Property Rehab: Fixer-Upper and Construction Talk

Came acrosss a great home to assign and still trying to calculate the total repair costs. Onlt thing it needs is windows and its a single family home. Most window companies i called said i have to own the property before i can get an estimate.
Question- whats the average price range to replace all windows in a SFH?

Thanks in advance DG'ers

Two stories at CNN Money and one at NBC News when considered together are encouraging but are also a possible warning about the improving housing market. Titled “Big money betting big on housing,” tells us that hedge funds and major private investment firms are jumping into every part of the housing supply chain right now. Some of the biggest hedge fund managers are even scooping up undeveloped land in areas hardest hit by the housing crisis.

Paulson & Co. states that while land falls hardest in a downturn, it also rises the most in an upturn. The fund is betting on the accuracy of this statement, as over the past two years it’s purchased enough land in California, Arizona and Nevada to build 25,000 homes, and the company is aggressively scouting for more.

Hi, Im Thomas and I've been reviewing several dirt cheap homes here in my homestate of Michigan (anywhere between 6-10k!!!!)- Gotta love Michigan!!!! . Anyways these homes are very livable, most only needing cosmetic repairs. My only problem is when I find a good home, It has a brand new looking outside (with exceptions of obvious high grass) but has an horrendous looking inside or an beautiful inside with an nightmarish looking outside.
Which option would be more cost efficient? Looking to land 1st purchase soon. Please DG family bless me with your words of wisdom!!

This is an awesome article that shows some very important points that need to be addressed when tackling a remodel project. Here are a few ideas of things to be aware of that can get you into some hot water, or gobble up your potential profit.
By Leslie Barrie | Yahoo! Homes – Mon, Jan 28, 2013
Planning to tackle some home remodeling projects? Before you get out your tool belt, you may want to do some prep work.
Why? Because doing your pre-project homework will help you avoid any slip-ups down the line, says Aaron Gordon, a licensed contractor in San Francisco, Calif., and owner of Aaron Gordon Construction, Inc.

I found a neat article that discussed the importance of the street view, curb appeal, and especially the front door and what an impact it can make to potential buyers. I am definitely going to consider this on projects that I work on in the future.
By Arrol Gellner | Inman News – Thu, Jan 10, 2013
Have you ever been to a house where you had to skirt the gas meter or sidle around garbage cans to get to the front door? Or one where there was such a bewildering array of doors, you weren't sure which one to knock at?
The front entrance is seldom high on people's remodeling priorities. Yet, just like that old saw about first impressions, it's your home's entrance that people notice first. It's practically impossible to rectify a bad impression made at the front door.

I found a neat article that talks about kitchen cabinets. I know from experience that kitchen cabinets can cost an arm and a leg if you’re not careful. And this many times can eat up most if not all your potential profit. This article helped me to see things a little differently than I had in the past.
Enjoy.
By Pete Goode | This Old House – Wed, Jan 9, 2013
The basic refacing project consists of installing new cabinet door and drawer fronts and covering the exposed face frames of the cabinets with a matching wood or plastic veneer. Most jobs take two to four days, depending on kitchen size and extras like replacing counters or adding an extra cabinet.

Great Article I found while studying, and it is very timely for many areas around the country. Dealing with cold weather and freezing pipes
By Murray Anderson | DIY

I found a great article that discussed remodeling/rehabbing properties and creating space without adding more square footage to your house. I hope this information helps you as an investor. It sure helped me.
By Richard Taylor | Zillow – Mon, Sep 17, 2012 7:48 PM EDT
Space is something our culture can't seem to stop talking about – office space, parking space, even personal space – it's everywhere, but it seems we always want more.

And while the culture is changing, too many of us still automatically equate "more" with "better." It's something I see frequently in my practice as an architect — homeowners considering a remodeling or addition project often assume that "more space" is the solution.

$68,000
3bd 1.5ba
2.3k sq. ft
2 story unfinished basement and 1car garage. Oil heating.

avg price homes sell $101 sq. ft. with typically 130 days on market.

ARV $100-$115k

Built in the '30s as well as many other homes in the area. Some built in 1913 but updated.

But I have never even HEARD of oil heating before!
Should it be kept or replaced?

Your thoughts?

Note: I'm not looking for insight on if it's a deal or no deal but I'm scouting this downtown area and if I come across a motivated seller that does have oil heating I'd like to know what I should think about that....Other than it stinks.

There are a bunch of houses with garage conversions. Some have been converted to bedrooms, living areas, and offices...Some MLS listed properties like these suggest "re-converting" the garage back to a garage!
Some have removed garage doors altogether and adding an entry door (man door) and/or window(s), others still have garage door in place.

My query is how would one estimate a "re-conversion?"
What's the process and how would you estimate costs?
Would you simply call out for estimates on each property?
Or is there a standard configuration to use?
Appreciate anyone's input that has, either done this or knows how to do it! Thanx!