Oct 10 2016

I really intended to keep up and report what we learned and what we have done. We are nearing completion of our first flip. We aren't scared off yet. We have learned so much. Like the first people you hire are an electrician and a plumber. You need to figure out early your scope of the job. Ideally before you close on the house. Get the plan together before you close. Know what rooms need what changes. Does the electrical need just tweaks or a full rewrite. We made the mistake of not getting a bid on a full rewire. We needed to upgrade the box from the street to the house then found out after that job was nearly completed that the house needed a full rewire. Which meNt the house had to be brought up to code which meant walls had to be opened. Don't let anyone close ANY walls until the electrician and plumber get their final inspections. 

Know EXACTLY where your vanity and lights go. Don't assume the old spot will do for the new bathroom layout (yep made that mistake). Cost of moving the vanity light $75-100. 

If you buy a vessel sink realize the electrical should go ABOVE the height of the counter and vessel. Remember the backsplash is a minimum the height of the think height.  Yep made that mistake too cost $75 to move. Keep into consideration where the mirror will be too. 

Plumbing. Know exactly where the appliances will be in relation the the cabinet layout. Yep made that mistake too had to move a gasli e and sink plumbing. Cost $200. 

Lights. Have all you light fixtures and bulbs so the electrician isn't waiting around for you. He can't turn on the electricity until all the lights are in. He has to test breakers and label them. 

Floating vanity look good but may not be practical. The countertops may be too heavy for them. Also some people may think it is wasted space. Consider counter depth. 19 inch depth may be great in a tight bathroom. It might be not so great in a large bathroom. 

Figure out what adds value to a property. Will adding a bathroom add value? The cost of time and money to put it in. It might not add value. 

Cabinets. Slow close doors on cabinets don't last more than a few years. Cabinet maker recommends not getting them. Buyers however love them. 

Things to check before you buy your custom cabinets. Will any cabinet door you open hit a wall? Depth of a cabinet compared to the adjoining cabinet. We noticed the pantry wasn't as deep as the fridge. I don't like the look of it. Make sure the cabinet maker caulks before he paints. Our cabinets look nice but there are lots of little gaps we need to fill. Also are the miter cuts dovetailed or glued? Dovetail is better. 

Watch your painters like a hawk. Watch for drips, missed painted areas, seams not painted well (between the ceiling and wall). Watch for wall paint smudges on the ceiling or on the trim. Watch that painters recognize when a door has oil paint on it and they try to paint it with latex. Trust me--We won't use these painters again. Check for proper spakling  around lights, and vents. Also you shouldn't see on the ceiling where a wall was removed. 

Have the painters remove old hardware from windows and walls before they paint. 

I am sure I can come up with more items to remember and look for in the future. We have learned many lessons on this flip.