How do weekly labor draws work for rehab projects?

We quote your full project price upfront. Instead of paying 30-50% as a deposit, you pay weekly as labor progresses. Each payment is credited toward your project total. Draws start at $4k/week for smaller projects and scale with project size. Materials are separate: we provide detailed lists and you purchase directly, so you control the spend.

Is SLH a project manager or contractor?

We're the licensed general contractor. Our crews do the work: demo, framing, plumbing, electrical, finishes, everything. We're not a middleman coordinating other contractors.

Why do investors purchase materials separately?

Transparency. Traditional contractors mark up materials or bundle them so you can't see what you're paying. We provide detailed material lists with quantities and timing. You buy directly from suppliers at cost. No hidden markup, full visibility.

What payment methods do you accept for rehab projects?

The $150 scope fee can be paid by credit card. All other payments (weekly labor draws, final balances) are wire transfer, check, or cash only. No credit cards for project payments.

How do I qualify for Portfolio Partner pricing?

You qualify with either 3 or more concurrent projects OR a commitment to 5+ projects per year. This gives you 10% off weekly labor draw rates plus priority scheduling and included pre-acquisition estimates.

Do you handle permits for rehab projects?

Yes, as an add-on service. We manage the entire permit process including applications, coordinating inspections, and maintaining documentation. Permit fees are passed through at cost.

What is a good per-square-foot cost for a rehab?

Cosmetic: $15-$25/sqft. Moderate: $30-$50/sqft. Full gut: $60-$100/sqft. These are national benchmarks. Calibrate for your market by tracking actual costs on completed projects.

When should I use per-sqft estimation?

For initial deal screening. Quick math to determine if a deal is worth pursuing. For actual budgeting, always get a detailed scope of work with line-item costs.

How do I build accurate per-sqft numbers for my market?

Track actual costs on every project. Divide total cost by square footage. Categorize by scope level. After 3-5 completed projects, your local benchmarks will be reliable.

What is included in the $150 scope visit?

Full walkthrough, line-item scope of work, cost breakdown, timeline, and weekly draw schedule. The precise budget you need after per-sqft screening says the deal is worth pursuing.

Why does per-sqft estimation sometimes fail?

It fails on properties with unusual bathroom counts, unfinished basements, unusual features, or major system needs. These costs don't scale linearly with square footage.

Calculate Rehab Costs Per Square Foot

Per-square-foot cost is the fastest way to ballpark a rehab. "It's a 1,400 sqft house that needs a moderate rehab. $35-$50 per foot. That's $49,000-$70,000." You can do that math while driving past the property. Here's how to calibrate your numbers.

The Benchmarks

These are starting points. Your market will vary.

Cosmetic Refresh ($15-$25/sqft) Paint, new flooring, updated fixtures, minor repairs. No structural. No system changes. Kitchen gets hardware and countertop at most. Bathrooms get new fixtures.

A 1,400 sqft cosmetic: $21,000-$35,000

Moderate Rehab ($30-$50/sqft) New kitchen, updated bathrooms, new flooring throughout, paint, possible selective system updates (panel upgrade, partial re-pipe). Some drywall work.

A 1,400 sqft moderate: $42,000-$70,000

Full Gut ($60-$100/sqft) Down to studs. New electrical, new plumbing, new HVAC, new drywall, new everything. Possibly structural modifications.

A 1,400 sqft full gut: $84,000-$140,000

Calibrating for Your Market

National benchmarks are useless without local calibration. Here's how to build accurate per-sqft numbers for your area:

Track your actual costs on every completed project
Divide total rehab cost by square footage
Categorize by scope level (cosmetic, moderate, full)
After 3-5 projects, you'll have reliable per-sqft ranges for your market

Until you have your own data, use these benchmarks as a starting point and verify with local contractors and fellow investors.

When Per-Sqft Breaks Down

Per-sqft estimation is great for quick deal analysis but fails when:

Kitchens and bathrooms are disproportionate. A 1,000 sqft house with 3 bathrooms costs more per foot than a 1,000 sqft house with 1 bathroom.
Basements are included. Unfinished basements inflate sqft without proportional cost.
The house has unusual features. A house with a pool, detached garage, or complex roofline breaks the per-sqft model.
Systems need replacement. An HVAC replacement is a fixed cost regardless of sqft.

Use per-sqft for initial screening. Use a detailed scope for actual budgeting.

The Two-Step Method

Step 1: Per-sqft estimate for deal screening. "This 1,400 sqft house needs a moderate rehab. Roughly $42K-$70K. Does the deal work at $55K rehab cost?" If yes, move to step 2. If no, pass.

Step 2: Detailed scope for actual budgeting. Book a scope visit. Get line-item detail. Know the real number before committing.

At Seller's Little Helpers, our $150 scope visit takes you from a rough per-sqft estimate to a precise, line-item budget. Use per-sqft to screen. Use our scope to commit.

Book a $150 scope visit at sellerslittlehelpers.com - turn your per-sqft estimate into a real budget. Call (708) 536-6700 or email info@sellerslittlehelpers.com.

How to Calculate Rehab Costs Per Square Foot (The Investor's Method)