(They doubled the budget and tripled the timeline) meanwhile we had another contractor lined up immediately, but it took the lender 4 months to finalize paperwork before they would let the new contractor touch the property so we got eaten alive in holding costs.

I can possibly have access to a certain amount of money but it will be more of a refurb budget.

(consult a licensed accounting professional to learn more about this)Based on your goals for the property, the condition you'd like the property to be in at purchase, your budget/purchasing method, living condition parameters, and any other factors that are important to you, a local pro can then take that information and narrow the scope of the search to have a better chance of locating the best opportunity for you.Contacting a local pro could be in your best interest to at least hammer down the details so they know what to look for and which opportunities to present to you and which to avoid sending you. 

I do have experience with the spending budget expanding to match unexpected conditions.

There are a bunch of great lots for sale on the west side, and we’d love to build our own, but are looking to do so on a budget and don’t want anything huge.Any insight is helpful!  

I often find myself recommending systems that landlords use like budgeting for repairs and maintenance and setting aside monthly future capex expenditures for when they need a new roof or HVAC, etc.

The only reason he's still with me is because the market is so hot and he can't get a place within his budget. 

This area is tough to find a cash flowing property currently, especially with interest rates the way they are (higher sales prices)Appreciation is the play in Naperville, but depending on your budget a live in flip wouldn't be a bad idea in some areas.

Not budget friendly enough for me.

As someone who took on a similar deal as his first BRRRR I would HIGHLY recommend partnering with someone who has done this before, foregoing this deal, or going into it knowing that it's going to take 2-3x the time and budget you are expecting and being okay with that.