All Forum Posts by: Denette R.

Congratulations of your first flip!!! Since this is a rental I wouldn't put to much into it, and defiantly stay away from painting those cabinets white they're wood and in good shape and give it a warm feel I would just add a coat of lacquer to make them shine and hardware to update them. Swap out the countertops for quartz and add a new sink faucet and overhead lighting above the sink this will update the entire kitchen! 

Hi I'm a GC and I use two programs on for bidding which is Joist you can itemize and create individual line items for clients, track expenses and sync to quickbooks (QB accounting software, and Buildertrend which I use for project management, gamut view schedules, payments, and gives access to my clients job progress you can upload photos there everything,  once job has been sold this also syncs to QB. 

I'm a contractor in Los Angeles though I can't travel to you and do t the work. I'm willing to let you know if your getting a fair price. 

Well one thing is he doesn't know how many rafters need replacement, there is wood rot for sure and they may all need to be replace but there's no telling for sure until they're exposed, also big red flag no mention of permitting this work??? The quote says to remove the railing but mentions nothing about reinstalling new railing which typically cost $50-120 per linear foot in CA, as well as lighting it says remove as set aside to be reused but mentions nothing about reinstalling it after aluminum is installed. (Which he can say you have to hire an electrician to do later) also there's no mention to what type of wood they're using to replace the rafters is it pine, cedar, pressure treated etc. (you need to know this) 

The total cost typically ranges between $2,900 and $5,700 or more, depending on materials, design, and your location.

• Demolition and removal of the old roof may cost between $300 and $500, including disposal fees.
• • Plywood to re-deck Cost of materials: About $50–$70 per sheet (4x8 ft).
  • For a 75 sq ft roof, you’d need roughly 3 full sheets (plus some overage).
  • Total material cost: around $150–$200.
  • Installed cost (including labor): approximately $300–$500.
  • Roofing felt or
  • Synthetic underlayment or
  • Ice & water shield (less common for patios unless in cold/rainy climates)
  • Material cost: about $0.50 to $1.00 per sq ft
  • Installed cost: around $100–$200
• Rafter replacement will likely run about $15 to $25 per square foot, which puts you in the range of $1,125 to $1,875. This includes framing lumber and labor.
• Roofing installation (such as asphalt shingles, metal panels, or EPDM rubber) typically costs $8 to $15 per square foot, adding another $600 (Shingle) to $1,125 (EPDM) depending on the material.
• Guard rail replacement, assuming 5+15+5= 25 linear feet of railing, can cost between $1,250 and $3,000 depending on the material (wood is usually less expensive; metal, cable, or composite cost more).

If you’re using standard materials like pressure-treated wood and asphalt shingles, you’re likely to stay on the lower end of that range. If you opt for premium finishes like composite or metal, the price moves upward. Labor costs also vary significantly depending on your region.

It's free to provide a detailed line item bid this is not usually broken up by labor or material is provided as a whole for example the line item for paint should go as follows; 

Paint:

- Remove all hardware (door knobs) and faceplates for electric receptacles. Cover all work areas, tape all lighting fixtures and windows as needed.
- Patch walls as needed, sand, and clean to prepare to paint the entire home interior including walls, doors, ceiling, trims and moldings.
- Client to choose wall texture either smooth or textured finish.
- Applying one coat of primer allow 24-hour dry time.
- Applying two coats of paint allows 48-hour dry time (color and finish to be selected and by clients)

- Dunn Edwards or Sherwin Williams (color, texture, and finish TBD by client. Once determined a signed approval with color sku and finish will be needed from client to place  the order).

Note: Kitchen and bathroom paint finish must be semi gloss in order to be up to code and pass inspection (this is for California not sure if your state requires semigloss or higher in wet areas) 

Note for you; Depending on the amount of patching and labor for taping and material needed you can expect to pay 4.50-8.00 per sq foot for paint typically but there's a website called homewyze where you can check the standard rate of construction based on zip code to cross-reference 

 I'm a GC and the more details the better. Any contractor looking to charge for this is doing something shady. Now if you need something called and Xactimate which is required by insurance companies to detail every thing down to the cost of each nail, this may cost you anywhere from 100-300 dollars and is usually done by a public adjuster that has the software for it, because normally the insurance company sends there adjuster and you can never trust their reports because they're trying to pay the least amount possible to the homeowner, I've had jobs where the insurance company tries to payout 20k for a job that's 70k and  if this is the case hire a public adjuster to give you real numbers that reflect the cost properly. For the job that's was 70k I ended up getting this from the insurance company it took 2 months of back and forth but they can argue industry standards and a public adjusters report because there's nothing in it for them to give an accurate detailed report. 

Hi I'm a contractor and this is standard for order and procurement. This usually covers the cost of deposits to their subcontractors so they'll start the work. If you have any reservations ask the prime contractor to supply a performance and payment bond. Which basically ensures the subs will be paid on time and won't be able to place a lien on your home for non-payment  and the performance bond ensures the contractor will perform as detailed in the contract. If not the bond company will make necessary payments and the contractor will have to pay them back. So it helps everyone stay on course. You have the right to have a list of all subcontractors that will be working on your property as well and be sure to make sure they're licensed and hold workers compensation, general liability insurance and bond as well, and remember if a sub, material supplier, laborer, designer, equipment lessor,  doesn't submit a 20 day preliminary lien notice they have no lien rights. Preliminary to be made;

• Within 20 days of first furnishing labor, materials, or services to the project.
• If served later, the lien rights only apply to work/materials provided 20 days before the notice and everything thereafter — but not to work/materials delivered earlier.

• What Happens If They (sub, designer, material suppliers, laborer) Don’t Serve It?

  • You lose your right to file a mechanic’s lien, stop notice, or bond claim for any unpaid work or materials.
    
  • This is standard for California but I would look into the laws in TX to be sure they operate the same way. 

Hi I'm a GC in California and though ai'm not sure how things are run in MA I'm sure they have something similar to the contractors state licensing board like we do here. 1. Always get multiple bids for your work to compare and contrast 2. Check that their license that it has no bad marks against them and that the license is active and in good standing 3. Check their insurance general liability and workers compensation are current 4. Check that they have an active bond (you can even request a payment or performance bond to ensure they pay their subs and perform the work as promised 5. when reviewing the contract before signing go over every detail a proper scope of work should be detailed down to the material and equipment used like simply saying install kitchen cabinets is a sign to not choose this contractor, it should say install type, model #, color, features (the more detailed the better) if it's not detailed then you risk the builder installing something cheaper that you paid for this goes for everything even paint and also how many coats are applied. 6. There's a site called homewyze where you can see industry standard costs based on zip code and you can search any type of project to see you're getting a fair price I often have my clients cross-reference this site so they can see that my pricing is accurate. 7. Check the contractors portfolio and ask if you can visit active job sites or past clients referrals (which most clients don't mind giving if their contractor is good) I'll do a three way call between past clients and potential clients. 8. Make sure schedule payments match the type and progress of work. Example I do a lot of large jobs and the first stage is Demo I've seen bids from others where they'll try collecting 30% of contract total up front this is way too high. Demo is usually $5-10 per sq foot so collecting 30,000 on work that cost $5,000 to complete is outrageous. This usually happens when a contractor is planning to run off with a huge portion of money before even completing the work. Good luck unfortunately I wish I could give you a trusted contractor you're just out of my area. 

I'm not sure what AZ has incentive wise but in Los Angeles because there's a housing shortage there are some incentives that you can take advantage of like...

CalHFA ADU Grant Program

The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) offers grants up to $40,000 to cover pre-development costs such as architectural plans, permits, and utility connections. To qualify, applicants must:

• Have a household income less than $84,160, which is 80% of the area median income for Los Angeles County.  
• Be the primary resident and owner of the property. 
• Apply through a CalHFA-approved lender or nonprofit partner, such as Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County.  

The grant funds must be used for pre-construction costs, including:

• Architectural designs
• Permits and impact fees
• Utility hookups and energy reports 
• Soil tests and property surveys

These funds are not available for construction costs. 

Local Incentives in Los Angeles

2. Fee Waivers and Reductions

Los Angeles and other California cities may waive or reduce certain fees for ADU projects, including:

• Sewer and water connection fees
• School district fees for ADUs under 750 square feet 
• Permit processing fees 

These waivers aim to lower the overall cost of building an ADU. 

Additional Financial Assistance

3. Affordable ADU Loan Program (Orange County)

Although not specific to Los Angeles, this program offers eligible homeowners up to $100,000 in construction loans at 0–3% interest rates, provided the ADU is rented to a very low-income tenant for ten years. The loan is forgiven for each month the ADU is leased, with full ownership granted after the affordability period. 

Also keep in mind

• Property Taxes: Adding an ADU will increase your property tax bill, as the value of the ADU is added to the property’s assessment. For example, a $200,000 ADU could raise annual taxes by approximately $2,500.  
• Permitting and Construction Costs: While state laws have streamlined the permitting process, building an ADU still requires an investment of time and money. Homeowners should plan accordingly and consider potential financing options.

I'm a GC as well and #1 thing to do is not underbid, you have to cover labor, materials and company overhead in your bid, and underbidding to win a job will cause you to go bankrupt. It's understandable you want to make a name for yourself but don't do it at the expense of possible shutting down before you even start. People are well aware there will be costs to upgrade anything and paying for someone who is licensed, bonded and insured who knows his stuff is priceless. Work on marketing your skills and knowledge. 

I'm a General contractor and it's best to get it permitted while you are doing the renovations because the city will check prior to plans being drawn up or permits issued, you'll probably have to open up the walls and let them see it was built to code, if not they will not issue you permits for the new work or work place a red tag to demo it completely. Hopefully whoever built it abided by the setbacks and built it to code. They'll check the foundation, footings, stud placement, fire blocking etc. but you won't have to remove everything if your straight forward with them, they'll only have you expose the parts they need to see.