All Forum Posts by: Christopher Contento

Hey, thanks for the kind words all.  @Quintin “Q” Grant  - I'll PM you and make sure you have my correct number, I don't miss many but if I missed a call from you I apologize...There are many great contractors and vendors to work with in WNY, you just need to know where to look.  Utilizing the BP platform is certainly a great place to start as is calling your local building department and asking for recommendations.  When you are going through the interview process I would recommend dropping in on one of their active job sites to see how organized they are, observe the quality of materials being used, see the conditions of the tools and equipment and of course to get an idea of what the finished product will look like.  Good luck and Go Bills!

@Ryan Cleary can you provide the additional breakdown of items in the proposal?  We know the painting is $3,300 so what else are you getting for the remaining $10,700?  If it includes some labor for clean outs, misc. new flooring, some windows, a few kitchen and bath updates, etc. then it could be a good price.  Anyone on here claiming $14k is too high for the construction cost is doing you a disservice without having the details of the work scope.  The investor side of me does agree that $14k is a high cost on a unit turnover where you are only receiving $800 month in rent.  Do you anticipate higher rents after you spend the $14k in the reno?  If you spend $14k but recognize an additional $200/month in rent then you would see a 17% return on that $14k, which isn't bad at all.        

@Alfred Kamga the area in and around the new hospital being built in Utica, NY would be a place I would be considering investing in if I lived in Clinton.  I would certainly do your research and talk to local RE: investors but I have been there every few months for the past few years for my W2 job and have witnessed the growth first hand.   

@Victor Funes…we continue work year round here in Buffalo and there are a few things you should think about.

Extra $$$ for heating (even if your not working on the house you want to keep it about 55 inside). Make sure your hearing source is tuned up so you don’t have any lost time.

Snow removal. Make sure the contractors understand they are responsible to remove snow to access their work.

More cutting, prepping, etc. work will typically be done indoors so make sure you hire a contractor who likes to be clean and won’t turn the entire interior into a personal workshop/storage shed.

Figure extra $$$ for temp enclosures and heat if you wish to do exterior painting, masonry, etc.

It’s darker later in the AM and earlier in the evening so make sure you have a lot of good, temporary lighting so you can maximize the amount of time your guys are working when they are actually onsite.

Planon missing a few days here and there due to a “snow day” when guys can’t make it to work due to a snow storm. I would add a day to the schedule for each week anticipated just to be safe.

@Dan Nikolich…I’ve found the best way to see if the Contractor/Customer are right for each other is to have a meeting on an existing job. This takes less time away from the company and allows many of the questions from the customer to be answered without even having to ask. Quality of work, condition of tools and job site, examples of finished work, type of people the company employs, etc.

I’ve been on both sides and over the past few years have been building a small, investor focused maintenance and construction company and I very rarely don’t wind up doing business with another investor once they stop by one of our jobs and visit with us. As a contractor it allows me to see how the potential customer handles themselves (being prompt, navigating a job site, interacting with my guys, etc) and also starts to set the tone of the experience we would have if we work together and potentially eliminate surprises. It also lets them see the types of finishes we use and usually leaves them with a sense of comfort and some initial trust in us to do right by them given what they can see within a 20-30 minute visit.

@Joe S. I have had a lot of luck from Home Outlet which we have a few up here in Western New York. Looks like the closest one to you is near Victoria, TX. They got a great vinyl tile product that looks like real tile but goes down easy and fast. They got some nice neutral colors as well. I use the LVT that looks like tile in the bathrooms and kitchens

For the commons spaces and bedrooms we have been using linoleum product by Traffic Master called Natural Pecan. It’s is only $1.20/sf for the planks and lays down easy. I’ve got one rental of my own where this stuff has been down for over 5 years and is showing no signs quality issues.

I also buy some vinyl flooring planks from a local lumberyard/hardware store here in WNY with about 5 locations. They seems to have some quality flooring materials around the $2/sf. mark which should be sufficient for any average apartment.

@Bruce Woodruff Are there snow removal companies in your area? Here in Buffalo we can contract with one of many firms who will plow for a flat rate or a “per push” rate from November to April.

Out of curiosity, what does your STR agreement state w/re: to snow removal? I ask only from a liability stand point, obviously you would like to mitigate any slip and fall risks as much as possible.

I use the Schlage FBE365 on all of my rentals, even have it on my personal home. It uses a simple 4 digit code and tenants love the idea of not having to use keys. The 9v battery lasts between 3-5 years. It costs $125 and you can get them at any Home Depot or Lowes.

Hey Chelsea! We built our home in 2015 and have been utilizing our LOC ever since to help fund deals, bridge the gap between construction and refi's, etc. Once you have your LOC locked in it's far easier than borrowing the $$$ privately and it allows you to keep everything in house. Assuming you have your rentals in LLC's, you may even be able to qualify for commercial lines of credit (based off your rental income) in addition to any LOC's you already have on your residence. We've got a few of those too. I am not all that concerned w/re: to the borrowing rate for a few months, if it is a great deal the difference between 4%-6% won't have much of an impact on your overall project. Good luck!

@Ferry Vendy congrats! I just finished my third roof and 1st siding job with All Access Builders and couldn’t be happier with their finished work as well as their level of customer service. Good luck!