I try to only do one bigger project to help maintain a budget, but doing this as a regular practice has been very effective in improving the overall quality of my rental units as well as vastly reducing service related issues.As an example, a recent 1 BR we made ready to rent had an older multi-piece shower unit in a bathroom with older sheet vinyl flooring.

Guess that means I might be a regular at one local meeting.

Usually I don't make stuff at night but can get away during the day, though I wouldn't be a regular attendee for Longmont driving from work in Loveland. 

Many people try to circumvent handymen limitations (ie, in CA it is $500/project max including both materials and labor, some say 600 not 500) for construction/repair work by treating the handyman as an hourly employee, but it backfires because CA bans just that.Not familiar with WA laws so I digress, but where there's a will there's a way.Note the fundamental difference between employee and independent contractor is if the worker is regularly supervised while at work hour to hour.

From what I've seen recently in the Tacoma area, there have regularly been a few duplexes(2/1 on both units) in the ~150k to ~180k range that would probably rent for around $1600/month.Have you checked out this one: https://www.redfin.com/WA/Tacoma/751-Tule-Lake-RD-S-98444/home/2740616 ?

The consequences are fascinating from a political and economic perspective, but not hugely relevant for regular US house flippers and investors.

Or you use a regular some local service ?

I do these regularly and am glad I learned the ropes with normal arms-length  sellers @James Sestito. 

Once we do about a 100k rehab It will produce us an 8.5 cap at 2$/sf NNN if we just lease to regular medical and/or related businesses as it's right in the middle of a very heavily populated medical zone.Depending on timing and wether Marijuana gets a green light in November in 26 States including Cali we could lease it to a MJ dispensary on a 20 year lease with a  high double digit cap NNN.Personally, I think the train has left the station on MJ and the Fed will have no choice but to acquiesce to the desires of the 30 plus stated that will have legalized or at least de criminalized it.

I will be updating this post regularly with my progress.I have had a lot of ups and downs since I started on my own in October.