All Forum Posts by: Vonetta Booker

Hi, all--I'm in the closing process of my first rehab (a HUD deal), and meanwhile I'm in the process of interviewing contractors.

For the most cost-effectiveness & efficiency, does one usually purchase materials needed & either have the contractor pick them up or delivered to the site?  And does the contractor give info on how much or size of a certain item(s), based on measurements taken beforehand? 

Also, I've noticed that many contractors (at least in my area) don't take credit cards (which I'd rather use as some form of protection in case something goes left)--even the ones seemingly well-established.  Is this a thing across the board? 

@Account Closed , yes--I factored in those vacancy numbers. 

I decided to also check out the members' directory of my county's Home Builders & Remodelers Association (HBRA), so hopefully I'll find someone through there.  Got three coming so far this week, lining 'em up! :-)

My boyfriend & I like to "shade watch" these shows, lol. 

Fixer Upper: I like Chip & Joanna Goines okay--they're probably the most genuine of the flippers.  But like every other show, theirs has a formula--out of 3 houses shown each episode, of course the owners always choose the crappiest (which makes for a better show!)

Flip or Flop:  Probably the show I like to make fun of the most--they are SO over the top, lol--from the bad acting at the staged foreclosure auctions to the overreactions at the homes in their before conditions (as if they've never seen bad, dated design before).  Every episode, they make stupid non-inspection- or comp-related blunders that any rehabber worth his/her salt would have scoped out beforehand.  (Side note--why is Christina always inadequately dressed, with barely-there clothing and flip-flops at the rehab site??? Wait...should I even ask, guys? ;-) )

Flipping Vegas: I can't even watch this show....dude & his wife are unbelievably annoying and antagonistic with each other and everyone they come in contact with...next!

Rehab Addict:  I like Nicole, because I do feel her heart's in the right place when it comes to restoring old homes, God bless her.  That being said...I totally agree with you, @Kathleen Leary --her finished results are often horrible.  Just real slapped-together & homemade-looking.  If you're going to rehab a house for buyers, do it with them in mind and not your own personal preferences.  

Perhaps you can also check out your local home builders' association; they usually have a list of GCs who are members. 

Thanks for your input, guys.  @Mike H., that was a great breakdown, by the way.

@Jon Holdman , at least in my area, the local Mr. Handyman is always quick to brag about how most of their workers are actual employees. But yeah, I get the sense they aren't really investor-friendly. 

Nonetheless, I got the sense she was giving me the "blow-off" pricing.  In the past I had to cancel a scheduled estimate visit when the closing didn't happen--I guess they still had me in the system, so perhaps after the first cancellation (which was done in well enough time beforehand), they put me on some "do not work with" list, lol.  Oh, well--I was thinking of calling back to ask exactly how they break their prices down, but at this point I'm just going to move on.  Not gonna chase someone down to give them my $$!

I guess initially I was hoping they'd be a good fit, because around here it's been a struggle to find not just competent GCs--but ones who'll actually return your initial phone call!  

Has anyone used Mr. Handyman in their area for flips? I just talked to the rep over the phone  & was going to schedule an estimate walkthrough--until she gave me the prices over the phone. For "low-end," approximately $8500 for a bath, $35k (!) for the kitchen, and about the same for a basement finishing.  From what I've estimated, I should be able to get everything done for $70k or less--but certainly not at those prices!  To my knowledge (& quotes from contractors in the past), a bathroom should be closer to 6500-7k, a kitchen no more than 10k, etc. 

If you have used Mr Handyman, are their rates usually higher than average like this? (Or, is this perhaps the reason investors don't use them, lol?)

I love shaker cabinets; as far as colors go, I'm partial to a cherry, mahogany or slate grey. 

Thanks for your feedback & the votes of encouragement, everyone. :-)

Good point, @Curt Davis . It very well may go over the asking price; but I noticed it's not listed on the MLS, so perhaps some may have missed out on it (I hope ;)

@Peter MacKercher I'd be leveraging things for this property w/ a loan. 

@Trevor Ewen --Stamford--I wish, lol!  I couldn't buy a shack for 52k here. ;-)  It's up towards the Bridgeport/Stratford area, about 30 minutes north of me--things are much cheaper up that way.  

I love driving for dollars, & have gotten pretty good at determining which houses are vacant by looking at them.  But once I look up the owner online via tax records, I hit a wall when I search for their contact info online (if I find something via AnyWho.com, the number is often disconnected--and any mailings often come back undeliverable.) 

@Shaun Caldwell , do you ever have this problem? How do you track down the property owners in your neck of the woods?