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Posted about 11 years ago

How do I do it myself?

After you have been in something long enough it's second nature to find what you want, hit the nail right on the head, know what screw size to use, etc. I don't think about when I first started out and how tough it was to find the right tool, screws, nails, drywall thickness (important), etc.  It used to be really stiff trying to find out what to do but now with the Internet, things have changed.

 

I can reassure you that almost everyone can fix their own flipper, or at least portions of it. One of the greatest resources to this is your own computer; Youtube has pretty much everything you need to do almost anything you need. You can also do a net search but make sure it has video or pictures at the least!

 

With that being said, you want to always count the costs before you go into something don't you? Finding the Cap rate, getting the right loan, finding the right fixer, you've done this but when it comes down to it now you either have to hire someone to fix it at a high price, or DIY (do it yourself). 

 

The first time out will make you nervous, it always does, press forward anyway. Don't take on too much if you know you can't turn on a power drill; delegate if necessary. Your wife may be good at this, use your resources. Your son may be mechanically inclined as well. Don't be afraid to ask a friend to help, just make sure the beer and pizza are there. 

 

If you are a woman, don't let femininity stop you-dress cute but be prepared to get a little dirty and flip that hammer just like a man does babe (wear gloves), you will be respected for being able to do this. If you know you can't, then let your powers of persuasion help you by asking a relative or good friend for help. 

 

Tools...

 

I am the type that buys Snap-on, and everything has to look brand new; others can have a 50-year-old screwdriver covered in grease and be content. The main thing is to get yourself a good drill- DeWalt is good, but there are others now that compete, ASK the sales person at... HOME DEPOT, LOWES or your local hardware store what the best drill for the money is. Keep your tools dry and clean them up afterwards, that's another asset that you can either keep for years or have to replace if it gets fowled up- just make sure it's clean when you finish and you will thank yourself in the future. 

 

*NOTE Now, that being said, always make it a habit to check out Amazon.com for everything (I'm not pitching here). Remember to add the shipping costs and don't get sucked in to buying the credit card for one-time free shipping. 


After you ask the store for advice, it may seem strange, but I've dropped enough cash at these places that a little free advice will help, and you can buy your nails, screws, drywall and toilets there at your hearts content. I recently purchased a Survivor cell phone cover that normally goes for $45 on sale for only $11 + shipping. (Here I am creating competition for myself...) Anyway, Amazon has fantastic prices and Google searches, for the product, are very useful as well. You should check the rating, be careful there! They hire people to do several good 5 star ratings at first, not all of them do that but many do, so I try for the product ratings first, then I look for the best deal.

 

You don't have to rush right out and buy an entire toolset, most of it will just sit around and gather dust-look at the project(s) you have to do, look at the Youtube video and see what they use, and just buy that at first. Anything else at this point may be tool-envy. Resist when you go down those isles, looking at the pretty drills that resemble something out of Star Wars, you won't save money that way and all that glitters doesn't necessarily work that well.  

 

I know, that air compressor looks good too right? Only if you truly have a use for it. Consider the $300 you may spend (perhaps not including the nail guns, etc.) YOU DON'T NEED IT. Use a hammer, a good stapler, etc. 

 

Buy a cheap but good plastic tool container, or you may want to get a cheap 5 gallon bucket and pick up a tool sleeve that fits around the outside-that is the best thing they have invented yet, believe me when you go in to do this you want to keep track of stuff, this is cheap and you have everything right there with you, a handle to move it with from room to room. 


Cheap tools are the pits, try not to buy absolute junk, it will only frustrate you, however, if you have to so you can get buy then do what you have to do. I prefer a good basic screwdriver set, it will last forever. Sears has good tools in a pinch. (Amazon, Amazon). Drill sets, with circular saw, reciprocal saw and nifty light can be good, but just remember that they get you after a years worth of use on the nicad batteries; you can also check places on the net for deals-my Milwaukee drill set uses batteries that now cost $80 a piece at the stores, I found the same for half that or less on the net. I had a friend that frequented a local pawn shop-I laughed about it until I went there and saw Nike golf club sets for $100 that normally ran much more-now I'm a believer. I also found nail guns that are used for a great price. 

 

If you are really getting into this, don't store drywall outside, it will ruin. Mold can ruin things as well, keep wood dry and if there is a lot of moisture put it up using some bricks or at least pieces of wood to keep it aired out. Make sure to get green water-resistant drywall for the bathroom, this is the decent thing to do and doesn't cost much more. If you have the extra money and don't have the room, rent a cheap storage unit, or buy a tool shed for the back yard. 


If it's your rental and you intend to buy and hold, then use screws to fix the fence, the nails work out of an older fence, and staples are a major hassle, they just keep working out of the wood. Don't get fancy, fixing a cheap flipper or rental may only need the basics, save your money. 


I hope this helps, I could write a book on what to watch out for etc. but use the Youtube whenever you have a question, there is also expertadvise.com. yoexpert.com, etc. Just Google "expertadvice" and many will pop-up for you. 


I have fixed enough homes in the past and commercial establishments to know my way around, the tricks are the important thing, I recently did something new, my dog scratched it's way through the backdoor screen, so I re-did the screen with the help from Youtube, and with heavy screening material (hard, put it in the sun for a while to soften it), so don't get rid of something if you can use it (like a screen door), and you may want to re-use if you plan on constantly flipping or renting out your units. 


Cheers,


Troy Jones

Investor, entrepreneur



 

 

 

 

 

 


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