All Forum Posts by: Matt Clark

@Mitchlyn D., contractor licensing really has little to do with health mishaps.  Injuries, etc. are a separate insurance issue that may or may not be regulated by your state licensing agency.

Contractor licensing is all about complying with state licensing regulations in regards to knowledge, solvency, taxes, code of conduct, and financial regulations.  When using an unlicensed contractor you as the owner are exposed to the risk of being non-compliant with the rules/regulations of your jurisdiction.  As an unlicensed contractor, he will not be able to pull a construction/renovation permit.  If it comes to light that you have performed (or had someone else perform) work that was not permitted, you are exposed to fines, inspections, and may even be required to alter/remove the work done.

There may be ways to work around it, but it's risky. 

The first thing I would do is document everything while it's fresh: weather conditions, time, location, contact info, agreement in place with contractor, video of incident if available, time you received notice, copy of the tenant's incident/accident report, etc.  Hopefully you won't need any of the info, but now is the time to gather it.  

Blake Dowe it's HUGE! Even taking a pay cut to learn the trade will pay off for you. There is no better way to learn than to do it. And the amount of experience you get doing it full time cannot be matched by doing it on the side.

Justin C. I've never seen one that takes up the entire 2x2 grid, but they may be out there. Most all standard bath fans come with cross bar braces that extend out to 2'. You just fasten them to the ceiling grid and cut the tile to fit around it.

Garrett Masiulis "What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow...and 36 Other Key Financial Measures" by Frank Gallinelli.

Michael Shea , you might try contacting a local hazmat contractor for ideas. I know of one company that heats their shop with "salvaged" oil.

Kenneth Hynes , a year should be sufficient. I remember once closing down an LLC too soon, and then subsequently receiving a significant refund check of some sort. In order to cash the check I had to reinstate the LLC with the state corporation commission so that I could open a new bank account in the name of the LLC, then deposit the check.

@Cassidy Burns, sorry for the slow response... I missed the notification for your mention.  Between Patrick Henry and Fleming school districts, many people prefer Patrick Henry.  And as far as property management companies, I don't have a good recommendation to offer.  I'm able to self-manage, so I don't have much experience with the local options.  

Mario Mormile , my experience is that the fancier the thermostat, the more service calls you will have...due to operator error, not a malfunctioning thermostat.

@Cassidy Burns, the Roanoke and Salem markets are pretty strong, and there aren't many areas to avoid.  Of course it depends on your objectives, there are some C/D neighborhoods in Roanoke that wouldn't work for me, but they work for some people.

Salem really doesn't have anything I would consider Class D, and their school system is widely regarded as the best in the Roanoke valley.  It's a really great small city, and is generally considered more desirable than the surrounding areas due to the level of service they provide to the citizens.  Of course there are always exceptions...

Be aware that some properties advertised as Salem properties on the MLS and elsewhere aren't actually in the city of Salem. There are portions of Roanoke County where the mail is routed through the Salem post office, so those properties have a Salem address. But they don't actually have the benefits of Salem (schools, etc.).

In general, the Roanoke Valley is more stable than most markets, with less pronounced ups and downs.