All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

Manolo, I'm not familiar with that book.

"Briefcase Builders" are favorites of mine as they value what I bring to the table... so this type of builder tends to seek out guys like me (as consultant, PM, CM, etc.) to have on their team.  The relationships are loyal, rewarding, respectful and appreciated.

I too love taking a concept and being a part of making it real and definitely know that I don't like pushing paper all day... years ago, I learned that I was allergic to being in an office all day!  I thrive on the balance of having both office/site days.

@KJ Smith, are you talking about estimating software to price jobs or software that can assemble the scope of work for others to price?  With integrated floor plan ability?

As "affordable" is a relative term, start Googling... there are a wide variety of programs on the market that have different capabilities and price points.

@Diskin Young, in becoming a GC are you after a technical/practical education about construction methods, materials, etc. or, how to run a GC business, or something else?

If it's the technical/practical side, is this the highest and best use of your time?  Some of the best contractors I know have very little technical knowledge, but they are excellent business persons (and selfishly, my ideal client - I love briefcase builders).  They simply surround themselves with the construction expertise they lack, much like with their CPA or attorney.

That said, your local community college or builder's association may very well offer online construction related courses.

I applaud you for wanting to educate yourself further - good luck to you!

@Upen Patel, can you help out Kyle with this... it's my understanding that rental income may be considered, but there are specific requirements that must be met (e.g., leases, stability, etc.).

As @Account Closed suggested, it could be a defective GRI or loose connection(s)... a short could cause problems too.

CLR - same as @Bob H. suggested.

@Ryan Murphy, I don't see it as an advantage or disadvantage, nor would it factor into my decision from a development standpoint.

If your're genuinely interested in the neighbor's lot, you might want to start planting seeds with them for that now... who's to say that they won't sell it out from underneath you should someone approach them about buying it between now and your someday?

Not sure I'd spend the money now to remove a tree that might be a problem in the future (it sounds like it'll only be a problem if you acquire the adjacent lot "some day", yes?).

Is the concern a permitting one or a financial one or both?  Is there a potential that this tree might find its way into a tree-save plan when you go to develop the lots?    

@Johanna Anderson, presuming this is a residential property of four units or less, and you're after a properly licensed contractor, then you'll be looking for a contractor who has a state issued MHIC (Contractor or Salesman) license, not a county issued general contractor's license.

Also, if you're casting a net to buy an estimate, how will you know that the estimate provided is legitimate or realistic?

I applaud you for the offer to compensate a contractor for their time.  However, you may want to offer compensation sans a published amount... vet them first prior to agreeing to a price and the terms/timeline of payment.  That said, I believe it would be wise for you and the party you represent (I'm assuming they are an investor and not an owner occupant) to spend some time building relationships with contractors that serve the areas where you're working.  It may lead to not having to offer a fee for estimates.

I've had investors provide me with estimates from other contractors to scope/validate and I'm amazed at what I've seen.  Not only do I sometimes wonder if they're estimates for the same project, I wonder if they've even physically walked the project!

Good luck!

@Emelin Williams-Nelson, in many areas, group homes are allowed in residentially zoned areas.  Check with the local municipality (many have this information available online) to see what is allowed.  

Keep in mind that there are often multiple "residential" zoning classifications in a given area.  Even if an area won't allow multi-family, they may allow group homes so long as the number of non-related residents doesn't exceed a certain amount (among other things of course).

Good luck to you!