Flip Friendly Contractors Needed in Los Angeles County

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Flip Friendly Contractors Needed in Los Angeles County

Member since 2020 · 3 posts · 0 votes

Hi BP Community! I’m trying to get a go-to list of LA-based, investor-friendly contractors together for a potential flip I have in the Valley. Has anyone worked with any GCs in the area they recommend?

Feel like goes without saying but need to produce solid results and work within budget and schedule timelines.

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Bruce WoodruffPro Member

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

Quote from @Eliza West:

Jonathan and Bruce - very appreciative for the advice, thank you both. I hear you on paying a premium for a good GC and having an iron-clad scope of work. The house is in pretty rough shape and would need a full demo and reno. Finding a couple contractors who are reliable and have experience with flips would be a great start. I'll check out some FB pages as suggested! Thanks again.

Good luck! You'll find someone on FB. just make sure to vet them.

1) Check their license status and history at https://www.cslb.ca.gov/.

2) Verify their liability insurance coverage (and get listed as additional insured).

3) Verify that they have Worker Comp.

4) Don't release a progress payment until you get a unconditional lien release for each Sub-Contractor, you don't want to be sued/liened later.

Feel free to PM me if you need any help...

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Jonathan GreeneBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Madison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
2y
"Produce solid results and work within budget and schedule timelines" in LA is very difficult unless you are willing to pay a premium. LA is really tough because it depends how big your project is. Full demo and reno or a cosmetic fixer? I have a ton of friends from high school still in the Valley so they may be able to shoot me some real recs, but I don't think you will find a good one on here for the Valley. Local Facebook pages will yield much better results.
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Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
2y
As @Jonathan Greene says, if you want great work done - on time and on budget - you are looking for the rare GCs, the top 10%. And you should expect to pay the premium price.
Speaking as a General Contractor, the most important thing for you to have in place is an iron-clad Scope Of Work. Every single item involved in the project, no matter how small, should be written in this SOW and attached to the final contract.
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Eliza West
OP
Member since 2020 · 3 posts · 0 votes
2y
Jonathan and Bruce - very appreciative for the advice, thank you both. I hear you on paying a premium for a good GC and having an iron-clad scope of work. The house is in pretty rough shape and would need a full demo and reno. Finding a couple contractors who are reliable and have experience with flips would be a great start. I'll check out some FB pages as suggested! Thanks again.
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Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
2y
Quote from @Eliza West:

Jonathan and Bruce - very appreciative for the advice, thank you both. I hear you on paying a premium for a good GC and having an iron-clad scope of work. The house is in pretty rough shape and would need a full demo and reno. Finding a couple contractors who are reliable and have experience with flips would be a great start. I'll check out some FB pages as suggested! Thanks again.

Good luck! You'll find someone on FB. just make sure to vet them.
1) Check their license status and history at https://www.cslb.ca.gov/.
2) Verify their liability insurance coverage (and get listed as additional insured).
3) Verify that they have Worker Comp.
4) Don't release a progress payment until you get a unconditional lien release for each Sub-Contractor, you don't want to be sued/liened later.
Feel free to PM me if you need any help...
2 Reply
Henry Lazerow
Real Estate Agent · Chicago, IL · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
2y
No one will give contractors who are actually good and cheap out on here. I have some and I ONLY give then to my brokerage clients after they close. To find them yourself call a bunch off facebook and test them out on small jobs. On facebook market place can find guys who charge even 1/3 the price of what find off yelp and they are essential for a profitable value add project.
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Eliza West
OP
Member since 2020 · 3 posts · 0 votes
2y
Bruce - thank you for the list - incredibly helpful. I'm adding all these points to my notes :)
Henry - appreciate the reply as well. Was worth a shot, I suppose! I'll keep your FB Marketplace tip in mind.
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Juan Avina
Member since 2024 · 5 posts · 1 vote
2y
Hello Eliza, not sure if you found your contractors but I’m an electrician in the Los Angeles area! If you’re ever in need of any electrical work feel free to contact me!
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Tim Ryan
Investor / Mentor / Contractor · Arcadia, CA Buying Out of State · Member since 2015 · 654 posts · 622 votes
2y
The business concept of the Iron Triangle is this: In any project, you can prioritize only two of the three key constraints: speed (time), price (cost), and quality.
I'll never forget from my younger GC days meeting with flippers and thinking they'd be a great source of work for my company, and one after another them yelling at me (at bid stage) that I Must be super fast, low or mid cost, and top quality. And here was the kicker: because they said they need to make money on this deal.
Needless to say I've never worked for a flipper unless I was a partner - and I've done many of those.
So, since making money is always the most important, and time is money, this is why we see so many crappy "flipper homes". White walls with black windows, black plumbing hardware, black door and cabinet knobs, vinyl flooring (in homes valued over $1m), unfinished areas during open house...
Sorry I'm being so cynical. You triggered me. lol ;)
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