I'm going to make a list of questions and sit down with the lender and hammer out the details so I fully understand the product.

I don't know if this is specifically the case with Chase, but some banks and credit unions have subsidiary appraisal management companies collecting that appraisal fee, so that would be even better for the bank if that is the case.The other garbage estimator websites, like Zillow or Redfin, do the same stuff, but are aimed at bringing business in the door for their primary customers -- real estate agents (you, the person reading this, are the product being sold).

They will probably want you to put it into production sooner rather than later, though.  

My product (houses) and services must provide value before I receive compensation...it's called sales.

supercheapsigns.com Great products, user friendly and pretty quick turn around

If you've paid your debt to society, shouldn't you be allowed to become a productive member of it?

There's only some much time to devote to this stuff and when your schedule simply has no room left you have to carve out the ones that appear the least lucrative or productive. 

Variables that impact production (lighting, co2, pests) are more easily controlled in an indoor environment.

I'm asking why would a bank give a construction loan to someone that can't afford the final product?

But once you start doing a number of deals and can build some trust with a lender you will have more negotiating power.Bear in mind that my model was more a a "landlord product" where I took out a HML for 90 days and then quickly refinanced into a conventional loan after the rehab.