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 should a scope of work include?

Room-by-room task list, specific materials with quantities, labor costs for each task, materials costs separated, timeline with weekly milestones, and what is excluded. Every task, every dollar, every material specified.

Who should write the scope of work?

Ideally an independent party, not the contractor doing the work. This prevents vagueness that benefits the contractor. Our $150 scope visit produces a detailed SOW before you commit to a contractor.

How does the SOW prevent scope creep?

If work is not in the SOW, it requires a written change order with pricing before it happens. The SOW is your defense against "we found something" additions. No SOW, no protection.

What is included in the $150 scope visit?

A complete scope of work document: room-by-room detail, line-item costs, labor and materials separated, specific materials specified, timeline, and weekly draw schedule.

How does the SOW connect to weekly draws?

Each week's planned work comes from the SOW. Each Friday's draw review compares actual work to the SOW. The draw is released when SOW tasks are completed. They are inseparable.

The Investor Scope of Work: Your Most Important Document

If you could only have one document on your entire rehab project, it should be the scope of work. Not the contract. Not the budget. The scope. Because the scope IS the budget, the timeline, and the quality standard all in one.

What a Scope of Work Is

A scope of work (SOW) is a detailed, room-by-room document that specifies every task to be performed, every material to be used, and every cost associated with the project. It's the single source of truth for what the rehab includes and what it doesn't.

What a Bad SOW Looks Like

"Remodel kitchen"
"Update bathrooms"
"New flooring throughout"
"Paint interior"
"Total: $42,000"

This is worthless. It doesn't tell you what's included, what materials are being used, or what "remodel" means. Is it new cabinets or painted existing ones? Is it a tub-to-shower conversion or a new faucet? You don't know. And that ambiguity will cost you money.

What a Good SOW Looks Like

Kitchen:

Demo and remove existing cabinets, countertops, backsplash, flooring: $800 labor
Install 10 LF white Shaker cabinets (investor to supply): $1,200 labor
Install laminate countertop (investor to supply): $450 labor
Install subway tile backsplash, 30 sqft: $600 labor + $180 materials
Install new sink and faucet (investor to supply): $350 labor
Add 2 GFCI outlets: $400 labor + $40 materials
Total kitchen labor: $3,800 / Materials (our supply): $220

Every task. Every cost. Every material specified. No ambiguity.

Why the SOW Protects You

1. Budget protection. When every cost is a line item, there's nowhere to hide markup or padding. You can see exactly what you're paying for.

2. Scope creep prevention. If it's not in the SOW, it's a change order. Any addition must be written, priced, and approved before work begins. The SOW is your defense against "we found something" surprises.

3. Quality standards. "Install subway tile backsplash" vs. "install tile." The SOW specifies materials, and materials define quality. White Shaker cabinets is specific. "New cabinets" is not.

4. Timeline basis. The SOW breaks into weekly milestones that drive the timeline and draw schedule. Without a detailed SOW, there's no basis for a realistic timeline.

5. Contractor accountability. The SOW is what you compare actual work against every Friday during the draw review. Did the contractor do what the SOW says? Pay. Didn't they? Hold the draw.

How to Get a Good SOW

Option 1: Write it yourself. This requires significant rehab experience and knowledge of material costs and labor rates.

Option 2: Have your contractor produce it. Risky, because the contractor controls what goes in and what gets left vague.

Option 3: Have an independent party produce it. At Seller's Little Helpers, our $150 scope visit produces a detailed SOW before you commit to anything. It's independent of the crew doing the work, so there's no incentive to leave things vague.

The SOW as a Weekly Draw Foundation

Weekly draws only work when you have a detailed SOW to draw against. Each week's planned work comes from the SOW. Each Friday's review compares actual work to the SOW. Each draw release is based on SOW completion.

No SOW, no meaningful weekly draws. The two are inseparable.

Book a $150 scope visit at sellerslittlehelpers.com - get a real scope of work before you commit a dollar to your next rehab. Call (708) 536-6700 or email info@sellerslittlehelpers.com.

The Investor Scope of Work: Why Your SOW Is the Most Important Document