All Forum Posts by: Eric Benzenhoefer

Here is a transcript of the 'Reasons for Rejections'

Electrical Dept.

1. Drawings are required to be signed by a state of Texas registered professional engineer or a licensed state of Texas master electrician who is registered as an electrical contractor with the state of Texas. All electrical plans designed or reviewed by the master electrician shall include the master electrician's name, master number, master's signature and be dated and signed on each page of the electrical plans.

2. Provide complete electrical plans including one line diagram with all conduit and conductor sizes with insulation types, total load with calculations, Panel schedule with arc fault, grounding, all outlets and lighting with circuitry, light fixture schedule, also show electrical panel location in the apartment.

Plumbing Dept.

1. Provide dedicated plumbing page designed by a professional engineer with current date stamp and signature or a state of Texas master plumber with name, license number, phone number, signature and date on the plans.

2. Provide complete riser diagram of any altered or new plumbing.

3. Provide detail of all types of materials and fixtures to be used.

4. Tub Faucets shall be anti-scald and pressure balanced with cut off valves.

Howdy All,

We could use some advice. We are struggling to find an affordable solution to getting the drawings needed for our permit. Here is what I mean.

We can get good rehab-prices on the plumbing and electrical work, but often these contractors are not able or willing to do the drawings needed for the permit.

We have found contractors who will do the drawings, but they are also busy with new construction and retail remodeling. This results in a much higher price tag and we cannot afford to spend $3000-$5000 on drawings for a rehab.

It seems like we are in the middle of two well developed markets. Would someone like to advise us on where you would go from here?

Please reply with advice here to keep it in the correct forum location.

Howdy All,

I have an 11 Plex rehab project near Houston that you can read about here.

We could use some advice.

We are struggling to find an affordable solution to getting the drawings needed for our permit. Here is what I mean.

We can get good rehab-prices on the plumbing and electrical work, but often these contractors are not able or willing to do the drawings needed for the permit.

We have found contractors who will do the drawings, but they are also busy with new construction and retail remodeling. This results in a much higher price tag and we cannot afford to spend $3000-$5000 on drawings for a rehab.

It seems like we are in the middle of two well developed markets. Would someone like to advise us on where you would go from here?

Who did you end up going with?

@Chris Bounds

How did things turn out? Would you mind sharing some company names and rates?

I have already looked at www.managerenthouses.com in this post

And I am asking @Eric Tait about his experience with Empire Industries in this post.

@Mat Trenchard , feel free to chime in as well.

@Eric Tait

Are you able to button up both of this thread and a similar one with some numbers on what the property management service costs? I did not see the pricing on the website.

Management fee %, New lease fee, lease renewal fee etc?

If you would like to advise me on our permit complications, here is a BP post that I started to do so. This is specific to the electrical drawings, but feel free to propose your own solutions to the problem.

Sure, we had basic sloping near the edges of the building requiring the 34 piers. The cost was $5300. When we leveled the apartments, 2 toilets started to leak, and some drywall cracked, but that was it. Interestingly, the apartments that have no flooring show that despite the slope in the foundation, there are no cracks in the slab.

Here is the update for Dec/Jan

Taking care of our investors

Automatic payments still working well.

Property Management Update

Our people on-site have been very helpful. With a call, they turned on some strategically placed space heaters during our Texas freezes, kept an eye on contractors, worked with the cable company to resolve a downed cable line issue on Christmas eve and as I was going out of town, and they have kept the place tidy trash onsite and near the dumpsters which was attracting more dumping.

Rehab Update

30+ piers have been added to level the 11-plex's foundation. No damage beyond wall cracks were done to the units either.

~30% of the roof was patched mainly where low spots collected water and pulled material away from the flat roofs edges. The low spots we filled with foam and covered with the same roofing material. It was great to go back after a rainfall and see that the water had evaporated instead of pooling up.

3 of the units needed a make-ready, and we have completed those on schedule.

Right now we are wrapping up exterior work including a new color scheme. It really makes the place look updated for our future tenants.

We started a pest treatment schedule so that they will be clear for when we start leasing down the road.

While we are getting our security system in order, we put up a dummy camera facing the dumpster in addition to posting two yellow signs that say "smile, your on camera".

Building Permit Update

Still working on the permits required to do the remaining interior work such as the closing up uncovered walls, ceilings, plumbing, electrical insulation etc. At first we called many companies to help, but we found ourselves too small for their time and their price way out of our budget. Our solution is to work with individual trades and manage the process to be sure we get the city exactly what it needs. Second permit submission should take place in February. Recommendations welcome here**

Project Management

DropBox, iphone, and onsite wifi are great. I highly recommend to make a dropbox folder with all the information that you want to send to contractors that are bidding on your work. Then simply send them a link, and they have the most up to date copy of everything.

We also have a google voice number for future renters, a gmail address, and a banner sign with that in of ready to go.

Next Months

Get the building permit, finish rehab, and then start renting!

Questions?

All things considered, things are still going well. Still learning and working well with business partner. Happy to answer more questions if you have them.

Howdy BP,

I need an example of an electrical one line drawing for our commercial building permit (11-plex). If you have one that has passed through a city (preferably Pasadena TX), I would like to look at it. Please PM me for my email address.

Our issue seems to be that there is so much work in Houston that any Master electrician in our price range is balking at the idea of doing a drawing. I would like to see what the drawing entails, see how much we can start for them, and then bring them in to complete it.

So I am looking for an example that would cover the following from our "reasons for rejection":

"Provide complete electrical plans including one line diagram with all conduit and conductor sizes with insulation types, total load with calculations, panel schedule with arc fault, grounding, all outlets and lighting with circuity, light fixture schedule, also show electrical panel location in the apartment"

My goal is to look at the example and complete a framework for the Mater Electrician to work in. This would include the drawing of the property, location of breakers, and other stuff that you don't need to be an electrician to know of. Then they can do the actual technical parts.