Tell me about your live-in flip...

[Edgar Rosales]

I would like to purchase a property to fix up while living in it. I live in Chandler, AZ. It would be just me moving into the house and hiring most of the work out. Tell me what i should i expect, tips and advise. Tell me about big no no's. Tell me about how you managed work and rehabbing your property. 

Thank you in advance. 

Edgar 

[Aaron Lovett]

A lot depends on your situation, the house, etc.  Here are some basic things I've learned:

If you are married or have family with you, keep them as priority.  Don't expect them to understand, see the vision, or "get it" in the same way that you do.  Make sure the basic comforts of a home are available to them ASAP - functional kitchen, finished bathroom, finished bedroom.  If the family is reasonably comfortable AND the project is finished 100% very quickly, you just might win them over to do many more.  ;-)

The above point is true for yourself, too.  There's no reason for you to live in a work zone all the time.  Give yourself a place to retreat to when the day is over: finished bedroom and bathroom, usable kitchen.

Buy a shop vac, soft bristle broom, a dustpan, and a big trash can, and sweep your living-area and path at night.  No matter how neat your contractors are, they're going to miss things.  Do you really want to be worried about stepping on staples or screws on a midnight trip to the bathroom?

Designate one room as personal storage, and another (or the garage) as a work space.  Better yet, get a storage unit or shed for personal stuff.  You want a place for cutting, keeping tools, etc. without worrying about stepping over things or getting your personal items dusty.

Hire contractors with good recommendations.  See their previous work beforehand.  Be firm about deadlines and about quality.  

Keep a key in a lockbox for contractors.  Use one that has an easily changeable code.  Change it weekly or after each contractor is finished.  Change the locks when the project is finished.

Enjoy the process, and don't give up!  There are going to be setbacks and unexpected obstacles, but you can enjoy the finished product, if you keep at it.  Let us know how it goes!