How to Renovate and Upgrade Residential Property.

Begin with the end-goal in mind.

Picture in your mind exactly what the apartment will look like after the renovations. It should attract a clientelle willing to pay higher rent; otherwise, you are wasting your time & money.

If the neighborhood is bad and higher-paying tenants are nowhere in sight, consider whether your investment is worthwhile. This is another reason why location is so important. Some of the cheaper upgrades include replacing outdated, painted bathroom light fixtures, with something that looks great. This can cost as little as $15.00 + installation.

Before you jump-into removing the old light fixture, and installing the new one, ask yourself if there are other items that need to be replaced on the same wall. Whether it is a damaged mirror, medicine cabinet, countertop sink, the cabinet or the sink; you must realize that it is better to:

1. Remove all the fixtures you plan to remove.
2. Paint the wall.
3. Install new fixtures.

rather than

1. Remove a vanity lamp
2. Install a new vanity lamp
3. Paint the wall around the new vanity lamp
4. Remove the mirror
5. Install the new mirror
6. Paint the wall around the new mirror
7. Remove the cabinet
8. Install the new cabinet
9. Paint the wall around the new cabinet.

Yes this makes the apartment not ready to show for 2-5 days. Especially when it is stripped of everything. GET OVER IT! When it is ready, it is worth it because it looks new! If not new, at least the new fixtures don't have swipes of wall-paint on them, the wall looks professionally painted, your process was efficient, and you did things in the correct order.

Do Your Due Dilligence When Selecting a Vendor

Research the vendor on Yelp, and, more importantly, BBB.gov or just get a recommendation from a person the business. Don't just jump at the first ad featured in the magazine written in your native language for the people of your ethnicity. Get multiple estimates over the phone. Don't be bullies by Bait-and-switch tactics of some unscrupulous vendors. Get samples of materials they will use. Keep these samples. Inspect the quality of the job before you write them a check.

Get your calendar, schedule the vendors with a little slack time in between, so when they fail to complete a task within allocated time, you won't have to shift all of them, just one or two.

Order of operations for apartment renovation:

1. Tear out the kitchen & the bathrooms & closet doors & kitchen lights & door knobs
2. Take off the carpet & the padding. Haul them out.
3. Remove old electric switches & outlets.
4. Fumigate the apartment using those foggers in the can (close all the windows, let it sit for a 24 hours+)
5. Bring in the painters to paint everything swiss coffee.
6. Install new light fixtures.
7. Install new electric outlets and light switches.
8. Order stainless steel appliances.
9. Remove shower tile and drywall. Put up hardwall and modern tile.
10. Have cabinet people install cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms.
11. Install kitchen lights, medicine cabinets, mirror closet doors
12. Install granite countertops
13. Install mirrors, medicine cabinets, ceiling fans, vanity lights.
14. Install new faucets in bathrooms and kitchen
15. Install hardwood floors. Install tile in kitchen & bathroom
16. Install carpet
17. Install new locks
18. Bring in a cleaning crew to clean the unit.
19. Stage the unit. (small modern furniture, to make the unit seem larger, green plants)
20. Take photos, Raise the price by $400/ month. Make an ad with a move-in special.