If you want a 4" matching back splash add another 5 square feet of granite probably so roughly $1602) My experience has typically been they all charge/ try to charge a sink cutout fee around $180 for an undermount sink3) Usually a few free edges, but there is a charge per linear ft for the fancier edges4) Tear out/disposal fee of old counters if you dont tear them out yourself (super easy to do)

I've seen houses that were almost ready for tear-down yet they sold for full asking price with multiple offers in a mild market.

You need to be able to roll up with a large order and show impressive monthly buying capacity before the big guys will even talk to you about any kind of statistically meaningful discount.... and even at that point, the discounts really only mean something BECAUSE you're buying in gross bulk and saving $2/board on drywall adds up when you're ordering by the truck load every other week.The other huge factor is that when you get to where you CAN negotiate for these kind of discounts, you've thoroughly worn out the service capacity of big box stores like Lowes and if you have to deal with one more botched, incomplete delivery or broken board of 'rock you're going to tear your hair out... then the service and delivery capabilities of a real supply house starts making a big difference to you.

thanks, dave.. i got a quote for $1500 labor only. from tear out to finish tiling and grout. i thought that was high. i expected $800 to be honest, that's a 3 day job, including concrete curing. i have done this kind of work and know exactly what's involved. i will follow your advice and talk to mom and pop shop..btw, i have plumbed 10+ houses in the past 4 yrs. i do not agree with you "forget pex". pex is amazing and plumbers are scared of it cause even homewners can use it. the only areas where it's not that good is under pedestal sinks and the vertical runs for the showers (flimsy). pex expands in cold weather, much cheaper, much quicker. i can plumb a 1k sq house with a basement in 3-4 hrs.what's not to love?

the question was investments that are passive and have minimal risk...answering that questino with rental property is a surefire way to not be taken seriously....sorry to be harsh, but rentals are very hands on....even if they're 'turnkey' and you have a PM and you live 500 miles away, who pays when there's an eviction and the tenant tears the place up...so now you're out a few months of rent, costs for eviction, costs to fix the place up, and vacancy time while looking for a new tenant...not to mention, as a landlord, you will get sued at some point..we had a thread about a week or 2 ago..i've also seen it first hand..the owner gets sued first, even if the property manager was the one who mishandled something and the owner had no idea--how is that minimal risk?

Second question is for both of you: if a housing provider logically determines that pets are negative impact on the bottom line because of the increased damage and wear and tear that most will cause, is it not logical to do whatever is within his legal means to avoid the less desirable tenants.I appreciate how highly you both value logic and/or a lack of emotion in your business dealings, most of the time I do too.However, it seems to me that the nature of this thread is not necessarily to impress each other with how unemotional  or "about our business" we are. 

More people living there can mean more risk (prior evictions, sex offenders), more utilities, more wear and tear, more parking needed.

Also most state laws exclude normal wear and tear from something a landlord can charge for.

For the past few months, since discovering BP, I've been on a tear lately, gobbling up vast amounts of information, listening to podcasts, now on my 3rd RE book in one month,  constantly day-dreaming of the day I can replace my W2 with passive income.

I don't want a costly vacancy - I just want clear and simple compensation for additional wear and tear or damages.