off the balance of 8k and look into hiring a contractor and management team or should I turn over the project with it being down to the studs? 

I wanted to ask for General Contractor referrals, could anyone please recommend a trustworthy, fairly-priced general contractor in the Houston area?

I use contractors and I usually get all of my initial purchase money and a subset of the rehab costs.The most important thing is to learn a lot on this first property as you want the next property to be an even greater success.Good luck