All Forum Posts by: Chris Brown

Hi Emily, feel free to give me a call or PM and I will be glad to you however I can.

Hi @Jef A., I would say the best method is to speak with someone you trust who has work done. Get their contractors name and give them a call. See what kind of feeling they give you over the phone. If you like them, ask for references and to see examples of work. 

Your concerns are understandable. Horror stories abound about contractors and I had my worries when I started out rehabbing. My experiences have not been that bad, but maybe I vet my people more thoroughly than most. As for the work I do for others, I want to get in, make sure I, the owner, and all my workers are on the same page from the beginning on the written and agreed to scope of work, get the work done as quickly and professionally as we can and then move on to the next project. I leave the customer happy, increase my good reputation, and find more quality jobs. 

Most contractors fail because they are underfunded.  They are always taking from Peter to pay Paul and themselves and eventually that will catch up with them and bite them in the ***. If a contractor looks like he is living paycheck to paycheck, he probably is and may be one to avoid. 

I work with other investors here in Atlanta on their flips and rentals. I just finished a rental for a BP member in Kennesaw and another rental for another member in Reynoldstown. Give me a call if you would like to discuss the possible project. 

Best of luck!

@Patrick Philip, no, it would not. In my example, I said my goal ROI on a 3 month investment is 30%, which is correct. If I had referred to my ROI per annum, then yes, that would be 120%. ROI is the returns over whatever period is specified, not annually by default.

I grew up in Longwood in the 80's, sure has changed alot, but I miss it the area. 

White is what I have been using in the suburbs, gives a clean, open feel to any kitchen. In my in town properties I am doing white uppers and light to medium grey lowers/island or all light grey. That seems to be new trend in what I see in sold renovations in town. 

Maybe try some lighter shades of grey if you want something other than white, but that's about as far as I would go. 

Hi @Patrick Philip, everyone view profits a little different, some may look at Gross profit per house, others may look at Net profit ROI. I like the ROI viewpoint myself, and I like to hit a minimum of 30% ROI on the CASH I put into a deal. So if I have a project that costs me $200k to buy that are financed and $100k in purchase/rehab/holding/selling costs of my own cash, then I am looking for a minimum Net profit of $30k on a 3 month project.

I started off a few years ago doing most work myself except for granite, flooring, painting, siding, tiling. I figured I had enough little things to keep me busy I may as well hire people who can do the job fast and right rather than figuring it out myself, which I am sure I could eventually good very good at all those things, but to do hands on construction work every day was not why I quit my very good day job. 

I have since hired a few full and part time carpenters that can do just about anything. I use them to most work - cabinets, flooring, paint, plumbing, electrical, siding, framing, etc. I still use some other subs for projects that require special equipment like tile, exterior paint, hardwood refinishing, etc. 

Again, how you have the work done is up to you. You'll need to get in and see how it works out. Some people try to save money by doing the work themselves, but if it takes longer and the quality is not as good as it should be, are you really saving money. Also think abut what it is you want to be doing day in and day out. 

Best of luck!

Chris

Hi @Yarin Negri, did you find someone that suits your needs for the project? If not, give me a call and we'll see we can help you out. 

You can get 4 piece fiberglass shower shells that will allow you to get it through the doors. Home Depot sells them, I have used them a few times and they are a great, relatively inexpensive solution. They only come in predetermined widths, so define what the base dimensions will be for the "tub" and then build off that. 

Pulling out the out should not be an issue, just make sure the shower drain pan is disconnected from the drain. The rest should be already cut out around the controls and head. 

Hi @Niraj S., I may be able to help you. Contact me any time and let's discuss your needs and expectations. 

- Chris

As far as finishing design, like cabinets, tile, paint, etc, I do all of that myself with some input from my wife and Houzz. I dont see the value to pay someone for items like that. Maybe when you are into $1MM+ homes, but not under $500k where I am at. That being said, I do have some need for an interior designer/architect when I am doing additions or moving walls to create new spaces. 

I am working on a 1920 bungalow and I am adding 650 sq ft off the back. I had engaged an architect to help with the drawings and design of the new space, but his fee was $7k. Not feasible for me. I see the value, but I could not justify it. So I wish I had a less expensive option to help me decide where the shower, toilet, vanity, etc in the bath should be. Where the closet should be. Where the windows should be, etc. 

I think I will come up with a pretty good design, but I would like to have someone with professional experience have some input because I will always miss something. 

Putting some things off until later in the project hoping that they will work out. My 1st house had an indoor hot tub in a sauna type room with cedar paneling. It also had a full bath in it. My hope was that it would work and I kept working on everything else until I finally filled it up and tried running it and the ancient heating system. Of course, water came flowing out of the heater and I messed around with it trying to get it to seal. Finally found a crack in the manifold and had a specialist come look, $2k for a new heater but I had no idea what else may be wrong with the system and tub. So I decided to scrap it. This was a few days before I was supposed to list. 

So, I had to rip out the large tub with a sawzall, get rid of it, put up bead board around the wall where the tub was, all the night before listing. What a pain, but I made it work. 

Moral - always dig into EVERYTHING early in the project so you have some idea of what you will be facing. Leave noting to chance. Even if you do not address the item immediately, at least you know what you are facing and any expenses involved.