In Need of Construction/Renovation 101 Crash Course

[Mikael Winkler]

Hello fellow BPers! 

I'm currently managing (trying to manage) a construction project on 10 apartment units that have been vacant for yeeeears. This has been a complete trial by fire, as I had zero experience with something of this scale prior. My only experience in managing a project has been the house hack my wife and I did.

What I have learned very quickly is that I absolutely NEED a better basic knowledge of all aspects of construction. Not that I will necessarily do the work myself, but I've discovered it's hard to manage contractors with really any authority when you know very little about what they are actually doing and materials they are using (and they know you don't know). I recently had to get on a contractor about timeline and when he said he was missing the push fittings he needed, I didn't know what those were. Had to Google it. Facepalm.

Does anyone know of a course or resource (preferably free or relatively inexpensive) or book that runs through the ins and outs of construction trades? I've already begun my own research in the blackhole of the Internet, broken down into categories: roofing, electric, plumbing, HVAC, flooring, drywall, etc. I can continue in this way, obviously, but having more consolidated, focused information would be awesome.

Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated, thanks!

[Jay Hinrichs]

@jscott has the very good book on this..