It also provides basic pricing ranges and discusses the different factors that influence pricing.Next, I would compile a list of these common repairs into a spreadsheet to help you get organizedOnce you've got your spreadsheet compiled make some trips to Home Depot or Lowes to get a feel for how much materials costs for flooring, tubs, toilets, lighting, etc.As Jim suggested there are good resources for Labor costs such as RS Means, but the best and most accurate source for labor costs is to contact local contractors. 

I have a "light cleaning" rate of $30/hr, which I arbitrarily define as what I do at my house on a Saturday morning, and heavy cleaning, which it sounds like you had to do, rate of $45-55/hr. 

That is something I was going to do but if you can shed some light on that I would be grateful.

Everything I do that involves the words "Real Estate,"  Lights a fire inside of me so big I can't focus on anything else.

Is anyone able to shed some light on whether these are good areas in terms of rental demand and rent-to-value ratio? 

If you the landlord have to replace the roof, a/c units, exterior lighting, parking lot reseal and recoat that could be hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost or more.Is this a free standing box or is it wedged in between other stores being sold off more like a retail condo?

The property to left, right, and behind is zoned as commercial or light industrial. 

So they set all of the gold cars they saw in the parking lot on fire.No caption necessary for this toilet from hell.This is what a kitchen can look like when a low income tenant moves out of it.This is what a backyard can look like when a low income tenant moves out of it.If tenants in these tough neighborhoods don't have yards, don't worry they will light off their fourth of July fireworks in their bathrooms.Don't worry though.

For anyone else planning to do similar, it hasn't been mentioned yet that there is a 4 adult maximum for any STR outside of the STR  District, and additional parking is required (and there are several more requirements depending on zone as previously stated).However the good news is that I have heard from several others and per my own light reading of the ordinance the number of rent-able days for STR's in the City of Charleston is no longer a 72 maximum. 

, update bath light vanity.