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.

Why do so many investors have bad contractor experiences?

It is a structural problem, not a people problem. The deposit-based payment model misaligns incentives. Contractors get paid before work is done. Weekly draws fix this by tying every payment to verified performance.

Can I fix contractor performance without changing contractors?

Often yes. Switching to weekly draws changes the incentive structure. The same contractor who underperforms on deposits often performs well on weekly draws because the accountability is built into the payment cycle.

What makes weekly draws different from milestones?

Weekly draws create tighter accountability cycles (every 5 business days vs. every 3-6 weeks), smaller financial exposure, and regular forced communication. Problems surface faster.

What is included in the $150 scope visit?

Full walkthrough, scope of work, cost breakdown, timeline, and weekly draw schedule. Structural accountability built in from day one.

How do I transition to a weekly draw model?

Propose it to your contractor. Good contractors will accept because it gives them predictable weekly income. Or work with a company like ours that is built around weekly draws.

Why 69% of Investors Report Poor Contractor Performance

Talk to enough investors and a pattern emerges. Nearly 7 in 10 have a contractor horror story. Ghosted deposits. Blown timelines. Budget overruns. Work so bad it needed to be redone. The percentage is too high to be explained by "bad contractors." Something systemic is broken.

The Systemic Problem

If 69% of investors report poor contractor performance, the problem isn't finding better contractors. It's the system that governs the relationship:

The deposit model front-loads payment before work is done
Milestone payments create subjective checkpoints that favor the contractor
Lack of documentation requirements lets quality slide unnoticed
No structured communication means problems fester

This isn't a people problem. It's a structural problem. And structural problems need structural solutions.

Why "Better Contractors" Isn't the Answer

Every investor who's been burned goes looking for a "better contractor." They ask for referrals, check more reviews, interview more carefully. And many of them still get burned. Why?

Because the same contractor can perform well on one project and poorly on another. It depends on:

How many other jobs they're juggling
Their cash flow situation that month
Whether they've already been paid (deposits)
Whether anyone is holding them accountable week-to-week

A great contractor with a $15,000 deposit and four other jobs is still going to deprioritize your project. The deposit model made it rational.

The Structural Fix

Change the payment structure and you change the outcomes:

Weekly draws eliminate:

Deposit risk (no deposit, no risk)
Schedule manipulation (weekly income depends on weekly performance)
Quality drift (weekly reviews catch problems in 5 days, not 5 weeks)
Communication gaps (forced weekly interaction through the draw process)

The same contractor who underperforms on a deposit model often performs well on weekly draws. Not because they became a better person. Because the incentives changed.

What This Looks Like in Data

Investors who switch to weekly draws consistently report:

Fewer timeline overruns
Better budget accuracy
Higher work quality
Better communication
Less stress

Not because they found better contractors. Because the weekly draw structure creates accountability that the deposit model doesn't.

The Broader Picture

Commercial construction solved this problem decades ago with progress billing. The residential investor market just hasn't caught up. As more investors demand weekly draws, the contractors who adapt will thrive and the ones who rely on deposits will lose market share.

At Seller's Little Helpers, we're on the right side of this trend. Weekly draws. No deposits. Weekly accountability. The structural fix for the 69% problem.

Book a $150 scope visit at sellerslittlehelpers.com - experience the difference that structural accountability makes. Call (708) 536-6700 or email info@sellerslittlehelpers.com.

Why 69% of Investors Report Poor Contractor Performance (And the Fix)