Hey Everyone,We are looking into sub-metering for our allowed utilities.

Written notes on the tax record for the property indicate that the property has been accepted and metered by the last owner to become a fourplex though I haven't had anyone from the planning department return my calls regarding it.

Water meter?  

The house is in a well-connected area of a large metropolitan city—nearest bus stop is within 200 meters, and amenities like Dollarama, gas station, and restaurants are within 500 meters.The interior appears well-maintained, but there are several issues and planned upgrades:Existing Issues:1.Boiler needs replacement (estimated cost: $5,000)2.Roof shingles need to be redone (estimated cost: $10,000)3.Currently has baseboard heating – considering replacing with forced air (central heating + cooling), but note that no vents are currently in place (estimated cost: $18,000)4.Basement is finished, but I plan to add a second kitchen and one bedroom to make it a rental unit (estimated cost: $10,000)5.Need to replace stove and dishwasher, and furnish the second kitchen with all appliances (estimated cost: $7,000)Potential Income:•Estimated rental income from basement suite: $2,400/monthThe following numbers that can work for me.

The city’s had steady rental demand in certain pockets, especially near the lake and downtown revitalization areas.Make sure to double-check the local rental comps, utility setups (some duplexes have shared meters), and city inspection requirements — Lorain can be strict on rental licensing and COs.

Here's how we handled it:Carpet removal to prevent mold and speed dryingIndustrial fans and a dehumidifier brought in immediatelyDrywall and baseboard cut 6–8 inches from the floor (no moisture detected with a meter, but we didn’t want to risk it)96-hour drying period with equipment running continuouslyDrywall & painting contractor brought in for a full room (and full house, once we committed to a complete re-pipe)New carpet and padding orderedRe-pipe scheduled and completedThe Cost Breakdown:Carpet and Padding: $527.84Drywall, Trim, Paint, Finish Work: $2,200.00Paint Supplies: $87.70Full Re-Pipe: $5,242.20🔻 Total Out-of-Pocket: $8,057.74Yes, we’ve submitted an insurance claim and are optimistic about some coverage, but this situation reinforces a point I think many newer investors overlook: you must be well-capitalized.The Reserve Rule We Live By:We personally aim to keep a minimum of $10,000 in reserves per door.

You can wait to replace it until you need to expand.In PA, it is about $1,000 to replace just the service cable from the power line to the meter.

For Belize the "delivered" log market is about $500 USD per cubic meter. 

As utility costs rise, commercial real estate (CRE) investors are increasingly turning to smarter, more equitable ways to manage shared expenses—especially in multi-unit properties without individual utility meters.

Could be:A weird clause in the leaseBad plumbing hidden behind fresh drywallTenants who “paid on time” only because the seller covered their rentA contractor who ghosted once the ink dried...I’ll go first: On one of my first rentals, I didn't have a great grasp of how the electrical meters and gas lines were set up at the building and it ended up costing me over $1,000 because I connected a gas dryer to a tenant's gas line and had to repay them and buy a whole new electric dryer for the building.